Trainer Robyn Klaasen saddled three of the seven winners at Sunday’s Turffontein race meeting, and with the stable back and firing on all cylinders she is looking forward to the rest of the season.
The perennial place-getter, Two Tigers (Flower Alley) got out of the Maidens in Race 2 over 1000m under Muzi Yeni, who also rode talented four-year-old Trip Of Faith (Master Of My Fate) to victory in Race 6 over 1200m. Kabelo Matsunyane partnered with Got The Look in Race 7 over 1200m for a 4.75-length win.
Robyn was pregnant with young Leo for most of last term and said: “As much as I tried, it wasn’t possible to give 100% to my runners, but everything is back to normal now. My string is down to 40, but we have a few nice prospects and we’re rebuilding.”
She’s been in or around the National Top 20 for the last four seasons, regardless of circumstances, and last season’s 31 winners and 119 places was a respectable feat in any book.
Aside from Trip Of Faith, who looks like she has a future, Robyn mentioned Moana and Charming Cheetah (both by New Predator) as runners likely to compete for bigger prizes this season, while her older, hard knocker, Texas Red, will still be in contention.
Moana is an impressive three-time winner from five starts. On Gold Cup Day at Hollywoodbets Greyville she was tested against the top three-year-old colts in the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and gave a good account, finishing 4.5-lengths off Erik Du Bois.
Robyn said: “Moana is still green, despite having raced a few times, so that was a very encouraging performance. We knew she’d be up against it in male company and with more people around her on a big day like that, but she ran very well. She came from far back, only realized what it was about late in the race and finished strongly.”
Grade 1-placed as a two-year-old after two quick wins, Charming Cheetah took a long time to post his third win recently, but he’s a smart horse who could go on to win more.
“Charming Cheetah has raced against the best around, and mostly against older horses as a three-year-old last season because those were the races that suited him best. He’s four now, and will be able to compete on more favourable terms,” she said.
