Surcharge powers to victory
SEASONED rider Gunter Wrogemann is at the peak of his abilities, cracking his century of winners for the season at Greyville on Wednesday, but even he would admit that all the cards fell his way as perennial runner-up Surcharge got it all right in the in the Daily News 2000 at Greyville yesterday.
Second in all three legs of the Highveld Triple Crown when he arrived at the door just after the bell rang for ‘time gentlemen please’, many pundits suggested that the short Greyville straight would find him out.
It didn’t and his odds for next month’s Vodacom Durban July will be slashed by the time you read this this morning.
Surcharge
Paul Peter had a plan, and it nearly paid off, but it also played into the hands of Wrogemann and Surcharge as the pair sliced through the field to win smartly.
“We had a bit of luck in running. I got a clear run up the outside,” said Wrogemann.
“He’s been a pressure horse and has not had the best of draws but I feel for Piere (Strydom who missed the ride through injury) he doesn’t help you at all.”
An emotional Stuart Pettigrew labelled him, “the best horse he has ever trained and ever will train and he will be an even better horse as a four-year-old.”
Surcharge is currently fourth place on the provisional Vodacom Durban July log.
Majestic Mambo
Brandon Lerena ensured that there was no repeat of the Woolavington crawl, run earlier and will have given Hong Kong viewers a taste of South Africa racing, and set good fractions aboard Alssakhra for Majestic Mambo to chase.
“I could have been a little closer,” said Callan Murray of the more fancied Majestic Mambo.
“A bit of an understatement considering that he turned for home last.
“But the pace was a good one, we just couldn’t get there.”
“Every chance,” summed up Bernard Fayde’herbe who set favourite Do It Again alight before the field even came off the false rail.
Fourth placed Tap O’ Noth saw out the trip but will miss the July.
“Champions Cup”, Vaughan Marshall.
Do It Again loomed dangerous for a few strides but came up empty over the final furlong leading one seasoned race watcher to comment: “It was a flat run. Believe me, you have to take notice of a second run after a lay-off.”
Do It Again may have been something of a disappointment and earlier Justin Snaith and all the connections were made to sweat bullets as Oh Susanna was made to work said extraordinarily hard for her victory in the Woolavington 2000, a race she was expected to doddle.
A possible lack of match practice and a clever ride from Muzi Yeni on runner-up Fiorella who turned the race into sprint for home, almost saw the favourite undone.
Yeni slowed the pace to a crawl before turning the stretch run into a sprint and although Grant van Niekerk was quick to challenge, the diminutive Fiorella refused to go away.
Oh Susanna
In a neck and neck duel, Fiorella tried hard to emulate her victory in the Daisy Guineas but Oh Susanna kept finding to ward off the challenge by a half-length - not what most expected.
“She did it the hard way,” commented a relieved Snaith.
“She looked beaten 200m out and probably needed a prep run. It was a tremendous effort on her part.”
Oh Susanna’s participation in the Vodacom Durban July is still up in the air and stable spokesperson Jono Snaith again warned that it was 50/50 whether she would take her chances.
“We have been careful to warn the public that she is not certain to run – we don’t want them to ‘do’ their money.
“She doesn’t have anything left to prove and a decision will be taken by Gaynor (Rupert) and Drakenstein.”
An overseas campaign is not an option.
“I can’t even get her to Cape Town,” quipped Justin, referring to African Horse Sickness and quarantine.
Lady In Black was a close-up third, at one stage threatening to pass all, but could just not close the deal.
The defeat of Do It Again put a damper on what would have been a memorable day for the Snaith yard after stable companions Made To Conquer and Strathdon fought a titanic struggle in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, the two pulling many lengths clear of the opposition.
Van Niekerk on Strathdon appeared to lose his compass as he leaned on Made To Conquer all the way up the straight but Richard Fourie didn’t panic and fended him off to win well in the end.
Made To Conquer will now take his place in the July and Strathdon the Gold Cup.
“He’s done all we have asked of him,” said Jono Snaith of Made To Conquer.
“He’s won his last four starts and deserves his place. Strathdon’s our Gold Cup horse.”