Summer Pudding (speed score 99+) was strongly fancied to win the Fillies Classic and duly got the job done for trainer Paul Peter, to remain unbeaten from five starts. The Silvano ex Cherry on the Cake filly is now poised for the Triple Tiara after seeing off the challenge of Marygold in Saturday’s 1800m G1 showdown.
Summer Pudding has won all her starts by relatively narrow margins. Jockey Warren Kennedy believes she does just enough and can still run much faster when truly tested – her best figure to date is 102 + attained over a too-short mile in November 2019.
Got the Greenlight (s/s 103) took out the SA Classic in a close-run affair, as Green Laser (s/s 102) and Youcanhurrylove (s/s 102) threatened in the rush to the wire. Remarkably, the top three were sired by Gimmethegreenlight, who according to the TRC Global Sires rankings, slots in at a commendable 126 on the World Stallion list.
Got the Greenlight scored 102 in July when blitzing rivals from a wide draw at Greyville but had been below that level in two starts this year. He bounced back to best fitted with a tongue tie to land the coveted G1 victory for trainer Joe Soma and connections.
The same stallion was also responsible for the winner of the G2 Drum Star Handicap – here Green Haze (s/s 104) came hurtling through from off the pace to defeat D Árrivee.
Just like Got the Greenlight, Cirillo (s/s 107) is another to cycle back to form after a spell in the wilderness. His G2 Hawaii Stakes triumph came 406 days after his last win, as he went start to finish under Luke Ferraris for a big margin victory over stable mate Tierra de Fuego.
Chitengo is a very smart stayer. More than a year passed between her third and fourth win, but trainer Alec Laird now has Gorongosa’s daughter at a peak. She repeated her last course and distance success by producing a powerful closing sectional after racing prominently in the Aquanaut Handicap, a 2400m race named appropriately after a true staying legend.
Lady of Steel (s/s 88++) stayed perfect when staving off rivals in the G3 Acacia Handicap, on a seriously big day for stallion Gimmethgreenlight. The final speed score in the high 80’s may not seem that flash but she had to deal with a wide 13 draw and finished the race off with zest, suggesting she can run much bigger numbers in future.