South Africa’s only lady jockey, Rachel Venniker can ride with the best of them and she celebrated a Betway Summer Cup day double, rounded off with a powerful ride to win the R400 000 New Turf Carriers Gr3 Merchants on Mount Pilatus for Paul Matchett.
Mount Pilatus (Rachel Venniker) charges clear as fourth-placed Sheldon (Gavin Lerena) soldiers on (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
While Rachel has had to endure her personal challenges along the way, she is the consummate professional and delivered the goods in style for the Spong family and the Zimbabwe-born veteran, for whom she earlier won the opening Juvenile race of the term on Rafeef’s daughter Glastonbury, in the first of the day.
In another open looking race with Tarry topweight Lucky Lad and Pistol Pete the chief protagonists, Rachel rode a patient race in the Merchants before delivering Mount Pilatus down the inside.
The son of Pomodoro has been consistency personified, and he powered home under a balanced ride for his maiden stakes success, clocking 67,15 secs for the 1160m.
Pistol Pete (18-10) stayed on for second, but after interfering with Melech (33-1) , an objection by trainer Roy Magner was considered – but overruled in the boardroom.
Sheldon (33-1) stayed on just ahead of Lucky Lad (4-1), who blew in the betting, and failed to fire.
A R170 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Mount Pilatus has won 4 races with 11 places from 17 starts for stakes of R582 250.
Raced by passionate owners Bryan & Taryn Spong, for whom this was a first graded stakes trophy, the winner was bred by Clifton Stud and is a son of Jet Master stallion Pomodoro out of the Crusade four-time winner, Covered In Snow.
