Fifty Cents proves his worth at Durbanville
Despite racing over a slightly sharp 1250m, Durbanville lover Fifty Cents kept his unbeaten record at the Country Course with a hard fought win over Bernie and Olympian in the headlining Pinnacle Stakes on Saturday.
A hard-pulling Olympian set the pace, but lightly weighted Bernie briefly looked dangerous when he led around the 300m mark.
Richard Fourie coaxed a sustained finish out of Fifty Cents though, and the Trippi gelding came away to score a fourth win here by 0.75 lengths.
The Grade 3 Matchem Stakes is coming up over 1400m here on 6 October, and Justin Snaith said afterwards he would be interested to see now what Richard Fourie rides there. Fourie, in turn, said the winner was “a lovely horse who certainly brought his A-Game today”.
Earlier the same combination teamed up to see Green Jacket score an easy win in Race 2 and again underline the value of the Pleasedtomeetyou form line. He was beaten eight lengths by that one on debut, but stable mate Trip To The Sky was only a length ahead of him, and had already come home lonely last week.
Fourie saved his best ride for the lucky last however, as he dropped Carla's Mambo right out from the worst draw but got up very late to deny favourite Vascostreettractor.
Corne Orffer's mount had been drawn one away from Fourie, but he elected to go up handy, and the early effort proved costly as Fourie swept on by in masterly fashion.
Secretariat's Girl scored a third win in her last four starts when just holding on in the FM 68 Handicap over 1250m. Vaughan Marshall revealed afterwards this was her final run , and "she's off to Klawervlei on Monday".
Apprentice Sandile Mbhele has been aboard for all three of her recent wins.
"I'm gonna miss her, but will visit her on the farm," were how he summed up his feelings about her impending retirement.