With so many fantastic performances from Greyville’s Champions Season Super Saturday meeting, it’s hard to know where to start the highlights reel! Fans saw many of the best horses from around the country competing in the various divisions. Some of the results confirmed the existing thoroughbred hierarchy in South Africa, whilst the pecking order was upset in other categories.
14/10 favourite Rainbow Bridge (speed score 113) just edged out Soqrat (s/s 113) in the Grade 1 Champions Cup. It was a deserved win for Eric Sands’ power finisher, though credit is due the runner up who made a bold looping move on the bend. The consistent three year-olds, Cirillo and pace-setter, Twist of Fate both got 109’s with Buffalo Bill Cody repeating his last out score of 108.
Kasimir (s/s 108) made a determined rails run to sneak past Celtic Sea (s/s 108) and Palace Chapel (s/s 107) in an exciting G1 Mercury Sprint. The winner is not an easy horse to train yet has compiled a stellar record over the short cuts and got a great ride from Richard Fourie to squeak home in a race specially targeted by Snaith Racing.
There was honour in defeat for Celtic Sea who has enjoyed a tremendous KZN season winning two G1’s against her own sex and now running close against the finest male sprinters in the land. Both the victor and second were sired by Captain Al.
Dynasty’s Blossom won the Gold Cup, delivering a perfectly timed run to garner honours in the 3200m marathon. She was turned out in great shape by Singapore- bound, Joe Ramsden, but many punters were caught looking the wrong way as the Dynasty filly had previously only won twice from 20 starts with her last win coming 532 days ago. High -quality stayer, Made to Conquer was sterling in second – mounting a weaving stretch run from the back of the field and only falling short by a length whilst conceding 4.5 kg’s.
Joey Soma’s Got the Greenlight (s/s 102) was super impressive in the G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, accelerating to a wide margin win over Liberty Hall (s/s 97). The young son of Gimmethegreenlight overcame a difficult 16 gate, impressing Anton Marcus with a flashy turn of finishing speed.
As expected, the G1 Thekwini Stakes fell to hot favourite Gabor (s/s 89 +). She endured a tough passage at her last start when badly drawn but this time everything fell neatly into place from an inside barrier and the Kingsbarns juvenile filly was able to outrun long- time leader Mill Queen, who had dictated at a slow tempo.
Running Brave (s/s 103) was skillfully handled by Muzi Yeni to go all the way in the G2 Gold Bracelet. Camphoratus (s/s 103) and a low-flying Insignis (s/s 102) tried in vain to cut down the gallant daughter of Brave Tin Soldier who was shrewdly purchased for just R30 000. After Saturday’s win, her earnings have bumped up to R1 million, which is a fine return on investment. Paul Matchett is the successful conditioner.
Other performances worthy of mention were African Warrior’s G2 Umkhomazi Stakes success and a resurgent Sunset Eyes landing the Umgeni Handicap. African Warrior (sired by Vercingetorix and trained by Dean Kannemeyer) got a speed score of 95 which is a laudable number for a two year old jumping from gate 17. Finally, Crawford Racing trained, Sunset Eyes (s/s 103) proved much the best in the closing event, seizing control of the race in mid-stretch and drawing away comfortably from Filippo (s/s 97).
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