Four Up Delpech! Rodeo Sioux wins the Sun Chariot Handicap to give Anthony Delpech his fourth winner (JC Photos)
Trainer Joey Soma sidestepped his characteristic gung ho commitment when appraising the prospects of his Casey Tibbs filly Rodeo Sioux in the weather delayed Sun Chariot Handicap run over 2600m at Turffontein on Saturday.
The flamboyant Soma, who has a natural flair for calling a spade a spade, threw a few knives in the direction of racing’s officialdom, calling on them to acknowledge the role of the punter while previewing the Turffontein programme on Saturday morning’s Under Starters Orders show.
While discussing the preview of the non black type Sun Chariot Handicap, he also expressed reservations about the race readiness of his horse after a delay of a week.
But Soma need not have worried as his charge won easily to give Anthony Delpech his fourth winner on the afternoon.
And the win was a welcome respite from the norm for the little ATM machine who has run five seconds at her last eight runs.
Punter’s Preacher. Joey Soma had his say and trained the winner
In a race of muddling pace (what’s new, you’re wondering?) Kailani went up to lead Turkish Delight and Rodeo Sioux, but at the 1400m marker Striker Strydom decided enough is enough and he took Filly Bushwacker out to speed matters up.
But it was not long before she too had slowed the pace and with Rodeo Sioux going well and tailing her into the home run, the writing was on the wall for Filly Bushwacker.
Delpech shot Rodeo Sioux clear at the 400m marker and she went on well.
The 11 to 10 favourite, showing none of the rustiness alluded to by her trainer, skipped clear to beat Lucky Gambler by four lengths in a time of 170,64 secs.
The Digteby Stud bred Rodeo Sioux was a bargain buy at R25 000 on the Cape Regional Sale – the last of the TBA sales, which has been succeeded by the CTS March Yearling Sale. The latter was formerly known as the Book 2 Sale.
A daughter of Casey Tibbs, the winner is out of the modest one time winner Dancing Sioux (by Qui Danzig).
Rodeo Sioux has won 3 of her 16 starts with 6 places and R275 865 in stake money.
With S’manga Khumalo out of the running for the national jockey title after his failed sappeal against a sixty day suspension last week, Delpech is in the mid seventies in the winners and may want to put his head down again and go for the title.
