Picture: The Doug Campbell-trained eight-year-old Querari gelding Farland won for the first time in over three years today on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly under Athandiwe Mgudlwa. It was the first of three successive races to be won from start to finish (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Today on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly there was a tailwind and this led to the unusual scenario of three races in succession being won from the front.
In the third over 2000m the Corne Spies-trained raider Summerland was the second winner in a row to lead from start to finish. The Querari filly won comfortably under Nathan Klink by 3,50 lengths from the 5/2 favourite Colimbia Road. The latter came around runners midway through the race to join the leader, but to no avail and the 6/1 winner won by a comfortable 3,50 lengths.
In the fourth over 1900m Richard Fourie took the hard-knocking Kumaran Naidoo-trained 2/1 favourite Future Saint to the front. This Futura gelding had been outpaced over 1400m in his previous two starts before staying on and he relished the step up in trip. He built up an unassailable lead on his market rival Vihaan’s Bomb in the straight and held on by a comfortable 1,20 lengths with the rest well beaten.
In the other five races three of the winners turned for home in second place.
It will be interesting to analyse the sectional timing to adjudge whether riders could have done more to compete for the lead, or for handy positions, after it had become clear that front runners would be favoured.
