Winchester Mansion (speed score 112) recorded a famous win for Interbet ambassador, Brett Crawford in the 2023 Durban July when just edging favoured See It Again (also 112) in a dramatic tussle.
The two fought it out over the last furlong with Kabelo Matsunyane rousting Winchester Mansion after being passed, to sneak a narrow verdict over wily riding adversary, Piere Strydom.
Winchester Mansion has become a different horse since gelding. The son of Trippi ex Sea Point was running well enough before yet has taken his form to a new level since the procedure. He came into the race in great shape and well handicapped, with some shrewd punters capitalizing as his ante post odds tumbled down to 8/1.
The three-year-old, See It Again ran a tremendous race in defeat, conceding weight to a very smart, older horse in prime condition. Bless my Stars (s/s 107) ran sterlingly to complete the trifecta, whilst Durban July stalwart, Do It Again (s/s 106) yet again hit the board in his preferred event.
Gladatorian ran the next best figure on the card, (s/s 107) when he hurtled through from off the pace to snare 13/10 fave, Thunderstruck (s/s 106) and another fancied Crawford entry, Surjay (s/s 105) in the G2 Post Merchants. He started at 50/1 in the day’s biggest upset, a few points longer than outsider, Crimson King (40/1) in the G3 Splashout 2200.
Seann Tarry’s remarkable, Princess Calla (s/s 105 +, sired by Flower Alley) added another G1 to her resume when taking the Garden Province Stakes. She beat off Desert Miracle in this prestigious mile contest for fillies and mares to add further value to her pending breeding career. Humdinger (s/s 101) came in third.
Mrs Geriatrix (s/s 98) may be tiny, but she can currently run faster than any of her peers. In winning the G2 Golden Slipper, this fine daughter of Vercingetorix stretched her impressive record to a perfect five from five.
Main Defender (s/s 96, sire Pathfork) was another baby to impress, taking out the BSA Sales Cup in a romp after receiving serious betting action into 9/4.
This figure was slightly higher than Sandringham Summit’s 91, which the son of Gimmethegreenlight attained when weaving past the entire field to mug widely drawn, favourite, Gimmeanotherchance (s/s 90) in the G2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.
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