Chimichuri outruns rivals
FUTURE: JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE, THEN CAPE TOWN FOR TARRY’S CHARGE
Gavin Lerena back on winning trail after long injury.
Racing fans were treated to a display out of the top drawer at Turffontein on Saturday as Chimichuri Run raced to an emphatic victory in the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m on the Inside track.
He looked a little outpaced early on but Wrecking Ball set a cracking pace and that allowed jockey S’manga Khumalo to settle him some seven lengths off the leaders.
Once in the straight he made a charge down the inside rail and in a matter of strides this son of Trippi put daylight between himself and the opposition and Khumalo was gearing him down well short of the line although he still had 4.50 lengths to spare over Premier Show. This place went to Mujallad while the Mike and Adam Azzietrained duo of Angel’s Power and Splendid Garden dead-heated for fourth. Chimichuri Run when off at 1-1. Trainer Sean Tarry admitted to feeling a bit of pressure with this race. “We brought him up from Durban last week ahead of the race but then it got delayed for a week. I didn’t know whether I should scratch him or not.
“It’s been a while but I really felt the pressure and am obviously relieved that he won,” said Tarry.
It also proved to be a wonderful belated birthday present for owner Chris van Niekerk who celebrated the day on Friday.
As far as Chimichuri Run’s future is concerned Tarry said his charge would next run in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track on 6 October. “After that we’ll probably get him ready for Cape Town.”
With so many top jockeys sidelined through injury it was great to welcome back Gavin Lerena last week. He had a couple of unsuccessful rides at the Vaal on Thursday but he was on the mark in Race 1 on Saturday when he brought home Iditarod Trail in Race 1 for Geoff Woodruff.
“I’ve been riding work in the yard and Mr Woodruff kept this one for me, I really appreciate that,” said Lerena.
He also dedicated the win to Anthony Delpech who is battling to make the long journey to health following a fall at Turffontein on Classic Day.
Exotics punters suffered an early body blow at Turffontein on Saturday when odds-on shot and popular banker Pretty Penny failed to make the frame in The Ladies Stakes over 1200m, Race 4 on the card, writes Mike Moon.
The R135,000 Non-Black Type event went the way of trainer Geoff Woodruff’s runner Schippers, who started at 8-1 under jockey Chase Maujean.
Four-year-old Pretty Penny, trained by Alec Laird was bidding to win four in a row – and four from five starts – and looked in line to do just that as she jumped away in front and held the lead for most of the race.
Penny Royal was in her slipstream as they rounded the Inside track left-hand bend, with Lily Starlette, Lady Starlett, Covered In Snow and Regal Graduation. Schippers was in the rear-guard.
Inside the final 300m, Pretty Penny suddenly looked vulnerable, with first Penny Royal and then Regal Graduation pouncing. The latter shot a length clear and momentarily looked likely to take the spoils.
But Maujean had Schippers making up ground all the while along the inside rail and she accelerated nicely to seize the initiative inside the final 50m.
Regal Graduation (15-1) was 0.75 lengths back at the line, with third-placed Covered In Snow (8-1) a further four lengths adrift, just ahead of Penny Royal (10-1).
Pretty Penny was fifth and the vet reported later that she had suffered a bilateral epistaxis, or bleeding from the nostrils.