Gray’s assault is a success
COURAGEOUS: DAWN ASSAULT COMES OUT BEST IN THREE-HORSE DRUM STAR FINISH
Celtic Sea, Schippers are two horses to follow.
Dawn Assault showed loads of courage to win the Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday. Ridden by Marco van Rensburg, the St John Gray-bred, owned and trained colt fought out a three-horse finish, and got the better of favourite Secret Captain by 0.40 lengths with Kilrain a head further back in third. Top Shot finished another two lengths back in fourth.
Arctica and Piere Strydom went to the front but he was soon passed by Pilou who went lengths clear of the opposition. It was unlikely he would be able to keep up the gallop and with 200m to run was swallowed up by the opposition.
“Pilou went far too fast and I knew he would stop,” said Van Rensburg. “I just followed Striker (Strydom) through.”
Dawn Assault went off at 6-1 and paid R7.70 for a win on the TAB. Secret Captain, trained by Mike de Kock who also has thirdplaced Kilrain in his care, started 2-1 favourite.
Secret Captain once again disappointed in second and although he is earning with every run, the No 1 box eludes him as he appears to lack courage when he has to fight out the finish.
Disappointment of the race was undoubtedly 5-2 second favourite Shenanigans who never got into the hunt and finished at the back of the field, beaten 8.75 lengths. Tarry was a bit concerned that this run may have come too soon for him and that might well have been the case. He is clearly a lot better than this run and he will be back.
Tarry did not go away empty handed as he won the opening and closing events with In Cahoots (151) and Colour Of Light respectively, both ridden by Lyle Hewitson. But it was a horse who did not win that best caught the eye and that was Celtic Sea in Race 2.
All the money in that event was for De Kock-trained Ghaalla, a R5million filly by Var out of Fidelity, who is by Captain Al out of Promisefrommyheart, the dam of Master Of My Fate.
Ghaalla went of 12-10 favourite but jockey Gavin Lerena had to use every bit of his guile and strength to get her home in front of Celtic Sea. The third horse, Awayinthewoods, who could also be worth following over further, was 5.25 lengths back.
Celtic Sea will be all the rage in her next start although punters are unlikely to get much of a price.
Ghaalla was part of a treble for the De Kock yard. They also won Race 3 with Make Me Happy and Race 6 with Orchid Island, both ridden by Anthony Delpech.
Another horse to follow is Geoff Woodruff-trained Schippers. She looked dead and buried when impeded by her stable companion, Distant Call, with 200m to run. But when the gap opened she was through in a flash and got to leader Ouro in a couple of strides to win going away by 0.80 lengths, giving Van Rensburg his second winner on the day.