While Gavin Smith and Duncan ‘Rooster’ McKenzie grabbed a double apiece at Fairview on Friday, it was the brand new Richard Fourie-Alan Greeff combination that kicked into top gear with a treble, that included the Flower Alley mare Santa Therese, who won the R150 000 Listed Jockey Club Stakes for the second year running.
Proud Mum Tara Laing also deserves a mention, after saddling her son Ewan Garratt, probably South Africa’s youngest owner’s first winner, when the recently relocated Chroniclesofnania – on lease from the Andrews family of Sorrento Stud- registered her maiden success. Well done to Ewan!
Santa Therese (Richard Fourie) finishes well to beat First Street (Marco van Rensburg) to defend her title (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
But it was the top-class Santa Therese (18-10) who owned the day, when recording her tenth career victory, as she charged through late under Richard Fourie, to win the feature in a time of 130,09 secs.
Having won the same race a year ago when relocated to the polytrack, the strapping chestnut simply carried too many guns under Winning Form jockey, Richard Fourie.
She stayed on well to beat the 40-1 longshot First Street by 0,75 lengths, with Cape challenger Flower Of Saigon (7-2) a further quarter length back in third.
After leading the pack, Integrity (17-2) faded late to bank the fourth cheque.
A daughter of form Wilgerbosdrift stallion Flower Alley, Santa Therese is out of the Tiger Ridge mare Santa Clarita. The latter, who won twice over 1400m, is out of the useful racemare Los Angeles – a Joey Ramsden-trained daughter of West Man who won three and who finished second in the (then) Gr2 Thekwini Fillies Stakes.
Further back, this is the family of legendary South African champion Horse Chestnut and current smart performers African Adventure and Pamushana’s Pride.
The next Fairview racemeeting is on 9 September, when the Speedsters Stakes heads the turf programme.
