Hollywoodbets sponsored Stuart Pettigrew and Cape-based Richard Fourie teamed up with the fast improving speedster Mercantour, who defied the handicapper’s penalty incurred at his last win, and showed courage under top weight to win the R250 000 Europa Point Gr3 Man O’ War Sprint on The Championships Day 3 at Turffontein on Saturday.
The Varsfontein-bred son of VAR doubled up on his non black-type Gold Rush Sprint success last month, when he came from off the speed to nab the free-striding 2022 Gr2 The Debutante winner Gobsmacked late to win going away at a generous 6-1 by a quarter length in a time of 62,77 secs.
Richard Fourie steers Mercantour to a smart win (Pic – JC Photos)
The filly ran a cracker in second after a four month break, with former Cape resident Trompie 14-1 beaten 5,25 lengths in third.
The Winning Form sponsored Fourie modestly attributed his ride on the Vicki Veeramootoo runner to the fact that he had ridden Mercantour previously.
Pettigrew said he expected the handicapper to have stopped his charge. But it ended happily!
A son of the deceased speed champion VAR (Forest Wildcat), the Varsfontein-bred winner is out of the Western Winter mare, Winter Wood.
A R200 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Mercantour is a winner of 5 races with 5 places from 14 starts, and has earned R380 500.
The Pick 6 reached an impressive nett of R7 108 000 after a R1 million carryover injection.
Watch the replay here:
