Charles Laird. Trained the winner
The combination of some astute training by Charles Laird and probably just too much class for his opposition made the difference for the Australian bred Rio Carnival in Sunday’s R120 000 Marula Sprint run over 1200m at Clairwood.
Rio Carnival was returning from a 68 week rest and was easy to back at 11 to 2, with the interest centred on Midnight Run and Flyfirstclass.
The scratching of the very smart Kingston Boy threw the non black type feature wide open and despite only eight runners lining up, punters would have gone quite wide, with chances to most of the field.
The speedy mare Cotswold led early from Coffee Sheik and Flyfirstclass with Rio Carnival relaxed down the inside.
At the 400m marker Island Fiesta came forward strongly down the outside with Flyfirstclass and Midnight Run in contention.
Anton Marcus had been shadowing the action quietly down the inside and he got stuck into Rio Carnival at the 300m. The gelding asserted himself in a matter of strides and took control with contemptuous ease.
Rio Carnival won easing up by 1,50 lengths in a time of 68,96 secs.
Superman! Anton Marcus rode a confident race
Island Fiesta stayed on well and ran second, with the ever consistent Midnight Run earning again in third.
Flyfirstclass had every chance but appeared to have nothing to offer late and ran a pedestrian fourth, in receipt of 7kgs from the winner.
Rio Carnival was bred in Australia by Mr D E Zappelli from the Mr Prospector stallion Hussonet. The winner is out of the twice winning and stakes placed Snippets mare, Hot Beat.
Hussonet stands at Cornerstone Stud, formerly the Lindsay Park Stud.
Rio Carnival has now won 5 races with 4 places from 14 starts for stakes of R360 840.
