Muzi Yeni
Gavin Smith’s smart 3yo Sedge gave his elders a galloping lesson in Friday’s R90 000 Fairview Merchants (NBT). The son of Silvano looks to have a very bright future ahead of him.
It was Muzi Yeni’s third winner of the afternoon, and the young rider deserves credit for a superb ride after an, at times, forgettable previous week. The non black type 1200m event was a race of rather mixed emotions for trainer Gavin Smith, who sent out the 18 to 10 favourite Never Forever, who lived up to his name and was frankly never in the hunt.
Never Forever was going for a fourth win on the trot, but after showing some early pace, faded out to finish 5,35 lengths behind the winner. Var’s first ever Gr1 winner Villandry, now a 6yo, cut out the early fractions from Sedge and Never Forever, with King’s Troop and Copper Parade further back. Bois De Var was a little more relaxed early than he usually was.
At the 400m marker Villandry continued to roll as Sedge moved in to challenge the leaders with Act Of Supremeacy and Bois De Var producing a late challenge. Villandry fell away as Yeni bounced Serge into the lead and chased by Bois De Var, he streaked clear to win by a length in a time of 67,38secs.
Bois De Var stayed on for second, ahead of Act Of Supremeacy. Tara Laing’s Arctic Jet ran on from a hopeless position and caught the eye when storming through to dead heat for a three length fourth with Copper Parade.
The Maine Chance Farms bred Sedge is by Silvano out of the unraced Rakeen mare, Shasta Daisy. The R250 000 National Year ling Sale graduate took his earnings to R325 125 with this victory.
He was now won 5 races with 3 places from his eleven starts. He already has proven credentials as a winner of the Gr3 Champion Juvenile Stakes in his 2yo year and looks to have a very bright future ahead of him.
