Vertical Takeoff in Gr3 Lonsdale

Jet Master gelding Vertical Takeoff shoots past the field

The Lonsdale Stirrup Cup looked to be about as open and competitive a race as you could find.  With 18 runners competing on handicap terms over 2400m, it was always going to be a tricky contest to unravel, with one Internet blogger likening it to “the Grand National without the jumps.”  It did indeed produce a long-priced winner in the form of Vertical Takeoff, but the widely anticipated close finish never materialised as the 20/1 outsider romped to a 4.25 lengths victory.

Vertical Takeoff had not managed a win from seven previous appearances at Greyville, but he did finish second behind Ancestral Fore in the Gr 1 Gold Cup there last June and is a more than talented sort when he’s at his best.  He can blow hot-and-cold, though, and a very wide draw did nothing to endear his chances to punters.  It was promising last-start course winner Esteco who started as the 28/10 favourite from an ante-post call of 7/2, with In Writing attracting plenty of support to go off at 3/1 after opening at 9/2.  Tamarillo was well backed at bigger prices and was cut into 7/1 from 16’s.

Esteco was the first to show, but soon settled into second as Grey Cossack went off to set a respectable pace.  Bouquet-Garni, In Writing and Aslan were next in line as Vertical Takeoff raced several horse widths off the fence and well off the pace.  Another Giant and What’s Going On brought up the rear.  Grey Cossack began to waiver soon after turning for home, where Esteco was sent about his business but veered sharply left for a few strides and did no favours to the chances of several of his rivals.  Esteco was soon back on an even keel, but Vertical Takeoff had now started to really fly wider out.  Despite appearing to take a knock from the meandering favourite, Vertical Takeoff lost none of his momentum and streaked right away from his rivals over the final furlong to win by 4.25 lengths under Anthony Delpech.

Esteco stayed on to be second, and was hardly disgraced in his first ever try at Stakes level and only his seventh career appearance overall.  Esteco in turn was 1.25 lengths ahead of Two Strikes, who was running on steadily to finish third, with Dolomite another three-quarters of a length away in fourth.  In Writing faded under top weight of 60 kgs and finished tenth, 8.70 lengths behind the winner.  This did absolutely nothing for the already suspect-looking form of the Gr 2 Betting World 1900m run fifteen days earlier, where In Writing was beaten half-a-length into third.

Vertical Takeoff is presumably on course for another tilt at the Gold Cup at the end of July, and on this sort of form he would have to hold a decent chance of going one better on his second place finish from 2010.  Consistency does not look to be his strongest point, however, although by his trainer Sean Tarry’s own admission the stable was going through a very rough patch when Vertical Takeoff flopped in a couple of long distance Graded races during the most recent Gauteng Feature season.

“I was caught three wide, but I had cover,” remarked Delpech, adding that, “he quickened so well, and I didn’t have to pull the sword on him.”  It was an impressive display whichever way one slices it, and although there is never any guarantee that he will perform with the same ruthless efficiency on any given day Vertical Takeoff looked at the very least as good as ever on this occasion.

Vertical Takeoff is a five-year-old gelded son of champion sire Jet Master.  He is the second foal and second winner produced from Al Mufti mare Sweetveldt, whose only win came over 1000m.  Bred by Zandvliet Stud, Vertical Takeoff was a R750 000 acquisition from the 2007 GrandWest Yearling Sale.  He has won eight times from 31 starts, earning R898 000 in stakes for owners Chris van Niekerk and Markus Jooste.