Candy Galore as Gareth opens and closes
CANDY GALORE was backed like there were no seconds in the card opener on the Greyville poly yesterday and she duly obliged for Gareth van Zyl under Warren Kennedy. Apprentice Eric Ngwane, aboard Luneburg, had pinched a healthy lead at the top of the straight but Candy Galore was relentless and reeled her in with something to spare.
Internet Kid had let the side down on a few occasions which was probably the reason why he was relatively easy to back yesterday.
He forced replacement rider Mark Khan to extract the best out of both.
Gordonstoun set a solid gallop but came under pressure a furlong out as Spume and Internet Kid joined battle.
It was a no quarter asked battle but Khan managed to get Internet Kid’s head down when it counted.
Ngwane, who comes out of his time at the end of the year, scored a double at Scottsville on Sunday, and was on the mark again aboard the Glen Kotzen-trained Majestica.
Kinglassie looked to have held off all the opposition until Ngwane produced Majestica with a telling late run to win going away.
Roy’s Pony
Apprentice Ashton Arries rode a confident race aboard outsider Roy’s Pony (12-1) for Alyson Wright and had the mare handy throughout.
Probably to the horror of her rivals, Roy’s Pony still had a full tank in the run for the wire and scored rather comfortably for her fourth victory.
The ever game Just Rap was second best with favourite Just My Style filling the shallow end of the purse.
Socrates was denied his third straight win on the poly when run out of it by Leslie Shadowliner in the fifth in what was a rough finish.
After this exhibition there is no doubting the intestinal fortitude of Donovan Dillon and apprentice Serino Moodley as they came out of a scrum unscathed.
Dillon, hunting for space on Socrates, committed to a rapidly closing gap but just too late to catch Moodley and Leslie Shadowliner.
Meat in the sandwich was Al Ciberano who was unceremoniously shunted out of the back door.
Supporters of High Green will have had their hearts in their mouths as Lance Pagel changed down into first gear some 50m before the line allowing Samsonite to close to within a rapidly reducing neck.
In truth Lowan Denysschen’s gelding had the race sewn up a long way out but punters can do without having to reach for blood pressure pills. However, it may not have fazed Denysschen who watched stony-faced last week as High Green did a grand tour of the Ashburton rings after dropping his work rider.
The trials and tribulations of racehorse trainers!
Into The Groove
Into The Groove and favourite Roman Courtesan fought out a desperate finish to the seventh.
Roman Courtesan looked to have the upper hand after taking the lead early in the straight but Stuart Randolph finished strongly on Ivan and Daryl Moore’s mare. Roman Courtesan rallied under the challenge but the line came just too soon and Shane Humby had to settle for another frustrating runner-up berth.
Gareth van Zyl and Warren Kennedy opened the day and closed the day as Path Of Victory rounded off a successful afternoon for the duo.
Path Of Victory, owned by KZN leading owner Mario Ferreira, finished strongly to hold rank outsider Thomas Jefferson at bay.