Nother Russia gets the royal treatment
DOUBLE: SUPER MARE WINS SECOND SUCCESSIVE EMPRESS CLUB STAKES
Juvenile Louis The Seventh worth following.
Everybody loves a winner, and when that champion is all heart it makes the occasion even more poignant. With 200m to run Nother Russia looked unlikely to get to Al Danza and win her second successive R1-million HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes but this chestnut mare does not know how to lose and kept plugging away until she moved alongside Geoff Woodruff’s charge before drawing off to win by 0.40 lengths.
It was an emotional moment for owner Jessica Slack and breeder Mary Slack who were on course to watch the gutsy five-year-old claim her eighth win from 17 starts. Her only unplaced start came in this year’s Sun Met where she clearly ran below her ability.
She was well supported in the betting, going off at 19-10 while Al Danza was ignored and was easy to back at 55-1. Third place went to Glen Kotzen-trained Silvan Star who beat Nother Russia by 2.40 lengths in a Pinnacle takes at the Vaal last month.
Although this daughter of Tiger Ridge and Mother Russia, a champion in her own right, has been nominated for the Vodacom Durban July she is unlikely to take her place. The plan is for her to run in the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 5 May and then go off to stud.
Jockey Craig Zackey has never minced his words when it comes to this mare but had to admit this win was not easy. “The task was tougher than I thought it’d be, but she was determined to get there. She’s a spoilt mare, but she deserves it. “I love her!” De Kock compared the mare to her mother. “Nother Russia is tough, like her dam. She enjoys the long run-in at Turffontein and she’ll go into the Champions Challenge in top form. I’m not convinced about the Durban July, she’s probably done enough for stud. She’s not a big mare, but she’s big enough for me.”
De Kock has an amazing record in this race, with Nother Russia giving him his eighth win in the event.
Princess Charlene was unable to attend the meeting but she did send a message which was played on course, thanking everybody who supported the Royal Raceday.
The Listed Spook Express Handicap went the way of Parisienne Chic who went off at 8-1 and was Racing Express’ Value Bet. Well ridden by Marco van Rensburg who had a double on the day. St John Gray’s runner hit the front 200m out and kept on strongly to beat Patchit Up Baby by 1.20 lengths with Arte third and Pennington Sands flying up from last to claim fourth.
Chatting to Tyrone Zackey prior to the race he had reservations as to whether his charge would see out 2450m but the manner in which she ran on could well see him try her over the distance again.
Zackey had a winner in Race 1 when Louis The Seventh ran on well under Richard Fourie to beat a strong field of juveniles. Other than Louis The Seventh, secondplaced Epic Dream and fourthplaced Barahin were also having their first runs and both were very well supported to win this race. Barahin, from the De Kock yard, has been nominated to run in the Grade 2 SA Nursery on 5 May as has Louis The Seventh.
“My horse is very decent,” confirmed Zackey and the son of Crusade is clearly one to follow. Both Barahin and Epic Dream should win soon.
Maine Chance Racing Manager and former top jockey Glen Hatt said their last four runners have won, as Viento and Penny Royal won upcountry on Wednesday and Thursday.
Which is all good publicity going into the National Yearling Sale in Joburg, starting tomorrow, where Maine Chance present 22 yearlings.
The quality of Candice BassRobinson’s juvenile fillies was underlined once again when her duo ran first and second in Race 1, which seems likely to turn out to be a race to follow for form studiers.
Favourite Santa Clara (14-10) was a fluent winner after being touched off on debut, but Team Valor-owned runner up Mixed Signals (45-1) caught the eye running on late and will likely be favourite next time she appears.
Her trainer said the winner, a half-sister to Horizon, “has got a lot of ability and we will be looking at the juvenile features coming up”.
Al Wahed is another well related type, being a half-brother to sprint queen Via Africa. He went start to finish in the MR 84 Handicap to score a sixth career win, and trainer Mike Stewart said “if he had good legs he would also be a champion”.