The national juvenile programme is now in full stride countrywide after the Canford Cliffs filly Instaworthy showed too much pace for her rivals to win the R75 000 Welcome To Nelson Mandela Bay Maiden Juvenile Plate at Fairview on Friday.
The Friday opener was the first baby race in the Eastern Cape this term and produced a smart debut winner in the shape of the Ridgemont bred Instaworthy (33-10), who won untroubled under Gareth Wright to beat the favourite Silva City (9-4) by a half length in a time of 45,03 secs for the 800m straight.
Gareth Wright has Instaworthy in control as Richard Fourie tries hard on the favourite, Silva City (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Instaworthy was a first runner and winner for the Ridgemont and Devin Heffer partnership for the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Gavin Smith team.
Ridgemont-sponsored jockey Gareth Wright confirmed encouragingly that Instaworthy had won on pure ability and that the 800m was not her trip.
“She’s a lovely filly and she made me look good today,” he added.
Assistant trainer Dean Smith was deputizing for his Dad and said that Instaworthy had come in from the Ridgemont pre-training operation at Wellington in excellent condition.
“She has the best manners out of all our babies. All she had was two grass gallops prior to her debut. As Gareth said, she won on ability and she looks exciting,” added Smith.
Happy Smith Racing Team celebrations! From l to r: Abbi van der Merwe, Dean Smith & his girlfriend Jess, Gareth Wright, Marilyn Smith holding Valentyna van der Merwe, assistant Andrew Smith. Kneeling are Franci Jacobs and Work rider Saddick Watson (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Instaworthy is a daughter of Ridgemont’s five time Grade 1 winning sire Canford Cliffs (Tagula) out of the five-time winning Great Britain mare, Hashtag Strat. The winner is a full sister to the very consistent Tienie Prinsloo charge, No Filter, a super quick five time winner.
The Gavin Smith team had a good day, saddling a further two winners in Zatara Magic and Destiny’s Magic – both ridden by JP van der Merwe.
- The next Fairview racemeeting is on Friday 27 December.
