The Mike and Matthew de Kock-trained Drakenstein Stud homebred filly Oxalis Gold beats the boys under Kabelo Matsunyane in the Gr 3 Byerley Turk (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Andrew Harrison (Gold Circle)
When Mike de Kock and son Mathew decided to give the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes a miss with their filly Oxalis Gold in favour of taking on some useful males in the Gr3 Byerley Turk, it must have rung some warning bells with the opposition and indeed punters alike.
Speaking in his post-race interview, Mathew said a wide barrier draw in the Umzimkhulu had influenced their decision to take on males but in hindsight I think it was a cheap sell given that Oxalis Gold would have been up against Gimme’s Countess and Green Sapphire in the Umzimkhulu.
Whatever the thinking, it was a master stroke as Oxalis Gold made short work of her male opposition and staking a Gr2 Fillies Guineas claim in emphatic fashion.
At no stage in the race did she look under pressure and went to the line under hands and heels from Kabelo Matsunyane with Cats Pajamas running on stoutly under replacement rider Rachel Venniker with O’Tenikwa a gallant third.
Serino Moodley was never able to get O’Tenikwa’s head down and settled as Andre Nel’s runner raced head-up and barely under control in the early exchanges so it was a run best ignored.
Sean Tarry has had a relatively quiet start to the season but things are looking up for the former champion trainer as Legend Of Arthur was given a masterful ride by Richard Fourie to win the Gr1 SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday and Gavin Lerena was penciled in to ride Green Sapphire in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes yesterday.
However, Lerena was tied up in an inquiry and S’Manga Khumalo did the honours and rode a superb tactical race. Tarry illuded to post-race that there was no plan to go to the front, but from a good break and all reluctant to go forward, Khumalo had little option but to make the pace and he timed it to perfection.
Green Sapphire kicked smartly at the top of the straight and was never in danger of defeat in spite of favourite Gimme’s Countess making up a lot of ground from off the pace.
It was a good run from both fillies and all going well, the Gr2 Fillies Guineas must be on their radar.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Cape Town contingent arrived in good order last week and they were quick off the mark as Give Me Everything opened up what can be considered Kannemeyer’s start to South Africa’s Champions Season.
Apprentice Jacey Botes aboard the lightly weighted Forward Motion tried his best to pull the sting out of hot favourite Give Me Everything in the opening leg of the Pick 6, but Dean Kannemeyer’s filly has plenty of class. Aiming for four-on-the-trot, Craig Zackey had Give Me Everything well off the pace turning for home but she quickened like a smart filly to collar Paul Lafferty’s charge who stayed on gamely. The now Gr2 Woolavington 2000 looks tailor-made.
Kannemeyer was back in the winner’s box a race later as Teflon Man put in a smart performance to land the KwaZulu-Natal Stakes in spite of casting a shoe in running. Not all went to plan according to rider Craig Zackey as the filly Celtic Beauty, dropping back to a sprint, set the early fractions at a rather pedestrian pace.
Towards the back of the field turning for home, Zackey navigated Teflon Man through the traffic to hit the front and hold off a determined late challenge from African Skyline and stable companion Mister Master Starter.
Catavar finally got the maiden monkey off his back as Tony Rivalland’s charge led from the jump to land the card opener at 17th time of asking. It was not all plain sailing as the gelding didn’t look too keen under pressure as he shifted both ways. Jabu Jacobs was hard pressed to keep him straight but fortunate that they we well clear of second-placed Firelighter.
Now I Got You landed the honours for favourite backers and Nathan Kotzen as apprentice Brevan Plaatjies got a dream split one off the rail to sweep past longtime leader Glamorz to open the bi-pot.
Bevies Delight has added many grey hairs to Peter Muscutt’s thinning crown as she has not been the easiest to train. However, he picked the right replacement rider in Rachel Venniker who handled the filly superbly in the gate and kudos to the starter who pulled the gate at exactly the right time.
Bevies Delight took on leader Convocation over the final furlong but always looked to have the upper hand.
Favourite Shipholia put in a below par performance and was beaten early in the straight.
Two G’s and Colorado Creek were involved in a bruising duel to the line in the eighth with Khumalo extracting maximum out of Gareth van Zyl’s runner to get him over the line ahead of a late charging Colorado Creek who ran a cracked from his outside draw to finish runner-up again.
Apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto rode a cracker to round off the meeting as the 4kg claimer punched Tara’s Star out from a wide barrier to take on the well-drawn Happy Analia, the two making the pace ahead of a big field.
The pair were head-and-head for most of the race with Mbuto staying well off the rail and went for home first, punching out under hands and pinching a slight advantage. The vastly experience Matsunyane waited for a final kick and although Happy Analia responded, Mbuto, without resorting to the sick, kept punching away with Darryl Moore’s filly responding to get home by a narrow margin for her fourth career win.
