Turffontein trainer Paul Peter said a decision would be made at the end of the week on Summer Pudding’s participation in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 but he added she would definitely not be running in the Vodacom Durban July.
The Silvano filly has now won six out of six and doubling that number will earn her a new South African record unbeaten streak.
The mark of eleven wins unbeaten was set by Home Guard in the late 1960s.
If the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara heroine does travel down for the Woolavington she will travel shortly before the race and will then “winter” at Summerveld for the rest of the season.
Peter watched her bid to become the third horse to win the Triple Tiara on one of the only two working TV’s at a deserted Turffontein, near the jockey’s room, and said although normally quiet during races he could not on this occasion contain his emotions.
He did have one moment of real concern, explaining, “She hit a flat spot at the top of the straight.”
Some fans feared the worst when Gavin Lerena’s attempt to slot her in was thwarted by Diego De Gouveia’s determined race riding on the eventual third-placed Ballet Shoes.
Lerena was thus forced to stay out wide down the entire back straight. However, this did not concern Peter, who said,
“She was comfortable and if you are on the best horse it is ok to be a little wide, you are going to then be sure of getting a run.”
Lerena did find cover around the final turn but had to become urgent 500m out to extract her from her flat spot.
She found her gears at the 400m mark.
She then ranged alongside her chief market rival Marygold and then in resolute style her big stride carried her clear.
She was bred by Mauritzfontein and Wilgerbosdrift Stud and is owned by the former.
Mauritzfontein stud owners Stephen and Jessica Jell were soon conveying how proud they were of the unbeaten filly on a social media video.
Peter said the Jells and Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud were “really nice” people to train for and elaborated, “They really love their horses and are ecstatic when they win and happy if they just return home safe.”
The win was richly deserved as the Jells and Slack had recently kindly stepped in as financiers of a Phumelela business Rescue plan. Accolades duly poured in for the much respected family.
Meanwhile, Ormond Ferraris, who never misses a day at the tracks as a valued advisor to Peter, had an extra spring in his step this morning (Monday).
The Peter yard had three other impressive winners on the day.
In the first, a workriders maiden over 1600m, the two-year-old Marchfield filly Cloth Of Ice galloped clear to win by 2,25 lengths under Tshepiso Matsoele. She has plenty of scope for improvement and Peter is eyeing the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on Gold Cup day, August 29.
Later, four-year-old Ideal World filly Vistula bounced back to her best in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m, winning by 2,50 lengths under Lerena.
She will now go for the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Stakes over the same course and distance on Champions day June 27. After that she might take her place in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on July day, where she ran fifth last year.
Jet Start then displayed her finishing speed when winning the last, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2000m, in comfortable style under Calvin Habib, and she will likely also be seen in a forthcoming feature.
By David Thiselton
