Rodeo Drive (closest) only just holds on from Minogue (JC Photos)
Sean Tarry was thrilled the gallant four-year-old Rodeo Drive had finally earned bold black type when winning the Gr 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on Tuesday and he believed Philasande Mxoli deserved a lot of the credit.
Rodeo Drive went into the weight for age plus penalties event as the winner of three races and had been the runner up in one Gr 1 race, in two Gr 2 races and she had finished in the frame in two other Graded races and in two Listed races.
The last time she had raced over this course and distance Rodeo Drive made a bold bid from the front against the boys in the Gr 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile. She finished a 3,70 length third with a lot of good horses behind her, so it followed that ridden with the same tactic in the Ipi Tombe she should go close and she could perhaps even reverse a 0,70 beating by her stablemate Callmegetrix in the aforementioned race if ridden a touch more conservatively.
Rodeo Drive had a slightly better draw this time which was also going to help.
Mxoli bounced her out from draw four and she was prominent approaching the turn.
However, this is where he made his race-winning decision.
Instead of rushing her to the front, as he had done in the Charity Mile and which had enabled her to claim the rail going in to the turn, he eased her and let her go at her own pace alongside leader Frozen Fantasy.
He then just left her alone and allowed her natural pace to get her to the front.
She had claimed the rail by the time she entered the straight and at probable less expense than in the Charity Mile.
This proved to be the case because she once again stayed on resolutely and this time managed to last long enough by a hair’s breadth as Minogue lunged late, but only just failed to get there.
It would have been a hattrick for Minogue, but more importantly would have been first bold black type for her too.
Callmegetrix, who beat Rodeo Drive by 0,30 lengths when winning the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m, was beaten 2,80 lengths into third and fighting for her head early when restrained at the jump had not helped.
Bred by the Sandown Stud, Rodeo Drive has won four of 17 starts and has earned R1,087,938 in stakes.
The United States filly, who is out of the Horse Chestnut mare Crystal Cavern, races for HarakaBloodstock(Pty)Ltd (Nom:Jodi Pieters)G Ambrose,K Maher,C Spalding,DS & MJ Slade,S&T Cawdry,B Taylor,D Priest,A Doyle & B Holland.
Her Gr 1 Ranvet Stakes winning sire The United States has also enjoyed stakes success this season with his sons Tin Pan Alley (G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, G3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes) and The US Of A (Listed Southeaster Sprint).
Rodeo Drive was purchased for R300,000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale and is a versatile type, because her best career performance before Tuesday was a 0,30 length second to the champion Quid Pro Quo in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship as a juvenile.
