Chad Little extracted a last lunge from Good For You to win the Gr 1 Gold Medallion. (Candiese Lenferna).
Turf Talk sponsored jockey Chad Little’s comeback from the depths of despair is well documented and the man who gave him a second chance at a career, which had begun in highly promising fashion 25 years ago, was Glen Kotzen so it was fitting that Little clinched the first Gr 1 win of his career on a horse trained by the latter at the Festival Of Speed meeting at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
Kotzen had been confident of a big run from the Legislate gelding Good For You and told Turf Talk last Thursday, “He has had a very good prep. He got touched off last time in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m and he ducked from the stick. The filly that beat him (Elegantrix) is well regarded by Corne Spies and runs in the Allan Robertson. He’s got a good draw. Obviously its a very competitive race, but he’s in good form. He’s got some of the formlines I would like to have going in to this race.”
Good For You had beaten Military Command by 3,40 lengths in the Godolphin Barb over 1100m and it looked a fair and square beating and as Military Command had been the only horse to date to have beaten the exciting prospect Dreamland that augured well for Good For You’s chances.
He had also struck as being a tough sort in the Godolphin Barb as he had stayed on resolutely despite the going being soft.
So the official soft going on Saturday was in his favour and when Elegantrix ran second to the unbeaten Direct Hit in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship it was a further boost to his chances.
Of course the biggest boost to his chances had come with the scratching of the hot favourite to win the race, the Gr 2 SA Nursery-winning filly Green Diamond.
Good For You was backed in to 4/1, but was not as short as Zalatoris and Military Command, who were 33/10 and 7/2 respectively, although on the Tote Zalatoris only just ousted Good For You as favourite,paying R3.70 to R3.80, while Military Command was R4.90.
Good For You showed himself to be a courageous horse once again as he found extra under pressure in the closing stages.
He led from the off but began hanging outward from the 200m, despite Chad having the stick in the left hand.
Chad put the stick away when he continued to hang and managed to straighten him in the final few strides, a crucial move that saw him getting up by 0,30 lengths from Charming Cheetah.
Outsider Intensity was next best and was followed home by Military Command and Zalatoris with the latter beaten just 1,35 lengths.
Intensity ducked sharply after the line and dropped Marco van Rensburg, who was unable to weigh in, but after a doctor’s assessment he was able to continue riding.
It was also a first Gr 1 win for Legislate and for some of the owners of Good For You, who is owned by Messrs Deven Govender, R P Macnab, S Poriazis, Sivan Ramsamy & S L Russo.
It was a third Festival Of Speed Gr 1 winner for Glen Kotzen.
His first Hollywoodbets Scottsville Gr 1 winner was Lady Windermere in the SA Fillies Sprint in 2009 and then the champion Victory Moon filly Princess Victoria won the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship in 2011.
CHAD LITTLE :“All glory to God. I’ve been to hell and back. I’m emotional as this is my first Group 1 winner. Thanks so much to Glen and his owners for the support. It’s a good feeling. He’s such a funny horse as he looks to hang onto other horses. Two weeks ago, he got beat because he hung in. He hung on to Military Command today and then as he saw the horse coming up on his inside, he started hanging the other way. He actually had a lot in hand. He’s still a green little horse. I think he’s got quality and will go on from this. He’s still got levels to go. Fantastic day … 2 winners and a 2nd and a Group 1. All glory to God and thanks so much to everyone for their support.”
GLEN KOTZEN : “It’s a first for so many. A first Group 1 for Chad and some of the owners … it’s amazing. The guys were screaming and going mad. Well done to Oldlands Stud … a small stud. Every year they find a Group 1 and thank God I found it. To the Legislate syndicate … Vaughan Koster was on the phone and he was ‘fly jumping’. He’s a really exciting stallion … he had fertility problems and now he has come right. I think you will find a lot of Legislates been bought at future sales. He’s had a bit of racing and will have to chat to the boys. I’m not in a hurry to run him again. He’s a super little horse and I think we have a lot of fun with him going forward.”OWNERS :