Justin Snaith, recently crowned national champion trainer for the sixth time, shared his confidence with Race Coast presenter MJ Byleveld in a pair of three-year-old maidens he was sending out at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today and both of them delivered before he followed with an exacta in the next race and later on his three-year-old Futura half-brother to Eight On Eighteen also won.
In the second race over 1200m the Maine Chance Farms-bred Danon Platina colt Pomp It Up had caught the eye on debut over 1000m because he was outpaced and then cramped for room but when seeing daylight he ran on impressively. Today he was drawn nine out of the ten runners and was in the leading line early. He then edged ahead under JP van der Merwe before pulling clear readily to win by 5,50 lengths. He recorded the fastest time of the four races run over 1200m on the day. Pomp It Up was bought for R1,2 million at the BSA National Yearling Sale. He is out of the Silvano maiden mare Possibility, who is a full-sister to triple graded stakes winner and Gr 1 Durban July runner up Punta Arenas and she is a three-parts sister to Gr 1 Cape Derby winner Pomp And Power. Pomp It Up’s name at the sales was Percolating, but the name change obviously came about because the owners are the same as the partnership that owned Pomp And Power i.e. Greg Bortz and Gina Goldsmith, Etienne Braun and Marsh Shirtliff’s Greenacres Trust. Pomp It Up is a chestnut with prominent white socks, just like Pomp And Power has, and he could follow in the latter’s footsteps.
In the third race over 1200m Snaith was full of confidence about the Varsfontein homebred Gimmethegreenlight filly Gimme What I Want, despite her obviuosly being bred for a lot further being a half-sister to the like of Graded staying winners Salvator Mundi and My Soul Mate, although she is also a half-sister to Bunker Hunt, who was a comfortable winner of the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m. The ony concern for Snaith and jockey Muzi Yeni was her high draw, but Yeni rode her with confidence in the leading line and she found the necessary extra to win by a length.
In the next race over 1200m the Snaith-trained Querari filly Queen Regent looked the one to beat, but he did mention the Normandy Stud-homebred Legislate filly La Landonne as being “gutsy” and so it proved, because despite not having as much substance as stablemate Queen Regent she wore the latter down to win by 0,40 lengths and give Brevan Plaaitjies the first leg of a double.
In the last race over 1400m the Drakenstein homebred Futura three-year-old colt Future Free is a half-brother to the horse who is likely to be named Equus Horse Of The Year on Thursday night, Eight On Eighteen. He had to overcome a wide draw of nine, but Yeni quickly found cover and settled him well in the back half of the field. He ran on well in the straight to get up by 0,30 lengths. He is a progressive sort like his brother and time will tell how good he is.
Snaith also looked the likely winner of the fifth race with the promising Varsfontein Stud-bred Futura colt Note To Self, who had won impressively over 1200m on debut. He came from midfield in the 1600m event today with a winning looking run, but the rangy colt was outpaced in the final stages by the four-year-old Canford Cliffs gelding Turbo Twenty, who was delivered with a perfectly timed challenge by 4kg claimer Dezahn Louw. Turbo Twenty won by half-a-length but was receiving 3kg from Note To Self if apprentice claims are included. The win gave Candice Bass-Robinson the first leg of a quick double. Note To Self needs further on pedigree, conformation and action and is one to follow as he steps up in trip.
Later, Snaith was a touch unlucky with the three-year-old Maine Chance Farms-bred three-year-old Legislate filly Wish List, who was fancied to make it two wins from three starts in this class 4 event over 1400m. She had to be switched out late for a clear run by Muzi Yeni and charged home, but the Alec and the Honourable Gillian Foster’s homebred Gimmethegreenlight three-year-old filly Viva La Vida, who was also going for a second win in three starts, lunged through on the inside rail to deny her and that gave Vaughan Marshall and Sean Veale a double on the day. Wish List had to give the winer 2kg so it was a good performance.
Snaith looks to have a wealth of talented three-year-olds this season if the evidence of this early season midweek meeting is anything to go by.
His four-timer was his first four wins of the season and he is going at a strike rate of 20%.
Candice Bass-Robinson’s double added to her win at Hollywoodbets Greyville on August 3 and her three wins have come at a strike rate of 21.43%.
Marshall’s double opened his account for the season and he is going at a strike rate of 18.18%.
Yeni’s double took him to joint top of the table with S’Manga Khumalo with each having ridden eight wins. Khumalo has done it at a 27.59% strike rate and Yeni 16%.
Veale’s double took him to five wins at 17.24%.
