Drier does it with five
DENNIS DRIER, pipped at the post for last season’s KZN trainer’s championship, has made a flying start to the new season and celebrated his birthday with a five-timer at Scottsville yesterday along with a large bowl of ice cream and chocolate sauce courtesy of long-time friend Bill Lambert.
However, it was not so much the number of winners that were satisfying, but also that one of his best horses found his better form after a lengthy spell out of the winner’s enclosure and also having two winners for China-based businessman Hui Guo who has invested heavily in South African Bloodstock.
Three of Drier’s winners came for Mayfair Speculators, all three ridden by Mayfair’s retained jockey Anton Marcus.
Sacred Flame
All the money came for Sacred Flame in the first who made short work of the opposition even though Marcus cut right across the field to finish on the outside rail.
After the race, training colleague Dennis Bosch’s eyes lit up like a cat who had found the cream as Sacred Flame franked the form of Cape Town-headed Billy Silver who had beaten him by five lengths when making his debut.
Billy Silver is eligible for the lucrative CTS sales races in January and will be headed for Cape Town shortly where he will be stabled at Geoff Woodruff ’s Milnerton satellite yard.
Former Gr1 Tsogo Sun and Golden Horseshoe winner Seventh Plain has been dogged by illhealth but three seasons later added a fifth win to his CV as he got the better of Summer Sky in a tight finish to the fourth, Marcus and Mayfair Speculators to the fore again and Drier sitting in his ‘lucky chair’.
“I thought we got beat,” he said a relieved Drier after the slow-mo replayed showed Seventh Plain a nose ahead of Summer Sky and Redcarpet Captain.
Peter Gibson has made his trips to mainland China with the South African trade delegations count and Chinese businessman and trader Hui Guo has invested heavily in South African racing and bloodstock. He was rewarded with a double as the well-supported Salimah led her field a merry dance in the third and the photo showing Constantine getting the better of She’s A Fortress and Freddie Flint in the sixth.
Guo trades in South Africa under Hartley SA (Pty) Ltd with Peter Gibson as nominee.
“The first horse he bought was Tipo Tinto but he now has 65 horses in South Africa, including 25 broodmares and shares in stallions.
“He is the main partner in (Scott Bros-based) Eightfold Path,” said Gibson.
Constantine
Constantine denied Corrine Bestel and Derryl Daniels double as earlier Rose Of Peru put one over males, hanging on gamely to out-point favourite Amritsar who arrived on the scene a fraction too late. A cornel collar, designed to keep the airways open, appears to have done the tricky for Lloyd’s Legacy who kept finding to win a smart race in the fifth although there was some debate in the winner’s circle. “I don’t think he needs it,” said Marcus. “I think he does,” retorted Drier.
“After five winners on the day – we stay with the trainer!”