Justin Snaith’s Twice Over filly Double Check restored a semblance of civility for shell-shocked punters on quite a tough Fairview Friday when she cruised home under a posing Muzi Yeni to win the non black-type R150 000 Wedgewood Handicap.
Punters generally take the good with the bad and racing would be downright boring if everything went according to plan.
But some of the results on the popular Friday slot had many of us running for the ATM’s as a few knockout blows arrived.
It’s a bit gloomy but the favourite is home! Muzi Yeni has a tight hold on Double Check at the line (Pic – Pauline Herman)
On a cloudy and humid day, with fine drizzle falling at times, Double Check was backed into even-money favourite. She put the cherry on the top of the Snaith team’s Garden Route raid as she never gave her backers a moment of doubt, cruising forward from off the pace after Respectable Miss had set the fractions in the 2400m feature.
At the 200m it was a matter of how far as Muzi Yeni moved up motionless on the 4yo,with a ton in hand.
While the overdue Heartsease (7-2) rattled late, there was never any doubt and the Snaith raider went on under her handy 52kgs, and without being shown the crop, to win by 2 lengths in a time of 151,30 secs.
Wildest Dreams (28-10) was a country mile back in third, with the balance of the six horse field well and truly hammered.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the previously Cape stakes-placed Double Check is a daughter of Twice Over (Observatory)out of the two-time winning Strike Smartly mare Cuir De Russie .
A R65 000 National 2yo Sale graduate, Double Check is raced in a partnership of Dr Dane Arumugam, Messrs Neville Cooper (Jnr), J J Elley, R L Jonker, S L Moodley, Lesley Naidoo & Jonathan Snaith & Mrs C M Zapheriou and has now won 2 races with 7 places from her 14 starts for stakes of R180 125.
Double Check was a second winner on the day for the Snaith-Yeni combination after the well supported Gimme More Time (8-10) won the third to shed his maiden.
Form trainer Gavin Smith saddled a treble to grab the training honours.
