The 100-1 shot Mount Anderson got the better of the 150-1 outsider Official Secret to win a dramatic finish to the R200 000 Friendly City Stakes at Fairview on Friday.
The 8yo Vercingetorix gelding won the same non black-type feature two years ago and found the winner’s enclosure after a 500 day drought. The exacta paid R1808!
Eldin Webber drives Mount Anderson ahead of Official Secret (Charles Ndlovu) in a thriller (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Clearly enjoying the give in the ground, Mount Anderson was given a peach of a ride by Eldin Webber and went stride for stride over the final 200m with Charles Ndlovu and the gutsy mare Official Secret.
In a drive to the wire, Webber found some inspiration and got Mount Anderson’s head down to pip Official Secret in a time of 111,50 secs for the 1800m.
Former Cape-based Firealley (25-1), now with Jacques Strydom, was a further 2 lengths back in third.
Recently crowned East Cape Horse Of The Year Joy And Peace was the first fancied runner home in fourth, for a R94 337 quartet dividend.
The red-hot 8-10 favourite Pacaya looked hard to beat but fought Muzi Yeni and didn’t have much spark in the dash for home, finishing a 2,25 length fifth. Richard Fourie did caution some time ago that Pacaya takes a high maintenance kind of ride.
Formerly raced by the late Mike Rattray for Dean Kannemeyer, Mount Anderson is clearly a favourite in the Kelly Mitchley yard and the young conditioner told of how the old boy almost didn’t make it to races.
“He was almost not a runner – he has a way of faking sickness. He had a mild colic in the week, then he was footsore on Thursday. Our farrier Tom Reynolds deserves a shout-out for his work!” said a delighted Kelly Mitchley, who dedicated the win to her Mom who celebrates her birthday on Sunday.
With Anuschka’s World (Muzi Yeni) winning the previous race, and Passchendaele the following, Mount Anderson’s knockout was the middle leg of a genuine hat-trick for the Mitchley yard. In more telephone number dividends, the Pick 3 paid a handsome R3248!
Mount Anderson holds a special place in the family’s heart as he was Kelly’s first feature winner.
Bred by Millstream Farm, he is by Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the top class Al Mufti five-time winner Gilded Minaret, who raced for Mike de Kock.
Mount Anderson was originally purchased by the late Mike Rattray for R650 000 on the BSA National Yearling Sale of his year.
A winner of 8 races with 13 places from 40 starts, Mount Anderson has earned stakes of R841 800.
