Gr1 winners Lady In Black and Legal Eagle opened their respective season accounts on Thursday, whilst Takingthepeace added a Gr3 to her impressive race record.
LADY IN BLACK
Lady In Black, a R1,1-million 2016 National Yearling Sales graduate amongst the seven horse field for the R120 000 Pinnacle Stakes at a sunny Kenilworth on Thursday saw the historic Met winning treble Gr1 star Oh Susanna (AUS) slung in at the weights.
It was the superior fitness of Lady In Black, from the yard of the bang in-form KZN raiding combination of Dennis Drier and Sean Veale, who finished best.
Drier and Veale opened their 2018/19 summer account at the same venue on Sunday with Anime winning the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes and also won the first today with the exciting 3yo Mastagambit.
Trumped as the race of the month, the Pinnacle mile contest attracted interest all week as it hailed the seasonal debut of all of Oh Susanna, 2017 Gr1 Thekwini winner Lady In Black, rising Cape star Brave Move – a winner of her last six starts – and Dean Kannemeyer’s undefeated stakes winner, Hashtagyolo.
After Oh Susanna’s stablemate Red Ginger had led the charge, Sean Veale produced Lady In Black at the 300m and getting the better of Goodtime Gal in a matter of strides, the daughter of Dynasty drew clear to beat Oh Susanna by 0,75 lengths in a time of 97,29 secs.
Racing in the interests of Jack Mitchell and his daughter Nancy Hossack, the winner made it 5 victories from 9 starts with 3 places, and took her stakes to R1 171 875.
Bred by Willempie Engelbrecht Jnr, Lady In Black is by Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the five time winner Mystery Dame (Jet Master).
Legal Eagle. Image: Candiese Marnewick
LEGAL EAGLE
Legal Eagle made a smashing seasonal comeback in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein on Thursday night. He came from last, made up the best part of 12 lengths over the last 400m and ran down the stakes-winning sprinter Pinnacle Peak to win going away.
Tarry had expressed his happiness with Legal Eagle’s progress after his annual break, saying that “he was enthusiastic and hard to fault”, and he was pleasantly vindicated.
“We are thrilled with Legal Eagle’s win and it gives us confidence for the big races ahead. There are some top horses around this season and they’re waiting for him. They won’t be pushovers, but of course our horse is no pushover himself. This was a massive win!” Tarry enthused.
That the multiple Horse Of The Year and Equus Award winner was able to race was a small miracle in itself, because a typical, extended Johannesburg thunderstorm caused a long delay in proceedings with rain and lightning. The second race went off two hours later than scheduled and they caught up some time in 25m intervals.
Legal Eagle, scheduled to run in the last carded race, eventually made it onto the track for this important prep run and Tarry said: “There were some technical issues so my post-race interview didn’t go out. I want to thank a lot of people for doing their utmost to make this important meeting go ahead to completion.
“Phumelela, the stipes of the NHA , the grooms and of course the horses all played their part on a testing evening and we extend a big thank you all round. We finished late, everyone had to put in extra effort but they did so and we were better off for it.”
TAKINGTHEPEACE
The fairer sex dominated the finish of a weather interrupted R400 000 Gr3 Victory Moon Stakes at Turffontein on Thursday evening with Mike de Kock star Takingthepeace getting up to hold off Sabina’s Dynasty in an exciting finish.
Warren Kennedy steers Takingthepeace through for an easy win (Pic – JC Photos)
With adverse weather delaying the evening – the last race was won by Legal Eagle after 11pm – there were many that would have been keen to get the Summer Cup prep race done and dusted.
The easily recognisable green and purple silks of Takingthepeace was settled in midfield as the free-striding Cash Time made the pace ahead of Dawn Assault and Arctica.
Warren Kennedy let Takingthepeace grab her breath and find her stride as he coached her through to challenge at the 250m marker.
She slipped through down the inside and the in-form KZN-based rider kept her focussed as she held off a late challenge from Sabina’s Dynasty down the outside to win by 0,75 lengths in a time 112,74 secs.
Takingthepeace was purchased for R280 000 off the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale by Form Bloodstock.It was the second consecutive year the race was won by a female, with Girl On The Run winning in 2017.
Interestingly, her half-brother by Duke Of Marmalade – named The Sandwich Man – sold for a R1 Million at the BSA Ready To Run Sale earlier this month.
Bred by Summerhill Stud, the winner, named Sagano at sale, is a daughter of Visionaire (Grand Slam) out of the three-time winner, Lisa Anne (Rambo Dancer).
Takingthepeace has won 6 races with 5 places from 13 starts for stakes of R1 751 525.
-extracts sportingpost.co.za and turftalk.co.za
