Candice Bass-Robinson and Keagan de Melo will team up in the Vodacom Durban July next weekend with outsider Sovereign Spirit. The duo enjoyed a confidence-boosting success when Marina ran out a popular winner of the R85 000 World Sports Betting Listed River Jetez Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.
While Sovereign Spirit is quoted at 33-1 with Hollywoodbets for the big race, there might have been a timeous alignment in the stars and a pointer for the superstitious backers in the chestnut Marina’s emphatic victory – her brother Marinaresco was the Milnerton lady trainer’s first Vodacom Durban July winner in 2017.
Marina is an easy winner under Keagan de Melo (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
But the moment on Saturday belonged to the Silvano filly who runs in an illustrious partnership of Mauritzfontein, Mike Bass, Freddie Green, Bryn Ressell and Marsh Shirtliff.
Making light of her 60kgs over the testing 2400m, the odds-on Marina loped along behind as Pink Tourmaline cut out a modest gallop up-front.
At the 350, De Melo produced Marina and she simply broke their hearts in a matter of strides to win unextended by 2,25 lengths in a time of 162,66 secs.
Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie were in the photo as usual as Katie To (20-1) came out best for second. The exacta paid a generous R14 on the tote.
The rest were well beaten with Musical Glitch (12-1) a further 4,50 lengths away in a strung out field.
This victory meant that Marina won two of the three legs of the WSB Cape Winter Series for the girls. A commendable performance as she didn’t run in the opener – choosing rather to take on the boys. She wasn’t disgraced running third behind Warrior in the WSB Gr3 Legal Eagle Stakes (formerly the Winter Guineas).
As mentioned, Marina is a full-sister to the stable’s former Equus Champion and Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco and the race is appropriately named too – River Jetez won the 2010 Met for the trainer’s legendary Dad, Mike – who owns a share of the winner.
A progressive winner of 6 races with 2 places from 10 starts for stakes of R248 400 the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein-bred Marina is by retired multiple SA Champion sire Silvano (Lomitas) out of the twice-winning Fort Wood mare, Gay Fortuna.
