Barbosa keeps on finding
THE Dennis Drier-trained six-year-old Captain Al gelding Barbosa proved himself a 1000m sprinter to be reckoned with when missing the break in a Pinnacle Stakes race at Scottsville yesterday and still managing to win cosily under Sean Cormack.
He gave 1,5kg to both the course and distance specialist Mr Whatever and the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint winner Normanz and quickened to beat them by 1,25 lengths plus a shorthead.
Cormack praised Drier’s workrider Carrie Radford because Barbosa, who was recording a hat-trick of wins, has come into his own since she began working with him at Summerveld.
Later the ever improving Charles Lairdtrained three-year-old Oracy colt Main Submission proved himself a classic contender when finding another gear to repel Nineteen Fourteen in a Graduation Plate over 1400m and win by 0,75 lengths under Anton Marcus. He was giving 3kg to his classy and fast-finishing contemporary Rikitikitana, whom he beat by a length, although he did benefit from the latter’s jockey dropping the whip.
The strength of last season’s two-yearold Gr 1s has been questionable and last season’s Gr 1 Thekwini winner Lauderdale was apparently not up to running off a merit rating of 101 in a MR 90 handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m.
This was her second run after a layoff and she would likely prefer further, but that was possibly not enough to excuse a 5,5 length beating by her lightweight Duncan Howells-trained stablemate Trini’s Collateral, who was ridden by Sean Veale. Furthermore, the runner up Umoyana was 1,5kg under sufferance, but beat Lauderdale by 3,75 lengths.
A Howells horse to watch is the Australian-bred Henrythenavigator colt Ten Gun Salute, who was green before doing eyecatchng work late when finishing runner up in a Maiden over 1600m. This race was won in good style by the Robbie Hill-trained Just As Well gelding Just Like Magic to give Marcus the second leg of a treble. Marcus’s other winner was aboard the Gavin van Zyl-trained Noordhoek Flyer gelding Bagger Vance who converted his maiden formlines into success over 1000m.
Wendy Whitehead looks to have a fine prospect in the Ideal World filly Free State who was backed from long odds into 33/10 favouritism in a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m and a high draw didn’t bother her as she powered to an easy 2,25 length win under Alec Forbes. It was partowner Dr Ralph Katzwinkel’s 50th winner as an owner and this filly could join another one he owns, the brilliant filly Same Jurisdiction, as a feature race contender. Free State’s win completed a weekend double for the in form Whitehead stable and both winners were ridden by Forbes.
Forbes later rode the Windrush filly Velvet Wind to victory in a fillies and mares maiden over 1600m and as it was only her second start she looks to be another nice horse to look forward to for the flourishing Alistair Gordon yard.
Drier scored a double when apprentice Calvin Ngcobo rode the Toreador filly Fiery Goddess to victory in a MR 80 fillies and mares maiden over 1000m.
The meeting was rounded off by Glen Kotzen and Billy Jacobson who combined to comfortably win a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares with the Casey Tibbs mare Dizzy Feet.