The Takingthepeace 2018 SA Triple Tiara dream gave us all a great ride while it lasted, but sadly came undone at the final hurdle at Turffontein on Saturday.
Gunter Wrogemann gets the meximum out of Secret Potion (Pic – JC Photos)
The hype surrounding South Africa’s most popular racehorse and her enterprising bunch of young owners was unprecedented as the Mike de Kock trained Visionaire filly Takingthepeace hogged the local racing happy news zone over the past two months.
Given every chance by Callan Murray on Saturday, Takingthepeace did things the way she usually does but just lacked the killer punch, finishing a gallant 2,75 length fourth after making up ground late in the race.
On the flipside of the coin, trainer Geoff Woodruff has waited eleven long years to celebrate another SA Oaks title and the veteran trainer did it in style with Elusive Fort’s daughter Secret Potion enjoying the test of stamina to register a career peak victory.
Woodruff’s last victory in this race dates all the way back to Festive Occasion in 2007 but he would have enjoyed the big win on Saturday with a daughter of an SA Derby winner that he trained himself.
With the expectant hype of a possible SA Triple Tiara winner on the table, the R1 million Gr2 Wilgerbsodrift SA Oaks was the big buzz race of the day.
After Azkur had lost many lengths at the start, Lyle Hewitson took Sean Tarry’s Chariot Of Gold out to lead from the break and the champion apprentice took charge of the 2450m race from there – playing with the throttle up front with a muddling mix of pace that had his colleagues swearing at times.
Geoff Woodruff – top class trainer
Gunter Wrogemann positioned the SA Fillies Classic third-placer Secret Potion about seven lengths off the action and he gradually built her up in the straight as Chariot Of Gold came under pressure inside the 300m.
Wrogemann took the race by the scruff of the neck early enough and his timing proved spot on as Secret Potion showed an appreciation for the extra ground to win by 1,20 lengths in a time of 154,52 secs.
Chariot Of Gold managed to dig deep to claim third, ahead of the bighearted Takingthepeace.
A R100 000 CTS March Yearling Sale purchase by Geoff Woodruff, Secret Potion has won 4 races with 3 places from 8 starts for stakes of R935 600.
Bred by Dr Ian Heyns, the winner is a daughter of SA Derby winner Elusive Fort (Fort Wood) out of Lemon Drop Girl (Parade Leader).
We could see Secret Potion down in KZN next month!
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Gr2 SA Oaks (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 5, R1 million, 2450m, turf, good, 2.34.52
1 – SECRET POTION (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Elusive Fort (SAF) – Lemon Drop Girl (SAF) by Parade Leader (USA). Owner Mr S M Jerrier; Breeder IR Heyns; trainer GV Woodruff; jockey G Wrogemann
2 – Flichity By Farr (SAF), 60.0, ch f 3, Go Deputy (USA) – Flichity (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
3 – Chariot Of Gold (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Silvano (GER) – Quest For Gold (SAF) by Jallad (USA)
Margins: 1.20, 0.80, 0.75
