One of the most successful travelling conditioners from the days when he was behind the wheel on the long road to Borrowdale, Flamingo Park, Fairview and even Hollywoodbets Durbanville from his Vaal home base, Hollywoodbets-sponsored Corne Spies arrived in a sweltering Pietermaritzburg on Sunday from his Randjesfontein HQ and duly delivered the best double bet of the day for happy punters.
The former Zimbabwean champion had just two runners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and went home with a 100% strike – although the two winners were very different, and there was plenty of additional sweating for the second leg!
Gavin Lerena poses as William Robertson scores a fluent win at cramped odds (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The talented William Robertson looked near unbeatable in the second, a 1400m Pinnacle Stakes, and the son of Rafeef duly arrived at 6-10 to win unextended and register his second win on the trot.
Gavin Lerena earned his easiest commission of the month when they held the one-eyed Bowie at bay to win easily.
The Ridgemont-bred William Robertson is by the champion farm’s top-class sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the thrice winning Trippi mare Massachusetts and cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale.
The 5yo William Robertson, who owners Xander Spies and the Durban-based Govender family were on hand at the lead in, is now a winner of 9 races with 11 places from 30 starts for stakes of R1 724 750.
When taxed on a likely next step for William Robertson, Corne said there are some tough choices to make now. A Cape raid is not out of the question.
The second Spies winner was a lot more nerve wracking.
Easy to back at 3-1, the cucumber cool Chase Maujean had the daughter of Futura relaxed in midfield from a wide gate.
Into the straight, she picked them off down the outside but found Rachel Venniker and Givers Grace in a determined mood down the inside.
In the race to the wire Three Strands got the verdict by a short head.
Close! Three Strands (Chase Maujean) pis Rachel Venniker and Givers Grace (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
This was The Alchemy bred Three Strand’s second career victory. She cost R50 000 off the Cape Yearling Sale.
The Lola Crawford yard also enjoyed a double when Happy Wanderer (33-1) and Ndaka (8-1) sealed the part Pick 6 carryover when scoring in the fifth and sixth races respectively, paying a R479 double on the tote.
There is no local racing on Monday.
The next KZN racemeeting will be at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the turf on Wednesday 22 November.
