Cape Racing’s Winter Country Championship series has proven a winner for the lesser lights amongst the equine ranks and Piet Botha pulled some magic out of the hat for his owners when the MR 58 rated 5yo Beneath The Moon went all the way at her 23rd outing to register her second career victory and bank the R118 750 first cheque in the Winter Country Championship 1200 Final Class 5 feature on Saturday.
Specifically tailored to provide an incentive to the owners of lower rated gallopers, the series features have attracted good field sizes and produced some competitive winter racing.
Keanen Steyn has Beneath The Moon galloping strongly to win well (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Allowed to stride freely by Keanen Steyn over what appeared to be a draw-neutral Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 1200m on Saturday, Beneath The Moon found the winner’s enclosure over two years after shedding her maiden over a mile at the same venue.
In a stampede to the line, Beneath The Moon (10-1) kept at her task to beat Mike Stewart maiden Look Forward (16-1) by 1,50 lengths in a time of 75,38 secs.
Piet Botha also filled the third spot as Tres Chic (5-1) stayed on well a length back.
The winner is a Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred daughter of Galileo sire The United States out of the one-time winning Rich Man’s Gold mare, Night And Day.
A R70 000 Cape Yearling Sale buy, Beneath The Moon has won 2 races with 7 places from her 23 starts for stakes of R228 088.
