Fate gives Anton a turn
IMPRESSIVE: IT’S MY TURN SCORES A FACILE VICTORY IN GOLD CUP
Grade 1 honours for honest performers Will Pays and Captain America.
It’s often a case of opportunity meets fate. That’s how jockey Anton Marcus described his success with It’s My Turn, who tuned the R1.25-million eLan Gold Cup over 3200m into a procession at Greyville on Saturday.
Marcus had the 5-2 favourite fourth from last as the field made its way around the course but as they came towards the home straight he began to make a move around the field. Much closer when they turned for home, Marcus set sail for the finishing line, hit the front and scored unchallenged by 2.25 lengths.
Last year’s winner Hermoso Mundo (11-2) came from last to run second and he was just a neck in front of Wild Wicket (28-1) with a short-head back to Strathdon (5-1) with Durban July runner-up Made To Conquer a further neck back in fifth.
This was the third successive feature-race win Marcus has had with the Dean Kannemeyertrained runner and while one does not want to second guess the Equus Award panel it would come as something of a shock if It’s My Turn was not named Champion Stayer at next month’s awards dinner.
The victory was also some consolation for Kannemeyer and owner Fred Crabbia after this horse was omitted from the final Durban July field, despite meeting all the necessary criteria.
There will be those who say they may have done the horse and his connections a favour but that is irrelevant – you either deserve your place or you do not – and It’s My Turn undoubtedly did.
“It’s all about getting on the right horse at the right time,” said Marcus. “We all need the opportunities and sometimes it’s a case of opportunity meets fate. And that’s precisely what happened with myself and this horse.
“I got on him in a race when he was well weighted under the conditions, the Derby at Scottsville, and then he won the Gold Vase.
“The trip was never an area of concern for me. From the first time I sat on his back at work, just by chance I went past Dean the one morning and I rode him, I told Dean I know this horse’s form and he’s a Gold Cup horse.
“This was the best he has been. When I took him down I was extremely confident,” said Marcus.
Perhaps the biggest favour the bookmakers did for the punters was to price up Will Pays at 12-1 to win the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m. He was drawn well, in good form, had run superbly in his only start at Greyville in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes, had a jockey in Craig Zackey who had won seven times on him and was the third best-weighted runner.
He was the Racing Express’ Value Bet.
Zackey got a dream run down the inside of the track and kept his mount running to hold off Attenborough by one length with Trip To Heaven flying home for third just a neck further back
While many of us may not have backed Captain America, very few racing fans would have begrudged the seven-year-old gelding his victory in the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m. He has been a wonderful servant to horseracing during his career and rarely runs an indifferent race.
He has always been a little suspect over further than 1600m but the opposition played into his hands when they crawled early on and allowed Captain America to use his long stride out front.
When they turned for home jockey Corne Orffer let him rip and it was clear halfway up the straight Brett Crawford’s charge was not going to get caught.
The three-year-olds all finished well and it was stable companion Undercover Agent (4-1) who got closest at the finish, beaten two lengths by the 11-1 winner.
Just a short-head back in third was well-supported Eyes Wide Open (2-1) with Tap O’ Noth (4-1) in fourth.