Things have not been easy for punters over the past week or so and the trend continued at Greyville yesterday with a number of the longer priced horses obliging. Desolate Road was a 10-1 shot for Tony Rivalland in the card opener but was given a cracker of a ride by Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Caught wide for much of the race, Fayd’Herbe produced the son of Pathfork with a telling run, taking a split between Lady Jackson and Rockcliffe, and getting up when it mattered.
“This is one course where racing wide doesn’t seem to matter all that much,” said the rider.
Temple Grafin landed the odds for Glen Kotzen but it was hard work for Richard Fourie who had to pull out all the stops to keep Can You Feel It at bay, the two pulling well clear of the chasing pack.
Kateecador (Candiese Marnewick)
The national jockey title is already race over but apprentice Lyle Hewtison extended his growing lead with a typically polished ride on the Sean Tarry-trained and well named Go Thuli Go. It was not the required result for many punters though as second-placed Deerupt was a popular banker.
The virus that plagued Ashburton earlier in the year appears to have runs its course and Louis Goosen says his stable is starting to turn. “All my bloods are looking great. I think that virus is behind us,” he said, rubbing his hands at Ashburton yesterday morning, so Var Agtig’s triumph was not a surprise as Gunter Wrogemann aimed his mount through a gap up the centre to win comfortably.
Apprentice Luke Ferraris has been getting many opportunities, arguably more than the average apprentice due to family connections. However, there is no doubting his talent and he took his winning tally to nine as he gave Elegant General a polished ride as Robbie Hill’s gelding finished full of running.
Kateecador (22-1) was at the sharp end of a big Quartet payout in the sixth, the dividend a healthy R112552.20 with Gavin van Zyl’s filly finishing with daylight behind her.
Apprentice Ashton Arries is finding things a little more difficult now that he has ridden out his claim but given the opportunities he rarely fails as he led the field a merry dance on Alyson’s Wright’s filly Gorgeous Guest, the subject of a late flood of money.
“You have got to have the horses, without them you are nothing,” is often quoted by Dennis Drier and he looks to have another smart filly in the regally bred Perfect Air. The daughter of Dynasty out of the classy racemare Icy Air fluffed her lines when taken to the Cape for the season, but Drier’s string did not adapt well to the dry summer. Yesterday Perfect Air showed her true ability when running out a comfortable winner of the last.
By Andrew Harrison
