On a major day where the younger set showed their mettle by saddling a few big winners, Lucinda Woodruff had the Royal Air Force gelding Dharma primed to the moment to give part-owner Annabel Andrews a belated birthday gift with a courageous victory in the R200 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap.
The Sorrento family Andrews have developed a habit of producing a feature bombshell every few months. In June Dharma arrived at 50-1 to win the Gr3 Winter Derby.
On Saturday he was disregarded at 40-1 and did his bit in contributing to a carryover in the Kenilworth Pick 6 – and to a birthday gift for Annabel, who celebrated her big day on Thursday.
Greg Cheyne is at full stretch on Crome Yellow as a relaxed Anthony Andrews seals the deal on Dharma (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
In a race of stuttering and muddled pace that probably had the topweighted Atyaab’s trainer Mike de Kock grinding his teeth, Anthony Andrews rode a perfectly judged race on his folks’ home-bred gelding.
He had Dharma in touch to avoid any silly ideas of a sprint for home and the 4yo gelding enjoyed the test of stamina as he ground on to hold Crome Yellow (15-1) to a neck in a time of 162,78 secs.
Assistant Lucinda ‘Lulu’ Woodruff gives her star a big smile (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The consistent Gimme One Night (6-1) found himself in various roles throughout the race and found a second wind when the pace was upped as he came on stoutly a length away in third.
Algoa Cup winner and race favourite Cat Daddy was his usual game self and held his grey stablemate Herodotus out of the quartet to bank the fourth cheque.
The muddling pace probably put paid to the chances of Strathdon who found himself a pacemaker at one stage and, unsurprisingly, fizzled out to nothing.
Anthony Andrews is led in by Dad, Terry and Mum, Annabel (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
In a wholesome family affair, the winner is by Royal Air Force (Jet Master), who once stood at Sorrento, but got little support. Dharma is out of the unraced Dr Fong mare, Karma.
Dharma has won 3 races with 6 places from 15 starts for stakes of R400 050.
Stipes report excerpt:
- a) DUCHESS OF BOURBON jumped slow, losing one length.
- a) STRATHDON (A Marcus) was pulling hard in the early and middle stages.
- b) GIMME ONE NIGHT (C Orffer) was awkwardly placed and had to ease off the heels of STRATHDON (A Marcus) at the 300m.
- c) CAT DADDY (M Winnaar) steadied off the heels of DHARMA (A Andrews), which was hanging out and shifted out at the 100m.
- d) Assistant Trainer L Woodruff appeared before the Board and was questioned regarding the poor performance of DHARMA in his previous start on the 9th November 2019. In this regard, she explained that, whilst the jockey of DHARMA had reported something amiss in his last run, he was sound after the race and upon his return to the stables, as confirmed by the veterinary surgeon. Notwithstanding this, however, DHARMA appeared to not be himself in the race and had been off his feed subsequently. She was of the opinion that today, off a slightly slower early pace, DHARMA had returned to his previous consistent earlier form. The Board noted the explanation.
- b) DHARMA, the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Assistant Trainer L Woodruff was advised. (LD)
- a) X Ndlovu rode SAINT WEST (declared 07.42 on 20191214)
- b) C Zackey rode + 0.5kg (52.9kg)
- a) STRATHDON – nothing obvious detected, cut into left hind.
- b) HERODOTUS – abnormal respiratory noise
- c) CROME YELLOW – cast left hind shoe
- d) SAINT WEST – abnormal respiratory noise.
_________
Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap (SAf-Gr3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, December 14, R200k, 2500m, turf, good, 2.42.78
1 – DHARMA (SAF), 52.0, ch g 4, Royal Air Force (SAF) – Karma (SAF) by Dr Fong . Owner Mr & Mrs T D Andrews; Breeder TD Andrews; trainer GV Woodruff; jockey A Andrews
2 – Crome Yellow (SAF), 53.5, b g 5, Trippi (USA) – Senorita Sol (SAF) by Jallad (USA)
3 – Gimme One Night (SAF), 56.0, b g 6, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Fiesta Queen (SAF) by Parade Leader (USA)
Margins: 0.20, 1.00, 0.30
