Milnerton veteran Vaughan Marshall numbers Captain Al and Met winner One World amongst his quintet of Gr3 Matchem Stakes winners and he set the stage for a sizzling summer season when saddling the top two home in Saturday’s 1400m contest.
While sponsors are a worryingly scarce commodity these days, Cape Racing branded the season launch the #thisisracing Matchem Stakes as they showcased the country venue and hosted guests, including 4Racing and Racing Association office-bearers, on a chilly afternoon.
Anton Marcus keeps Seeking The Stars at his task to win well (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
And while Captain’s Ransom made a rollicking return to racing a half hour earlier in the Gr3 Diana Stakes, the afternoon belonged to the Vaughan Marshall-Anton Marcus combination who grabbed three winners.
The Matchem hero was the handsome Vercingetorix chestnut Seeking The Stars, who jumped from the worst of the draw to produce a powerful front-running display on his season debut following a nine-week break.
While he clearly doesn’t stay the 1800m of the Gr1 Champions Cup – his last appearance of his 3yo season – the colt is lethal at 1400m, and duly produced a winning performance as the best weighted runner in the eleven horse field.
“I thought they had us at the 200m marker but he dug deep,” said Anton Marcus after Seeking The Stars (2-1) had staved off a challenge from his 40-1 stablemate Silver Operator to win by a half length in a time of 83,48 secs.
Dean Kannemeyer’s smart 3yo Cosmic Highway (22-10) was 2,25 lengths back in third in a pleasing effort.
Seeking The Stars, who races in the Ricky Sewgoolam orange and dark blue silks, was bred by Klawervlei Stud and is by Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the three-time winning Count Dubois mare Schism, who won up to 2200m.
He cost R1 million on the 2019 Cape Yearling Sale and took his earnings to R1 028 875.
He has won 5 races with 4 places from 12 starts.
This was Vaughan Marshall’s fifth Matchem strike after Captain Al (1999), Play Catch (2004), Tales Of Bravery (2010) and present day Drakenstein sire, One World (2019).
