Garden Of Eden just gets up after showing a terrific turn of foot (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Turf Talk Syndicate had a halcyon day at the Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting on Saturday thanks to the first two horses who have represented the syndicate, Garden Of Eden, who was making her debut, and Heritage Ridge, who was having her third start.
Both fillies are trained by Paul Reeves, who had a memorable double on the day.
The Riethuiskraal Stud-bred Duke Of Marmalade filly Garden Of Eden won on debut in a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m despite jumping from draw nine of 14 and starting at odds of 125/1.
This filly has always been regarded as one who would take more time than Heritage Ridge, who is a Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Querari filly and a more speedy type.
However, Garden Of Eden had impressed in her workouts as one who moved more like an older horse than a green youngster.
She was always scopey and was going to need a bit of ground but looked to be a natural.
However, in the powerful centre of Cape Town first-timers from small yards are invariably ignored, especially if they do not have a top echelon jockey aboard.
Garden Of Eden had Devon Ashby up and was a touch outpaced in the early stages.
Ashby drove her early to hold her position, but even then she was only in ninth position as they reached the first turn in the 14 horse field. The 125/1 odds might have looked justified at that stage.
She had cover in a one out position around the bend, but was green and Ashby had to continually shake her up.
She turned for home about five or six lengths off the lead and then got into a nice rhythm, with her head bobbing up and down like many a top filly does, and she began creeping up threateningly.
Ashby switched her out at the 450m mark and she showed her inexperience as she lugged out a bit further than he had wanted.
However, once she was balanced and had daylight ahead of her she displayed a magnificent turn of foot and began motoring home. She has a lovely long stride and was letting herself down beautifully.
The leader Tuscan Romance, who ran second in all of her first three starts and was the 9/4 favourite, was still going well but Garden Of Eden ate away at her lead and in a thrilling duel for the line got up by a shorthead.
It was a classy performance.
Garden Of Eden is led in by ecstatic Turf Talk Syndicate members (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Reeves said in the post-race interview, “She has always been a little bit of a special filly, who has shown us a lot at home. There is a lot of talk about the Duke Of Marmalade fillies that they are good sand horses and good work horses, but she put them to bed there despite being very green. This is a top quality filly, this was no slouch of a field and there are a lot of fillies in it who will go on to win five or six races, so this is massive for us, she’s proper class.”
Ashby said she won on ability alone as she was very green.
Paul Barrett was one of the members who led her in and said afterwards the members had just been looking for a good run. He added, “Several people had said to me that if the horse was able to win that race on debut it would be the best you had ever owned and I have won a Group 1 before, so that says something.”,
Earlier Heritage Ridge had shown she also has a bright future in a Maiden for fillies and mares .
Reeves had always believed her third run would be the one where she would show what she was all about and she duly did so at starting odds of 25/1.
She showed good gatespeed from draw four under Luyolo Mxothwa and claimed the rail.
In the straight she stayed on resolutely and was only bettered by the well regarded Lucinda Woodruff-trained Master Of My Fate first-timer AlltheboysIloved, who started at 9/2, and the Glen Kotzen-trained Vercingetorix first-timer Catch A Penny.
Heritage Ridge was beaten only 1,50 lengths and should give the Turf Talk syndicate members a lot of fun.
Heritage Ridge is out of a one time-winning full sister to Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner Noah From Goa (Tiger Ridge) and Garden Of Eden is out of a one time-winning Var mare and she is a half-sister to six-time winner Chatterton’s Keeper (Traffic Guard).
The syndicate members, some of whom live overseas, were delighted by the performance of the two fillies. It is exciting times for them.
Grant Knowles, am experienced bloodstock agent and racing all rounder, is behind the Turf Talk syndicate and has a fine record of picking astutely.
Reeves’ early impressions of the two fillies showed just that and can be read about in this past Turf Talk article: CLICK HERE TO READ IT
Reeves and Ashby combined to win the race after Garden Of Eden’s race on Saturday with the Flying The Flag mare I’m The Buzz, who started at odds of 25/2.
