The gutsy Go Deputy mare Alpine Ridge broke an eighteen month drought when scoring a smart win in Friday’s R100 000 Walmer Handicap run over 1800m on the Fairview polytrack.
JP van der Merwe has Alpine Ridge in front at the right time (Pic – Coastal Photos)
The Lammerskraal Stud-bred 5yo was having her first run for Yvette Bremner in the Eastern Cape after racing out of the Alyson Wright yard in KZN in the famous Rattray white and red silks.
She is under new ownership and was having her opening run of the new term.
Racing off a 15 week break, she was easy to back at 8-1 in the non black-type feature in a field of hardknocking locals.
When JP van der Merwe set Alpine Ridge alight at the 300m, it was race over with the consistent Sanctuary beaten 0,50 lengths in a time of 110,80 secs.
Justin Snaith-trained visitor Nima drifted from 14-10 to 2-1 and after looming dangerously late ran a fair race, beaten 0,60 lengths back in third.
She should not be long in winning.
Alpine Ridge is by Go Deputy out of the Pulpit mare, Alpine Carol.
She has won 3 races from 1200m to 1800m with 6 places from 16 starts for stakes of R220 525.
The ladies dominated the training honours on the day with Yvette Bremner and Tara Laing saddling two winners apiece.
The performance of the afternoon was delivered by Corne Spies’ tenacious Tiger Ridge 5yo Jo Malone, who galloped her rivals off their feet to make it a hat-trick of wins in the R72 000 Conditions Plate over 1200m.
She gave weight over a distance not deemed her best and rider Craig Zackey was full of praise for this trojan seven-time winner.
