Gulf Storm outduelled fellow Cape Thoroughbred Sales graduates, Brutal Force and Carry On Alice to win the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth.
Trained by Brett Crawford and riden by PC Orffer, for whom it was a notable first Grade 1 victory, Gulf Storm surged through in the final strides to edge out the imposing chestnut Brutal Force. Star filly Carry On Alice had raced handy throughout, only caving in to challenges on either side close to the line. Dual Merchants winner Tevez produced a bold rally down the inner to get fourth spot, merely a neck behind the winner.
Bred by Ascot Stud, Gulf Storm was catalogued as Lot 262 at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale of 2012. Sired by Canadian stallion, Sail From Seattle out of Royal Drummer, he was purchased by Mrs DJ Sherrell for R225 000. Consistent at the highest level, Gulf Storm has provided his connections not only with loads of pleasure, but after Saturday’s R625 000 prize is added to the career haul, an excellent return on that initial investment.
Gulf Storm has now won eight times from 24 runs. Most of his success had been achieved over stiffer sprints yet Crawford’s decision to add blinkers worked a treat in sharpening him up for the showdown with top quality speedballs. Orffer has forged a close affinity with Gulf Storm and knows how to let him settle into a comfortable galloping rhythm in the early stages, before bravely steering him through a tiny gap for that race-winning move. The happy jock said, “I did not realise that I had got up, and just felt disbelief when Donavan Dillon (on Brutal Force) called across that he thought I had won.”
It was a tough beat for Brutal Force. The son of Western Winter sold for R4.5 million at the CTS Ready To Run Sale of 2013, and the giant chestnut has turned into a tremendous sprinter after being tried over further as a youngster. He has performed with distinction all around the country, winning races in KZN, on the Highveld and at his home base in the Cape. Brutal Force seems sure to add to his record of six wins and seven places from 16 starts.
Captain Al filly, Carry On Alice got lumbered late trying to go gun to tape, to finish in the same third place that she managed in last year’s Flying Champs when using different, hold-up tactics. She has been a credit to her connections, starting 20 times to date, acquitting herself brilliantly in high levels sprints around South Africa. Sold for R475 000 at the CPYS 2013, her third place stake took career earnings close to R2.5 million.
Other CTS graduates to shine were Captain America who finished third behind awesome filly Smart Call and high class Legal Eagle in the R2.5 million Grade 1 J & B Met over 2000m, whilst juvenile Sergeant Hardy, by the same sire Captain Al, followed up a debut romp in December to capture a Stakes contest earlier on the card.