Sean Tarry increased his record number of Grade 1’s at the Pietermaritzburg track to 15 after winning the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship with Sweet Pepper (Trippi) and the Grade 1 Gold Medallion with Thunderstruck (Rafeef) both ridden by Calvin Habib.

Homebred Sweet Pepper gave Drakenstein Stud the 15th stakes winner they have bred this season which is a record at least in recent times.

Thunderstruck, owned by Wilgerbosdrift Stud, was bred by Avontuur Stud who also have a phenomenal record at Hollywoodbets Scottsville through their late stallion Var and horses they have bred.

In the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness Richard Fourie scored his sixth Grade 1 of the season on the phenomenal Justin Snaith-trained Moutonshoek-bred and Suzette Viljoen-owned Captain Al filly Captain’s Ransom who showed her usual class and courage.

She showed pace but when she and all the contenders came under pressure coming up the hill it was her who found the extra and in the end she won easing up, her fifth career Grade 1 win, and it might not be premature to call her one of SA’s all time greats fillies.

There was still more drama to come as trainer Corrie Lensley landed his first Grade 1 winner with the three-year-old colt Alesian Chief, bred by Dr Marianne Thompson of Ambiance Stud, to give jockey Muzi Yeni a 15th career Grade 1 win and sire Vercingetorix a fifth individual Grade 1 winner and a third one of this crop.

Lensley phoned passionate racing man Piet Boonzaaier from Ambiance one day to say he had found a good horse going for a cheap R50,000 and the latter immediately took a 50% share.

Piet reminded today’s winner’s enclosure presenter Alistair Cohen he had always told him the colt was a champion and he proved it today by beating a good field of older horses despite carrying 58.5kg off a 119 merit rating.

Picture: Sean Tarry scored his 15th Hollywoodbets Scottsville Grade 1 win today with Thunderstruck (Candiese Lenferna).