After the inaugural breakfast gallops at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Thursday, trainer Justin Snaith was quick to latch on to the superior middle to outer track going on Saturday.
Despite the tactical nous, one gets the feeling that Drakenstein’s third race winner Little Suzie would have beaten her twelve opponents on any side of the home run.
Running over the mile after a good debut and then a below- par effort over shorter, the well-related Little Suzie started at a generous (in hindsight) 5-2, and after jumping from her 11 gate and being stuck out wide, she came for home and was angled to the outside rail by Grant van Niekerk.
The further they went, the more Little Suzie overcame the odds and she went away to beat improved stablemate Lotus Island (33-1) by 3,25 lengths in a time of 97,82 secs.
Jono Snaith and the Snaith Racing Team proudly lead Little Suzie in after her runaway win (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“She has so much scope and gave me a bomb feel. Hollywoodbets Kenilworth with a bit more give in the ground and a longer run in will be even better for her. She has the action and a turn of foot, so it didn’t matter that we ran wide. I am going to ask Mrs Rupert to retain me again seen as I’m riding all these winners,” chirped the delighted Van Niekerk, who rode the earlier winner for My Only Weakness for Adam Marcus.
Justin Snaith was all smiles after saddling three of the first four winners on the sundrenched ‘Braai, Bak & Brew’ day, and observed that Little Suzie could take her place in any establishment on earth with her breeding.
A daughter of retired champion Trippi (End Sweep) she is out of a milestone mare for the Snaiths. Street Cry daughter Oh Susanna, who was foaled in Australia, was the family operation’s first Met winner in 2018 – when ridden by Grant van Niekerk – and was the first 3yo filly in 100 years to win the Cape flagship. She went on to SA Horse Of The Year honours.
Oh Susanna hangs on to beat Last Winter in 2018 Met (Pic – Hamish Niven Photography)
Oh Susanna’s dam Sharp Susan was an A$1 million sales topper at a broodmare sale in Australia, and was bought in foal to champion stallion Street Cry, the sire of the two brilliant mares Winks and Zenyata. Sharp Susan lost the foal but Sheik Mohammed, owner of Darley Australia, kindly gave a free return service to Street Cry – the resulting foal was Oh Susanna.
Oh Susanna’s half brother Sharp Frank, a magnificent looker with an equally brilliant pedigree became the first Frankel to retire to stud in South Africa. He stands at Drakenstein and his first mares were recently tested in foal.
Sharp Frank (GB) (Frankel ex Sharp Susan by Touch Gold), standing at Drakenstein Stud (Pic – Supplied)
