David Thiselton

THE first race at Turffontein on Wednesday over 1450m was won by the Sean Tarry-trained Eagle Alley, who is by Silvano out of Magnolia Lane, a full-sister to the legendary Yeats.

The latter won the Ascot Gold Cup four times in succession.

Tarry said afterwards about the Klawervlei Stud-bred Bernard Kantor and Chris van Niekerk-owned three-year-old colt, “We felt a bit of pressure bringing him out on a track like this, the Inside course, over 1450m. It is definitely a distance way short of his best. We always said the pedigree may be a bit too stout, but if he’s come out and won over 1400m the future bodes well. He could well be an exciting horse. I’ve always said I had some decent three-year-olds but not early three-year-olds and hopefully in the second half of the season we can play catch up with the big guns.”

 Lyle Hewitson was aboard and managed to find the rail in midfield from draw 6. He drove him from a long way out and his resolute finish just got him up in time to beat Manterio by 0,25 lengths and thus convert 22/10 favouritism.

Eagle Alley’s Sadler’s Wells dam, Magnolia Lane, was placed as a three-year-old and has previously produced Torcedor (Fastnet Rock). The latter won two Group 3 staying events in Ireland and the UK and later finished a length third to Stradivarious in the Ascot Gold Cup in 2018 and a half-a-length second to the latter stalwart in the 2018 Goodwood Cup.