FILLY SPOILS WINTER PARTY
Punters left reeling
ANY hopes of making it a winning farewell for Mike Bass-trained champion sprinter What A Winter were emphatically dashed when the five-year-old 15time winner could only manage third place behind two members of the opposite sex in the R750 000 The Mercury Sprint (Grade 1) over 1200m at Clairwood on Saturday.
And the one that caused the champion’s failure was three-year-old All Is Secret, from Vaughan Marshall’s stable and with MJ Byleveld in the saddle.
Going off at 14-1 and carrying bottom-weight of 57kg – 3kg less than What A Winter – the five-time winner came over quickly to the outside and settled in front on a tight hold. What A Winter (1-3) was a lot handier than usual and was on her heels. However, when Byleveld let her go 450m out, the filly dashed further ahead and seemingly caught the champion flat-footed. Showing no signs of stopping she went to the line a gutsy 1.25-length winner from five-year-old mare Welwitschia (8-1), who came through from well off the pace to relegate What A Winter to third by a head. Racing over a distance well short of his best, Jackson (18-1) was an encouraging fourth, a further two lengths behind.
Beaming with pride, Byleveld said: “It always nice to see a champion win. I think he looked like he had every chance in the race and he followed me.
“This filly, I think, on the day was so well. She looked really good going down. Just well done to Mr Marshall – I was off (injured) and he had no hesitation to put me straight back on.”
The accent will be on speed in Race 6 at Flamingo Park today, in a R62 000 Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m, and the one who looks the part is Corne Spies-trained six-time winner Rebel Queen, with Fanie Chambers in the saddle.
This three-year-old daughter of Kahal was an impressive five-length win- ner five runs ago in a feature event over 1450m at the Vaal sand track. She was unplaced in her next three outings in feature events at Turffontein, Scottsville and on sand at the Vaal, but there were excuses at Scottsville (where she finished lame) and at the Vaal (coughing).
However, after a short rest, she confirmed her current wellbeing when, carrying 58kg, she was a gutsy short-head second over 1200m on the Vaal sand. She is well drawn and with 3kg less on her back will take some beating.
A strong challenge is likely to come from four-time winner Varsity Star (Gunther Wrogemann), from Vernon Rugg’s stable.
The consistent courseand-distance specialist posted a fine double when first teamed up with Wrogemann and they have finished second and third since then. The gelding is draw alongside Rebel Queen and he will not be far off the mark.
The pick of the rest are Bomber Bill, Mr Vindaloo, Prime Mover and Boston Legal.