On a tough Turffontein Saturday for punters, Winning Form-sponsored jockey Malesela ‘Keratile’ Katjedi rode a cracker on the Corne Spies-trained Chocolate Soldier to win the R150 000 Sophomore 1000.
A cracking performance from Chocolate Soldier under Malesela Katjedi (Pic – JC Photos)
After Marco van Rensburg had joined Piere Strydom and Serino Moodley in opting not to ride on an afternoon where there were differing opinions on the safety of the track, Katjedi took the opportunity of the replacement engagement in the non-black type feature with both hands.
He had the fit-as-a-fiddle Chocolate Soldier shunting out front and drifted the son of One World to a more advantageous outside strip before pushing him out to an easy win.
Chocolate Soldier (20-1) beat the favourite Almond Sea (5-2), who never really looked comfortable after some farrier attention at the start, by 3 lengths in a time of 58,60 secs for the 1000m.
Rachel Venniker had to switch the good-looking Karate Kid (33-10) a few times, and he may not have relished the conditions, staying on for third a length further back.
Raced in partnership by R P Macnab, I D Berg, C D Brown, S Poriazis, J M D S Soares & Corne Spies Racing (Pty) Ltd, the winner was bred by Ian van Schalkwyk and is a son of boom stallion One World (Captain Al) out of the six-time winning Pathfork mare, Secret Star.
A R220 000 National 2yo Sale graduate, Chocolate Soldier took his win tally to 4 strikes with 3 places from 12 starts for stakes of R375 750.
