The stakes laden end of April meeting at Turffontein is one of the most significant staged on the Highveld with a bunch of Graded races, and the ’24 vintage duly delivered some high-class performances.
Lucky Lad (s/s 108, with sectional upgrade 110) took out the Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes (G2) with a withering run from last in the stiff 1160m sprint.
Malherbe has taken on multiple roles in racing with aplomb – as a commentator, bloodstock agent, racing manager, thoroughbred analyst/researcher, raconteur and helpful mentor so it is fitting that he is properly acknowledged after over four decades in racing.
Lucky Lad, who showed great talent at two, has rebounded after a single aberrant run,( followed by a wind op,) and now rates one of the best over extended sprints in SA. He just fought his way past I am Giant (s/s 107) and Surjay (s/s 107) with the filly Winter Greeting hitting her career best of 106.
Pure Predator was mighty impressive in the G2 Colorado King Stakes when powering down the center of the Turffontein course to beat off the consistent, Hotarubi (s/s 101.) Pure Predator’s fig of 102 ++ can be raised several points given how quickly he finished in a ten-furlong race, and the Fanie Bronkhorst trained son of New Predator is turning into a force over middle distances.
Earlier, Proceed (s/s 96) showed the G3 Protea Stakes field a clean pair of heels marking himself as a juvenile to follow. Sean Tarry trains the son of Gimmethegreenlight out of the Captain Al mare, Xplosive Kiss.
Tarry, an expert conditioner who is always one to reckon with on big days, was also on the mark with Mrs Browning (s/s 98 +) in the G2 Camellia Stakes. Her speed figure might be raised a few ticks based on her swift come home sectional.
Mrs Browning is a great advert for fast-emerging sire, Rafeef who also produced Igugu Stakes heroine, Beating Wings (s/s 96). Her dam Miss Galidora has thrown top stayer Aragosta and now, at the opposite end of the distance spectrum, this three-year-old sprinting star who could be pegged as high as 105.
King of the Gauls is getting better and better. He managed a fig of 104 at Scottsville on Sunday – a career best for this feisty speedball who is at the peak of his powers back home in Durban after a summer sojourn in the Cape.
The other performance of note was produced by Asiye Phambili (s/s 100+), punted from 7/1 into 5/2 in the Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes. The What a Winter filly won with authority to vindicate the market plunge.