Command Pilot (speed score 99) attained the top figure at Turffontein’s inside track on Saturday. The Lancaster Bomber colt received heavy betting action from 20/1 into 33/10 and landed the plunge by over a length from Royal Guide (s/s 97) with Professor Snape (s/s 95) Trident King (s/s 95) and La Moohal (s/s 94) following him in.
Command Pilot is trained by Alec Laird – a very fine horseman and conditioner who keeps a lower profile than his expertise deserves.
Down at a wet track in Cape Town, there were some rough results for punters. Eight on Eighteen (s/s 95) won the G3 Langerman coming from the back of the field to outrun pacemaker All out for Six (s/s 93); this after ante-post odds on shot, One Stripe was a controversial late scratching. Justin Snaith saddled the winner.
The highest speed fig on the Kenilworth card went to Nordic Quest (s/s 103) for Bass Racing. Prior to the 1100m sprint race, Candice Bass described her as “having grown into a beautiful filly and our best chance on the day.” The daughter of Querari duly romped, with Knockout (s/s 95) held off by a comfortable margin.
Bass also won the Winter Mile with Sugar Mountain (s/s 97 +) a deserving result for a fine miler who is just a few ticks below top class (has a career peak speed score of 106) but knows how to win against less formidable opponents. She also sent out second placed Gold Poker Game in a stable exacta.
Lucinda Woodruff is also now doing really well as a trainer, steadily turning out winners and currently on a fiery, hot streak. She added another two winners over the weekend – Global View debutant, Omikami and temperamental sprinter, Dean Street (s/s 100).
Her work with the difficult Dean Street has been exemplary – getting this hard- to- handle character to win five races and run plenty places is testimony to Woodruff’s competence and dedication.