Splitheeights upsets his stablemate One Eye On Vegas and Trust (JC Photos)
Less than 24 hours after Jan Van Goyen’s reputation took a knock with his well beaten 12th in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate his Gr Jackpot City Dingaans conqueror Trust was beaten at odds of 87/100 in the Gr 3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m.
This has left the crop without a dominant member, which usually points to it being a below average crop, although that is just the traditional way of looking at things and decent horses could still emerge.
Trust did have to give 2kg to the field, but he was beaten 2,50 lengths by the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Vercingetorix colt Splittheeights, who started at odds of 20/1.
Splittheeights jumped from draw five in the nine horse field and fond a nice position behind Charming Cheetah, who sat on the quarters of the pacemaker Shadowfax.
Splittheeights stablemate One Eye On Vegas, who was second favourite at 5/2, sat on the rail behind Shadowfax.
One Eye On Vegas hit the front and Trust battled to fetch him.
However, the long-striding Splitheeights began to make up the ground rapidly in the closing stages and won by 1,30 lengths at odds of 20/1.
One Eye On Vegas was second and the De Kock yard also had the fourth placed Yippee Kayay, who was well clear of fifth placed Golden Warrior.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Splitheeights is a half-brother to William Robertson and was a R600k purchase from the BSA August 2yo Sale, He delivered a first Graded race victory for enthusiastic racing supporters, Jayson and Preshalin Murugasa.
The Listed Mother Russia Stakes over 1400m was won by the Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained Warm Reception, who fittingly wore the same black silks with a scarlet cap colours that Mother Russia carried.
Wilgerbosdrift’s Mary Slack owns her and bred her together with her daughter Jessica Jell’s Mauritzfontein Stud.
Warm Reception crossed the line with her ears pricked and was 1,5 lengths of the field under Muzi Yeni.
Warm Reception looks to be yet another promising offspring from Fire Away.
She is now a winner of 3 from 4 starts.
The Listed 4Racing Wolf Power 1600 one again showed what David Nieuwenhuizen can achieve if given a a good horse as it was won by his Varsfontein Stud-bred five-year-old gelding Pressonregardless.
This gelding has improved steadily since joining his yard as an eight race maiden and making his Highveld debut in June 2024.
He is now a six-time winner for owners John Fourie and Lee Harvey and won on Sunday off 104 merit rating under a fine ride by Craig Zackey.
The result further dampened the three-year-old crop’s prospects as the 83/100 favourite Grand Empire lost his unbeaten record.
