David Thiselton
THE JOE SOMA-TRAINED Got The Greenlight confirmed himself up with he best in the country at Turffontein Standside on Saturday when toying with the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge field in good to soft conditions although the lack of pace did not suit Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding and WSB SA Triple Crown hero Malmoos’ preformance was effected by his lack of cover and his tough campaign possibly got to him too.
Muzi Yeni confirmed his mount had hardly come off the bit although the gloss was taken off his cool, calm and collected riding performance by an incident at the 1600m mark.
The stipendiary steward report stated, “Approaching the 1600m, SECOND BASE (G Lerena) had to check to avoid the heels of GOT THE GREENLIGHT (M Yeni). Thereafter JOHNNY HERO (M van Rensburg) was bumped in and became unbalanced and BARAHIN (S Khumalo) had to be steadied as a consequence. Jockey G Lerena the rider of the 2nd placed horse SECOND BASE lodged an Objection against the winner GOT THE GREENLIGHT (M Yeni) on the grounds of interference at about the 1600m. The Objection Board, after considering the evidence that was put forward by both connections, was of the opinion that as this incident occurred at the 1600m, that there was sufficient opportunity for SECOND BASE to overcome any prejudice that it had suffered and that it could not be certain to the requisite degree that SECOND BASE would have finished ahead of GOT THE GREENLIGHT had this incident not occurred. In view of this, the Objection was overruled and Jockey Lerena’s deposit was refunded. An Inquiry will be opened regarding this incident.”
Malmoos was the favourite but his fine gatespeed was going to effect him at some stage in the season as he is a horse who prefers cover over middle distances and reining him back is difficult. Unlike his runs in the WSB SA Classic and WSB SA Derby, where Luke Ferraris did manage to slot him in, he was on this occasion caught one wide in a handy position and must have raced too strongly as his usual resolute finish was missing and he finished a 6,50 length fifth.
Summer Pudding’s chief weapons, her high cruising speed and relentless finish, were nullified by the crawl set by Divine Odyssey and she was beaten 4,50 lengths into fourth. Trainer Paul Peter would likely be lamenting not putting a pacemaker into the race.
Got The Greenlight was not affected by the pace as he relaxes well in the running and has a peerless turn of foot.
For the second time in succession, both of them in Grade 1 races, he sauntered effortlessly into the lead. He has the tendency to take his foot off the pedal when hitting the front so having taken the lead as far out as the 200m mark he was going to be vulnerable late. Second Base, who ensured a one-two for sire Gimmethegreenlight, had sat behind the winner in the running and although he could not match his initial turn of foot, he produced a terrific finish to be beaten just three-quarters of a length. It was a fine VDJ trial.
Cirillo stayed on from second in the running for third, his eighth Grade 1 place and tenth Grade 1 cheque.
Got The Greenlight looked the best handicapped horse in the Vodacom Durban July before Saturday and that might or might not change according to how the handicappers read the race. If they use the consistent Second Base as the line horse he might escape unpunished. In comparison to 120 rated Cirillo he has run more or less to his 124 rating on paper as he beat him by 1,75 lengths. However, the handicappers might take into account the ease of the win and raise him one or two points. Summer Pudding or Malmoos are unlikely to used as line horses as they both ran below par.
In the Grade 1 4Racing Computaform Sprint the Justin Snaith-trained Rio Querari went some way to securing the Equus Champion Sprinter title with his first Grade 1 weight for age win of the season. He relaxed superbly in the running before displaying his devastating turn of foot. Not even a traditionally unfavourable low draw could stop him and he made his winning run under Grant van Niekerk on the inside of horses.
Mike Azzie has called Sheela the best filly he has trained since Harry’s Charm and she gave new sire The United States a boost by winning the Grade 2 4Racing SA Nursery over 1160m by a length under S’Manga Khumalo from another fine prospect, Smorgasbord, with the rest of the field unsighted.
The Grade 2 4Racing SA Fillies Nursery was won by the hard knocking Paul Peter-trained Soft Falling Rain filly Heaven’s Girl under Warren Kennedy.
The Peter yard also won the 4Racing Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m. The Where’s That Tiger three-year-old filly Netta, ridden by Kennedy, romped home by six lengths as the market leaders Running Brave and Seehaam went out like lights in the straight.
The Grade 2 4Racing Camellia Stakes as won in scintillating style by the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained What A Winter filly Celestial Love under Gavin Lerena to give owner Laurence Wernars his first success in a memorable day (he also owns Netta and Second Base).
The most courageous performance of the day was put in by the St. John Gray-trained Judpot gelding Don’t Look Back who kept on finding extra under pressure to beat Smoking Hot in the Grade 3 4Racing Gold Bowl, although he did later have to survive an objection.
