Smart Alec. Forbes rode two winners for Dennis Drier at Clairwood.
Small fields characterised the off season meeting at Clairwood on Sunday 14 August. Hardly the kind of horseracing to get too excited about but Anton Marcus and Alec Forbes entertained the die-hards who braved the rain. They shared the riding accolades with a double each.
The longstanding debate of the merits of Sunday racing raised its ugly head this afternoon. Too much of an ordinary thing is surely killing the enthusiasm of punters who are thrown dead 24-7? Most punters have a gambling budget and whether they spend it over six or seven days a week is neither here nor there. Maybe we need to reclaim Sunday as a rest and family day as the economic realities and stresses of the current day are very different to when we were first introduced to the dubious novelty.
The fast Toreador filly Chrissy Sanchez closed the day with an impressive win over the boys in the ninth race, an MR70 Handicap over 1200m. Robbie Fradd steered Chris Van Niekerk’s four year old home at 8-1 and denied Anton Marcus on board the favourite Winter Skye, who may be better over further. Marcus had opened his personal account in the second race when keeping the well-bred Draconian going to win the second race, a Graduation Plate over 1600m. The small field included two highly rated sorts in Gold Onyx and M’Lords Throat. The latter continues to disappoint and may need gelding to get his mind back on the job.
Great debut. Torra Bay wins the Clairwood opener.
Dennis Drier and Alec Forbes have started the new season well and scored their first leg of a double when the Australian bred Torra Bay made a lovely winning debut over 1200m in the first race. The daughter of the Green Desert stallion Cape Cross, named after a camping facility on the beautiful Skeleton Coast of Namibia, showed some experienced rivals a clean set of heels and looks a nice sort in the making. Trainer Michael Roberts broke the recent drought of winners when Tyler’s Talent won the third race at double figure odds. Roberts, who recently moved from Karkloof to Summerveld, has had a torrid time of it and this was only his third winner in three months. The Windrush gelding was also a significant first winner for Brandon Lerena since his return from a stint in Mauritius. Anton Marcus was beaten into fourth place here on the favourite Ses Riem, and it was thus an unhappy start to the Place Accumulator for many punters.
Marcus failed on another favourite in the very next race when MJ Byleveld rode a powerful race to get the Howells’ trained Imperial Magic home in the fourth race. He got the better of the champion jockey on the Charles Laird-trained Slipstream, who is probably a little overrated and should be backed with caution in the future. Imperial Magic was having her third run and returning from a seven month rest and looks a bargain R50 000 purchase at this stage. She races in her trainer’s silks.
Planet Hollywood. Mighty Mars wins his second race from three starts.
Anton Marcus enjoyed an armchair ride to win the seventh race, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m. The Charles Laird-trained Ruby Cartel was recording her third win from eight starts and the Scott Brothers Mogok looks way above average. A disappointment here was the Chris Erasmus-trained Cotswold, who faded right out to finish last. Marcus didn’t enjoy his ride on the favourite Mr Harry in the final leg of the jackpot. The Muhtafal gelding was drawn against the paint but appeared to be hanging in the whole way and wasn’t relishing the experience. He faded right out as Alec Forbes put in a winning effort on the obviously smart Mighty Mars. The gelded son of Spectrum(this stallion had a good weekend with two winners) has a mind problem as big as his ability though, and played the fool in the post-race proceedings. He also had to survive a race review but has now won two out of three starts. He looks like he could benefit from a shout in the ear from our horse whisperer.
True Blue. Sue Snaith and Drakenstein Stud's Ross Fuller with the Gr3 trophy.
Down in the Western Cape at Kenilworth on Saturday 13 August, trainers Justin Snaith, Glen Kotzen and Mike Bass shared the honours with two winners apiece. Snaith trained the impressive winner of the day’s feature, the R138 000 Gr3 Champagne Stakes over 1200m, when the Drakenstein Stud owned and bred State Blue finally recorded a deserved Graded race win. The Snaiths sent out four runners and they also grabbed the second position with the gallant Dance With Al, who typically ran her heart out.
Paarl based Glen Kotzen has won this fairer sex feature race in the last two years with the brilliant Viva and Katici Princess, and he interestingly did not have a runner this year. It was Piet Steyn’s speedy Moika Dancer who ensured a hot pace from the break with State Blue and Captain’s Emblem in close attendance. The bang-in-form Richard Fourie sent State Blue about her business 300m from home and she skipped away to hold off Dance With Al, with the Daylami three year old Super Elegant running a cracker to finish third. It was State Blue’s sixth win from nineteen starts and she looks to have the makings of a great broodmare in the years to come.
Dynasty Dynamo. Royal Bloodline and Robert Kathi celebrate.
Both of Kotzen’s winners were maidens when the meeting started and he would have been thrilled with the manner and ease of both wins. Sean Cormack had Stone Pine just off the leaders in the third race, a Maiden Plate over 1600m. He pressed the button about 300m out and shot clear to win well. It was yet another winner for Highlands stallion Spectrum. Stone Pine is lightly raced and was a R220 000 purchase. He looks to have plenty of scope.Robert Kathi does not always get the best of the Kotzen rides, but he got lucky in the last when engaged to ride the stable elect, the Dynasty gelding Royal Bloodline. Kathi settled the Kas Naiken-owned gelding and set him loose for an easy win as the darkness and rain set in. Dean Kannemeyer’s good-looking Fort Wood colt, Noordhoek Express, was backed into the red, but failed to kick on when having every chance. He may warrant another chance in the better going in the early spring.
