Turffontein Pick 6 punters got off to a shaky start on Saturday with the odds-on favourite Pretty Penny running out of steam late in proceedings to finish out of the money in the R135 000 The Ladies Stakes.
Chase Maujean has Schippers in control as Warren Kennedy urges Regal Graduation on her outside (Pic – JC Photographics)
With nine members of the fairer sex lining up at the 1200m for the rescheduled non black-type feature, the money poured on the Alec Laird trained Pretty Penny. The daughter of What A Winter had won her last three starts with ease and from the 1 draw was the obvious horse to beat.
Randall Simons had her out from the break but she was pushed all the way from the 400m by fellow speedball Penny Royal and came under pressure. It was Chase Maujean who produced the magic to give trainer Geoff Woodruff an early double as the Var filly Schippers powered home up the inside rail.
Returning from an 18 week break, the 4yo took off late to beat Regal Graduation by 0,75 lengths in a time of 71,37 secs
Covered In Snow stayed on for third to shade Penny Royal.
The favourite was reported to have suffered a bilateral epistaxis in running.
Geoff Woodruff – well called
The winner started at double figure odds and punters may have missed the rested horses comments published on Saturday morning. Trainer Geoff Woodruff stated there that Schippers had two grass gallops and ‘should be competitive’.
Schippers, owned and bred by Geoff van Lear, was born to fly, being a daughter of Var (Forest Wildcat) out of the four-time winning Gr3 Magnolia Handicap winner Fair Rosalind.
She has won 3 races with 3 places from 8 starts for stakes of R281 950.
Gavin Lerena marked his return from a five month injury enforced absence by winning the first race on the card for the Geoff Woodruff yard.
