Questioning stamped his authority on the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m (Picture: Chase Liebenberg)
Vaughan Marshall has done an incredible job with Questioning, who as a five-year-old has blossomed into a magnificent athlete.
This Querari gelding was never as noticeable as he is right now and is a stand out in the preliminaries, looking magnificent and exuding professionalism i.e. he carries himself proudly and clearly looks like he is relishing being at the races.
Consequently, he has become the best 1400m horse in the country and might also be the best sprinter and even the best miler.
The AN Foster-bred Querari gelding, owned by the Bortz’s, Wernars and Mukund Gujadhur, was handily placed from pole position in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes on Saturday and despite being a touch hampered at the top of the straight he powered clear under Richard Fourie to beat last year’s winner Gladatorian by 1,60 lengths.
Great Plains was a head further back, repeating his third place of last year.
Questioning’s next target is likely to be the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, where he will face the country’s best milers, and at the end of season he could run in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m against the country’s best sprinters.
Both Questioning and Gladatorian stayed on 127 merit ratings.
The only changes the handicappers made were raising the 2,15 length fifth-placed Cats Pajamas from 119 to 122 and the 3,95 length eight placed Roland Garros from 112 to 114.
In the other stakes feature of the day The Sean Tarry-trained Gerbera (One World) got up late under a typically well timed ride by Craig Zackey to win the Listed IOS Insider East Coast Cup over 2000m.
Mano Panadaram, raiding from the Highveld, scored a double on the day.
Andrew Fortune and Richard Fourie both rode doubles and Louis Goosen claimed the exacta in the Durban Dash with Arverni Princess and Donquerari.
Three winners on the day were by Querari and two were by Vercingetorix.
