A Sunday stroll for Same Jurisdiction, as Anton Marcus points her in the right direction
The Duncan Howells’ trained Same Jurisdiction booked her Cape Summer Season ticket in fine style with a well paid 1400m grass gallop at Scottsville on Sunday. The daughter of Mambo In Seattle toyed with a half decent field of eight in a R120 000 Pinnacle Stakes and never looked in danger of defeat on an eyecatching seasonal debut.
The Klawervlei Stud-bred galloper has matured into an imposing 4yo but provided her trainer with a minor headache after her last start – a resounding Gr1 Garden Province Stakes victory on July day.
Duncan Howells – looks to have a great summer ahead
“She only had two outings in the KZN Champions Season and came on from her last run. She has been jumping out of her skin and I had to find a race for her before Cape Town. These Pinnacle Stakes races are fantastic – not only do they serve as useful preps, the stakes are good too,” quipped an obviously relieved Howells.
The race was a textbook affair, with the red hot odds-on shot Same Jurisdiction tucking in two lengths off pacesetter M L Jet, after Surefire had jumped slowly.
Into the home run M L Jet continued to lead as Same Jurisdiction and Anton Marcus kept him in the sniper’s sights – and from the body language, appeared to be climbing all over him.
This visual assessment proved correct in the next few strides!
At the 300m marker Marcus angled the daughter of Mambo In Seattle in and rode her with the hands as she stretched clear. De Kock came out of the pack to grab second cheque from M L Jet, with No Worries. uncharacteristically in midfield for much of the race, and running a never threatening fourth.
Same Jurisdiction got the verdict by an official 2,75 lengths in a time of 83,88 secs .
Anton Marcus – ‘privilege’
Jockey Anton Marcus, who enjoyed a winning hat-trick on the afternoon, said that it was a particular privilege to ride horses of ‘this calibre’.
“Same Jurisdiction is in the upper echelon of her generation and I believe this to be her best trip,” he suggested.
The jury may still be out on the distance suitability question when it comes to Same Jurisdiction.
At her only start over 1800m she was not disgraced when beaten into second just 0,25 lengths behind Siren’s Call in the SA Classic at Turffontein.
Her major targets in the Cape Summer will likely be the Maine Chance Paddock Stakes run over 1800m on L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate day and then the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes run over a mile three weeks later. Both are R1 million Gr1’s.
Marcus mentioned that the move from 1800m down to a mile a few weeks later would probably not be ideal.
“And it’s no gimme that she is going to get the 1800m anyway,” he cautioned in his typically conservative style.
Klawervlei Stud bred Same Jurisdiction, who cost what now looks a bargain R270 000 on the KZN Yearling Sale.
She has won 6 of her 10 starts with 3 places – and took her stakes account to close on R2 million.
She is a daughter of Mambo In Seattle out of the lightly raced one-time winning Captain Al mare, Diana De Carlo.
Gr The Debutante winner Cosmic Light – on the way to Cape Town
The Howells travelling party to Cape Town looks likely to include the unbeaten Gr2 The Debutante winner Cosmic Light (Querari), a Cape Fillies Guineas candidate, and the lightly raced two-time winner Sylvester The Cat (Black Minnaloushe).
The latter won his last start over a mile in impressive style and could be aimed at the Cape Guineas.
The Winning Form sponsored Duncan Howells has enjoyed Cape Summer success in the past – here we think back to the teriffic comeback of Var champion sprinter, Via Africa, who beat the boys to win the 2014 Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
