Charge It winning the Listed War Of Athena Handicap over 1800m (JC Photos)
The Alyson Wright-trained Charge It has been on the Highveld since November, where she has been taken care of by Candice and Tammy Dawson, and Wright confirmed that the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday had just not panned out well for her.
Alyson said, “The pace didn’t suit her … they went so slowly … it didn’t work out.”
The Gimmegreenlight filly is a full-sister to Surcharge, who won the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 as well as a Gr 1 in Australia under the name Yulong Prince.
Charge It had finished second to Hazy Dazy in both the Gr 3 Ducat Africa Fillies Mile and the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and in between those two races had won the Listed War Of Athena Handicap over 1800m.
She stayed on well on Saturday but off the slow pace was too far out of her ground to make any impact, having been dropped out from a wide draw, and she could only manage a 3,25 length sixth.
However, she will now go for the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m and should get the trip, considering Surcharge was a runner up in the Gr 1 SA Derby from a wide draw over the same course and distance.
Charge It will likely be the chief threat to Hazy Dazy’s fairytale bid to land the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
Alyson said she hoped the Varsfontein Stud-homebred Charge It would come down to her yard at Summerveld for the Champions Season, although she added it still had to be discussed with the owners.
The Gr 2 Woolavington 2000 would be an obvious target for her.
Alyson said the Hollywoodbets Durban July would probably not be an option.
Meanwhile, Alyson had been making another bold bid for a KZN Championship title until reigning champion Gareth van Zyl began pulling clear.
Wright has been knocking on the door for a title for the last few seasons and this season is on 31 wins at a strike rate of 13.48%, while Van Zyl is on 38 wins at 17.19%.
In joint third is Garth Puller, Wendy Whitehead and Mike and Mathew de Kock, eleven wins behind Alyson on 20 wins apiece.
Alyson lamented she did not have the numbers to mount a realistic challenge, but it is nevertheless turning out to be another decent season and it will hopefully be bolstered by the presence of Charge It in the yard in a month or two’s time.
