Anton Marcus rounded off a treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday with the Oratorio gelding Ultra Magnus running another good race to secure an eyecatching victory in the 1200m R130 000 Pinnacle Stakes.
Trained out of Summerveld by Peter Muscutt for Cape Guineas winner Brett Crawford, Ultra Magnus, who races for auctioneers Brian Makwabarara and Graeme Hawkins, rounded off a great weekend for Avontuur Danehill sire, Oratorio.
Ultra Magnus (Anton Marcus) slugs it out with Rebel’s Champ (Warren Kennedy) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
After the internationally proven sire’s 100th black-type galloper Snapscan won the Gr3 Victress Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday, Oratorio son Viva Rio ran a gallant second behind Kilindini in the Gr1 Cape Guineas and looks on track to give Glen Kotzen another big bid at the Cape Derby in February.
While he is way down the national log in 11th position, Ultra Magnus was Marcus’ 36th winner, which maintained his near 32% win strike-rate. He rides places 40% of the time, currently.
Ultra Magnus was having his first run since placing fourth in the Gr2 Joburg Merchants on Summer Cup day.
Marcus allowed the Haras Del Carmo bred 4yo to stride and he maintained his gallop to beat Gauteng raider Rebel’s Champ by a half length in a time of 68,6 secs.
Ultra Magnus was a R150 000 National 2yo Sale buy. He has won 5 of his 8 starts with 3 places for stakes of R394 825.
Another Oratorio son in the Dennis Bosch-trained Chantyman ran third. This 5yo has a unique breathing issue, which inhibits his showing his true ability. He is most effective at 1000m, but nevertheless ran a decent race on Sunday over the extra 200m.
Marcus’ first winner was the Ascot Stud-bred Marchfield gelding Proud Warrior, who beat a small field for trainer Alyson Wright to win the 2400m Maiden Plate.
The Hartley SA bred Time Thief gelding Tom Bombadil, who opened the Pick 6 when shedding his maiden at his 8th start, brought up the Marcus double. He is trained by Darryl Moore.
The Hollywoodbets Scottsville Pick 6 paid R82 139.
