The James Crawford-trained Star Major was an impressive winner of the Gr 3 HKJC World Pool Politician Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday under Luyolo Mxothwa (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The three-year-old male crop’s reputation has been dented by the overall results in the Spring and Summer to date culminating in the below par run of Jan Van Goyen in the L’Ormarin’s King’s Plate, but there could still be a latecomer who shines and the always well regarded James Crawford-trained Star Major could be the one.
Star Major put in an impressive performance on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth to land the HKJC World Pool Politician Stakes over 1800m.
Happy Verse was the favourite for the Gr 3 event, having finished second in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas in his previous start.
He was no match for Jan Van Goyen in the latter race and was beaten 2,75 lengths.
Jan Van Goyen then fluffed his lines as 15/10 favourite in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, although he was forgiven to some extent because the sectionals showed him to have gone way too fast in the running.
The problem when defending him was that he had gone at the same speed as the unheralded Legal Counsel in the running and the latter had beaten him by 4,65 lengths.
Either Jan Van Goyen had been well below par on the day or Legal Counsel is some horse.
The WSB Cape Town Met result showed that Legal Counsel indeed is some horse as he was the runner up and was beaten just 0,75 lengths.
That result also confirmed the value of sectional timing and some would have cashed in as Legal Counsel was long odds in the build up and started at 33/1 odds after receiving some support.
Legal Counsel’s fine effort meant Happy Verse’s form had been franked to some extent and he shortened into 5/4 for the Politician Stakes.
The Andrew Fortune factor was likely another reason he shortened.
Star Major had finished unplaced in the Cape Guineas, but was beaten only 3,45 lengths. Nevertheless, he drifted out to 33/1 before they jumped on Saturday.
Fortune rode how he had the whole day, settling Happy Verse beautifully in midfield as the promising middle distance-to-staying prospect Better Man set the pace.
He then switched Happy Verse out in the straight and the Vercingetorix colt began running on strongly under the hands.
However, he had no answer to Star Major’s finishing effort under Luyolo Mxothwa and had to settle for a 0,40 length second.
The Main Chance Farms-bred Querari colt had sat behind Happy Verse in the running and relished his first attempt at a trip beyond a mile.
He carried the same joint-topweight of 60kg that Happy Verse carried and it was a good performance considering he gave Better Man 1,5 kg and a 3,15 length beating, not to mention sound beatings for 105-rated Pay The Palace (4,15 lengths), 110-rated Fox On The Run (6,65 lengths) and 112-rated Randolph Hearst (8,40 lengths).
Could Star Major be the Green With Envy of the crop i.e. a horse who emerges halfway through the season and then proves himself a superior force?
He is owned by Neville Isdell, Jonathan Bloch, Prakashni Pillay & Ravi Naidoo’s Kalinga.
A R500 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Star Major is out of the Silvano mare, Star In The Sky.
Only a maiden winner up to his victory here, Star Major has 4 places from his 8 starts and took his stakes total to R363 742.
He will be a warm order for the Gr 1 Splash Out Cape Derby.
