What a finish! Marinaresco wins the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes on Sunday May 7…
Marinaresco, written off by many after a modest Cape Summer, burst back onto the scene with a narrow but satisfying victory in the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville yesterday.
“When it comes to short heads the good horses get their heads down,” may prove prophetic words from winning jockey Bernhard Fayd’Herbe come the fat end of Champions Season.
Camped at Summerveld for two months after his Met run, Marinaresco has found his feet. Robert Fayd’Herbe, Candice Bass-Robinson’s KZN assistant said, “It has taken a while to get him right. They found a few things about him and they worked on it and he’s coming good.” Ominous words for the opposition come the build-up to the Vodacom Durban July.
Victorious Jay ran out of his skin to be denied on the line along with Saratoga Dancer in third in a blanket finish that included Captain America and New Predator.
Unlucky in last year’s Vodacom Durban July behind The Conglomerate, all is seemingly on track for Marinaresco for this year’s renewal.
Janoobi wins the Daisy Guineas
Having ridden over 5000 winners, Piere Strydom did not come down with the last shower of rain; but his colleagues obviously did.
Strydom played them all on the break in the Gr1 Gauteng Guineas where he nursed home the stamina-suspect Janoobi for Mike de Kock’s 3000th South African winner and repeated the dose in the Gr2 Daisy Guineas.
The one draw over the Greyville 1600m on the turf is always an advantage and Strydom made the most of it, jumping smartly, slowing them down, and sprinting for home. It was not all easy. Janoobi was pulling like a dentist on a sore tooth from the jump, but Strydom had enough control to slow the field up to a crawl up the hill.
He pinched a crucial break at the top of the straight and kept Janoobi rolling to the line.
Gimme Six wins the Daisy Fillies Guineas
“She’s a top, top filly. Justin is very lucky to have her,” enthused Anthony Delpech. Snaith rarely arrives for Champions Season thin on the ground when it comes to fillies and he has taken the wraps off another smart individual in Gimme Six who confirmed her form in the Umzimkulu Stakes with an emphatic victory in the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas.
“Her turn of foot is her biggest weapon,” confirmed Snaith as Gimme Six gave them six, quickening away to win as she liked with the luckless Final Judgment second again.
Andrew Harrison
Picture: Marinaresco, with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up, led in by Robert Fayd’Herbe [Nkosi Hlophe]
