Milnerton veteran Vaughan Marshall set the stage for a tilt at a sixth Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas title next month when his Champion 2yo of last season One Stripe powered home to beat four opponents in the R500 000 Gr2 Cape Punters Cup at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
1-2 … Marshall’s One Stripe (Gavin Lerena) and All Out For Six (Juan Paul van der Merwe) take top spots (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
While the field for the traditional classic trial was the smallest in recent memory, and with the late withdrawal of Piet Steyn’s recent maiden winner Garrix not helping matters, the workmanlike and emphatic showing by One Stripe at his first success over the mile simply screamed quality.
Ridden with confidence from some lengths off the solid pace set by his free-striding stablemate All Out For Six – certainly no slouch on his day – One Stripe (9-10) was produced at the 250m marker by Gavin Lerena and bounded clear to beat the gallant All Out For Six (14-1) by 1,75 lengths in a time of 97,51 secs.
It was the second feature of the day, after the 1-2-3 in the Listed Sophomore Sprint, dominated by progeny of reigning SA Freshman Champion Sire, One World.
Clearly in need of the run, Eight On Eighteen (7-2) was a further length back in third, with Captain West (16-1) and On My Honour (7-2) well beaten.
“We had a couple of anxious moments in the pre-parade. The pace was strong. I gave him a bit more of a chance this time, but his acceleration was phenomenal,” added Gavin Lerena.
Trainer Vaughan Marshall has walked this road before and clearly has his eye on the prized Guineas silverware.
“It was a terrific run and a great ride. And thanks to Rikesh Sewgoolam – he has been a stalwart. And to the One World Syndicate who race the runner-up. Well done. He is no pushover,” added Marshall.
One Stripe races for Rikesh Sewgoolam and took his stakes bank to R1 193 013 with his fourth win and a place from six starts.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, he is out of the three-time winning Silvano mare Silver Stripe, who stayed well and won up to 2450m. Interesting times ahead!
