Atticus Finch (s/s 106) was all heart when fighting off challengers to win the Victory Moon (G3) at Turffontein on Saturday. Alec Laird’s charge has now won four on the bounce and is your archetypal courageous front runner who hates to relinquish a lead. He was sired by Master of my Fate.
Electric Gold (s/s 104) tried to get past down the inside but was held safe by three quarters of a length. Billy Bowlegs (s/s 104), Litigation (s/s 104), Son of Raj (s/s 103) and None Other (s/s 103) showed their well-being ahead of the Summer Cup by staying on resolutely. All these placed/or fringe- of- placings runners will prefer the extra ground over which the G1 is run in three weeks’ time.
Golden Sickle caught the eye with a triple digit merit rating of 103 over the short cuts in the National Colour Stakes. This three-year-old daughter of Vercingetorix is now a four-time winner and has scope to develop as she matures. Tony Peter is her trainer.
National Colour was one of the legends of the turf – a grey flash who competed with distinction in SA, Dubai and Britain. She would regularly run figs of 115 + in SA when romping and could have gone faster still if pressed in this country.
From sprinters to stayers – Mucho Dinero (s/s 103) is an up-and-coming endurance runner, and he took advantage of a featherweight to smash rivals in the Woolavington at Durbanville.
Pacesetter and defending champ in this 2400m contest, Baratheon (s/s 99) tried to go with him, as did older companion, One Way Traffic (s/s 99) but they were firmly put in the place by the superior finish of the Justin Snaith trained, Twice Over ex Cash Register gelding.
Sunday’s Algoa Cup fell to Future Swing (s/s 102, sired by Futura) who prevailed over Han Solo (s/s 101) and Gallic Tribe (s/s 100) in the 2000m event. The lightly weighted raider also hails from Snaith Racing and improved from a previous best of 97 to complete a fifth career win.