Chimichuri Run starts a winning Spree
Gavin Lerena is back with a bang!
Trainer Sean Tarry’s yard dominates the Highveld feature-race season year-after-year, and they further confirmed this by bagging the first major trophy of the season on Saturday, the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes, courtesy of rising star Chimichuri Run. He made an absolute mockery of older rivals, winning by an extending 4.25 lengths! This expensive R1.1-million son of Trippi earned himself quite a reputation as a two-year-old, skipping a breath-taking 4.75 lengths clear of fellow juveniles in the Grade 3 Umkhomazi Stakes in his penultimate race. That performance is the main reason why he topped the betting at 1-1 to win Saturday’s R250 000 event over 1200m on the Inside track. Chimichuri Run was stationed about eight lengths behind early pacemaker Wrecking Ball who was closely stalked by Tar Heel, Mrs O, Splendid Garden and Just As I Said. The race dynamics quickly changed when jockey S’manga Khumalo switched his mount to the inside rail at the 500m marker, and astonishingly, this three-year-old produced a devastating turn of foot, passing opposition with each stride, almost as though they were standing still. Most impressive about this win was the fact that Khumalo didn’t use his crop once – follow this horse going forward! Premier Show (28-1) was next best, denying Mike de Kock-trained Mujallad (9-1) second place by a narrow 0.25 lengths, and Angel’s Power (8-1) rounded off the Quartet which paid a decent R 932.50. Hotpot 5-8 favourite Pretty Penny was perfectly drawn at No 1 and was expected to easily register a fourth consecutive triumph from five career starts in The Ladies Stakes over 1200m, but finished 5.75 lengths back in fifth place. This result delivered a deadly blow to the many punters – myself included – who bankered her in their BiPot and Place Accumulator. The jockey-trainer combination of Chase Maujean and Geoff Woodruff were the victors of this R135 000 Non-Black Type race with Schippers who impressively defeated Regal Graduation by a commanding 0.75 lengths. It was a win full of merit considering this daughter of Var showed absolutely no signs of ring-rustiness despite returning from a lengthy 18week stint off the racetrack. At only his second meeting back from a five-month injury enforced absence, former champion jockey Gavin Lerena steered Iditarod Trail to a runaway 2.50-length win in the first race on the card, outclassing a decent field of maidens. “It’s been a tough five months, but I’m happy to be back in the winner’s enclosure,” admitted Lerena. “I’m just so excited to be here. Thank you to everyone for the support, especially my family,” he said, Today’s Fairview Pick 6 looks catchable. If you’re in search of a banker, look no further than Sharon Kotzen-trained Just Chaos in Race 3, a FM Graduation Plate over 1800m where racing will be contested on the Polytrack. She comes into this race with bottom weight of 56kg and has the right form credentials to win this sort of contest having recently shown a liking for extra ground when defeating March Music by 0.25 lengths over 1600m at this course. The only chink in her armour is the wide No 8 draw in this 10-horse field.