The R225 000 Listed Laisserfaire Stakes run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on a blustery Saturday afternoon produced a grandstand finish with two game mares going hammer and tongs over the final 200m.
A nail-biting battle between the winner, Miss Marguerite (Ashton Arries, blue cap) and Asiye Phambili under Craig Zackey (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Thirteen fillies and mares lined up in what looked a tricky 1100m contest, with chances to many.
After Golden Tatjana had steamed out front ahead of Nordic Quest and Great Cat, replacement rider Craig Zackey had Asiye Phambili ghosting up the rail as Ashton Arries unleashed Miss Marguerite up the centre.
While Asiye Phambili (25-1) looked to have nabbed Miss Marguerite (16-1) at around the 50m, a determined Ashton Arries wasn’t giving a feature winner up without a fight and the two went to the line as one.
The photo showed that Miss Marguerite had gamely fought back to register her deserved first stakes victory and win by a nose in a time of 64,84 secs.
Summer Lily (7-1) ranged up menacingly and stayed on for third, with the tote favourite Nordic Quest (5-2) completing the R29 000 plus quartet.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Miss Marguerite is a daughter of Master Of My Fate (Jet Master) out of the Captain Al mare Lantana Lady.
A runner-up behind Bonika in the 1500m Listed Irridescence Stakes of 2022, Miss Marguerite is a winner of 5 races with 10 places from her 30 starts, and took her stakes bank to R629 301 for owners Marsh Shirtliff and Piet Steyn, who also trains the winner out of Milnerton.
“Piet (Steyn) always ropes me in when he is looking for a partner,” laughed Shirtliff, who won’t be complaining as the consistent mare boosted her paddock value and cost only R90 000 at the Cape Yearling Sale of her year.
