“I told you!” – Andrew Fortune returns on Principled Man
Hindsight is marvellous and plenty of Pick 6 punters probably regret not following Andrew Fortune at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. The Gokhan Terzi/Fortune “combo” delivered four of the Pick 6 winners on Sunday, writes Sheldene Chant.
First up was the three-year-old Century Stand (AUS) colt, Tandava, in the 1300m Maiden Plate. Out of a Kitalpha mare and owned and bred by Dave Rosser this was Tandava’s second start, and showed marked improvement since his debut in July.
Fortune’s mount, Rock The Country, failed to get the upper hand in the 1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap, won by Madigan, but after that the rest of the card belonged to Glenwood Racing.
Scarlett Ice, winner of her previous start, narrowly beat Ice Pack in the 1800m Merit Rated 55 Handicap, and I wonder how many Swingers and Exactas were inspired by the word “Ice”?
The Black Minnaloushe (USA) filly has now won both her starts in Harare and seems likely to do more. She runs in the colours of Gengiz Goksel and was bred by the Estate of the late Mr R.B. Wallace.
Anthony’s Lazer wins comfortably
Anthony’s Lazer, bred by Druk-My-Niet Stud, gave owner John Koumides a second winner when he scored in the 1600m Maiden Plate. The four-year-old colt by Tiger Dancer (USA) had been rested for 134 days and finished two lengths clear of Promising.
By then Seb d’Aquino, the trainer of Promising, had already saddled three runners placed second, so he was possibly quite pleased the afternoon was coming to an end.
Last race on the card was the 1600m Commissioner General of Police’s Charity Handicap won by Principled Man, in defiance of my predictions, gut feelings and so forth.
Principled Man (Fortune) holds off Gentle Brook (Thackeray) and Got A Hold On Me (McNaughton). The first three past the post finished within half a length of each other.
The Amy Bronkhorst-trained Gentle Brook (second) featured prominently, but I am still wondering what happened to Thriller In Manila (fourth), Tallie Two and Super Trouper.
Principled Man has now won four races and been placed 9 times from 16 starts. Like Gentle Brook he too is by Windrush (USA). This five-year-old gelding is owned by Messrs G. Goksel and T.J. Shawe and was bred by Geoff Armitage.
So what was happening apart from the Terzi/Fortune rout?
Madigan, winner of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown in 2012, notched up his 10th win at Borrowdale Park in the 1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap.
Madigan and Norbert Takawira – easy does it!
Zita was scratched so only seven horses started and Two Gun Kid set the pace. Apprentice Norbert Takawira had Madigan nicely placed coming into the home turn and the son of Joshua Dancer (USA) forged ahead up the straight.
Andrew Fortune on the more fancied Rock The Country gave chase, causing Madigan’s supporters a few anxious moments, but the seven-year-old gelding stuck to his guns and won by 0.75 lengths.
Madigan is trained by Kirk Swanson, owned by John Koumides, and bred by Mr S.R. Rousseau.
In addition to his 10 victories Madigan has been placed 9 times from 35 starts. He has had issues but this was his second win in succession and full marks to the connections for perseverance. Given a chance many older horses have still got what it takes. In fact in this race both the main players – Madigan and Rock The Country – are seven-year-olds. Two-five-year olds, Diversify and Say So Tiger, settled for the third and fourth places.
Once again the training honours for the first race of the day went to Bridget Stidolph.
Bridget Stidolph leads in MacFly (Fanie Chambers) with his groom Gift Inusa
The Soar With Eagles gelding, MacFly, with Fanie Chambers in the irons, triumphed in the 1000m Merit Rated 49 Handicap, followed home by Royal Revenge, Lake Nakuru and Yesterday Man. He is owned by Christopher Peech, Rob Davenport and the Sunmark Syndicate, and was bred by Sunmark Thoroughbreds.
The Stidolph yard also saddled the winner of the second race, Nimble Dancer.
The AP Answer (USA) colt won the 1200m MR 65 Handicap – the third victory from his last four starts. He was followed closely across the line by Call Me Earl, the only three-year-old in this race.
Nimble Dancer latest success proves he is worth following with some confidence in future and credit must also go to Call Me Earl who was returning to racing after 112 days off – and giving the winner 2 kgs. Changa and Pente’s Daughter filled the remaining places.
Nimble Dancer is owned by Messrs S.N. Buchan, N. Evans, S. Mawdsley, K.J. Mullen, K. Smith and M.K. Chant, and his trainer. Brendon McNaughton has partnered the four-year-old each time he won. Congratulations to all the connections, including Clifton Stud, the breeders.
Photographs by kind courtesy of Gavin Macleod
