William Robertson (speed score 105, has run 110) won the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday, moving up sweetly and looking like he would draw off for an assured victory, only for the very game pacesetting, white horse, After the Rain (s/s 104) to rally and so nearly catch him at the wire.

William Robertson is busy compiling a strong record having now won six of 17 starts. Corne Spies’’ hardy charge is especially effective around the Greyville bends and the Turffontein inside track – Saturday’s 1450m event set up just right for the accomplished son of Rafeef. He started favourite at 5/4 and was ridden by replacement rider Muzi Yeni after S’manga Khumalo got off. 

Humdinger (s/s 96) sprung a 33/1 surprise in the Grade 2 Fillies and Mares Spring Challenge, also over 1450m. Desert Miracle was favored at 9/4 but could not get the job done after a sluggish break. Instead, the Mike de Kock trained stable mate snuck home by a long neck to complete a fine hat-trick, after running similar figures in the high 90’s at Scottsville. Humdinger is sired by What a Winter.

Drakenstein Stud based stallion Trippi continues to crank out Stakes winners – he landed both Grade 3 features at Durbanville over the weekend with Santa Maria and Trip of Fortune in the Diana and Matchem Stakes respectively. They are trained by Candice Bass Robinson, who cleaned up at the country course with four winners – Max the Otter (s/s 87 +) and Gimmie’s Lassie were the others.

Santa Maria has a good turn of foot, prefers a firmer surface, loves Durbanville and goes best fresh. With all those positives in her favor she proved just too zippy for G1 winner, Chansonette in a false run affair.

Trip of Fortune and Silver Operator are both arch 1400m exponents – a distance that lends itself to specialists. They fought out a dramatic bumping/boring finish with Trip of Fortune (s/s 103 +, can hit 110) getting the marginal verdict on a stipes objection after Silver Operator had won by a whisker.

That is the second time recently that a decision has been reversed in Cape Town. It’s tough for the officials to get these marginal calls consistently right. Just last week the Settlers Trophy was taken from Han Solo and awarded to Somerset Maugham under similarly controversial circumstances.

 

 

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