Regeneration duly obliged at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday when well weighted in a Progress Plate, winning by three lengths under Tristan Godden (Picture: Anneke Akal Kitching)
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
On the face of it, handicapping is always a punters best guide. It doesn’t always work out, given the vagaries of the sport, but the filly Regeneration looked to be the ‘right’ horse in the Progress Plate that headed the turf card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday.
Rated way better than her opposition after showing smart form in group company, it was just a matter of Robbie Hill having got her fit enough to win first up in her seasonal debut over 1400m after not having been out since May when contesting the Gr1 Wollavington 2000.
In the event, it was never a contest as Tristan Godden rode a confident race. Tracking the early pace, he gave his mount a clear run and she responded with a romp to the line.
Hill has never been the easiest in a post-race interview, but it was a fitting win as Hill and Sean Veale, once first call riders for now retired trainer Dennis Drier, scored on his birthday.
Often there is a fine line of judgement between pulling the trigger too early and pulling it too late, especially when it comes to a tight finish. That was the case in the first as Deryl Daniels did it all right on Sun In My Pocket, only to be denied in the last few strides by Treasure Island with Tristan Godden timing his run to perfection on Mike Miller’s filly.
Daniels was quick to send Sun My Pocket to lead and was clear of the pack for most of the race. Heading for home he sat for as long as he dared, only ‘pulling the trigger’ past the 400m mark.
Once Daniels committed, it was just a matter of how long the filly would last; just not long enough as Godden got Treasure Island to finish off her race smartly to get up close home – a finely judged ride by both riders.
Favourite Light Of Gabriel laboured into third, giving the impression that a furlong or two further would be more to her liking, while Blue Poppy in fourth made an eye-catching debut and is one for the notebook.
Hollywood are never shy to give chances to those that deserve and they look to have backed another winner in Vengi Masawi. Working out of Ashburton, Masawi saddled his second winner as a fully fledged trainer as Spinmyangelspin racing in the Hollywood Racing silks got the better of favourite Celestial Diamond in a tight finish to the second.
Kabelo Matsunyani took Celestial Diamond to the front early and looked to have the race in the bag some way out. However, Sean Veale kept hard at the blinkered Spinmyangelspin who appeared to be doing all she could to shirk the fight with tail spinning and ducking the issue but she did just enough to edge out Celestial Diamond with the balance well beaten.
Those looking for a little ‘cheer’ in the opening leg of the Pick 6 will have been resigned to their fate a long way out as Veale was hard at work to hold position on favourite Cheerscheerscheers even before the home turn. Given his position at the head of the pack, it was smart riding from Veale because if his mount had dropped the bit entirely there would have been mayhem behind.
S’Manga Khumalo was watching all unfold on his inside aboard the well-supported King Celtillus who glided to the front on the turn and although running on empty the last bit, still had enough in hand as Call Me Wild edged out Cheerscheerscheers who remarkably kept on to earn at the shallow end of the purse.
Frikkie Greyling was one of Mike de Kock’s righthand men in the time of Horse Chestnut so has learnt from the best. There has been a torrent of water under that bridge but he is back at the helm of his own yard. Go Grayson Go has been knocking at the door for some time now for Greyling but the gelding has not been the easiest of rides. However, sent over 2000m for the first time, he appears to have found his nice and cruised to a comfortable win under Calvin Habib in the fourth. Go Grayson Go has always appeared to be useful and with the step up in trip he could pay to follow.
Move over Andrew Fortune; In his absence MJ Odendaal has taken over the reins of the post-race interview. MJ was a rider in the same era before a horrific fall at Clairwood Park ended his career in the saddle. But he comes from farming stock in the backwaters of Mphumalanga and knows his way around livestock.
The diminutive filly Ubukhwebezana has never been the easiest but Sean Veale, at the top of his game for his retained stable, Hollywood Racing, timed the mare’s run to perfection to land the sixth win of her career and confirm her superiority over second-placed Happy Fortune, unable to turn the tables.
Regulars on the racecourse who are keen observers of the paddock will know that when seasoned trainer Dennis Bosch arrives in a jacket and tie, it’s game on. It doesn’t always work out, but at least you know that you will get a run for your money. Serino Moodley is the regular pilot of the Bosch-trained Copacabana but must have been at least a little anxious as Nicholas Patel set sail for home aboard Mystique Rouge in the hunt for an Odendaal double. Moodley’s supporters may have been anxious, Bosch included, but Copacabana sailed past late to win rather cozily.
Muzi Yeni is not one easily denied in a finish and he just got the better of Rachel Venniker in the last as Icy Blast and Gorgeous Guy fought out a tight finish in a ding-dong battle for the line.
