Dennis Drier took the wraps off a smart juvenile in Sand And Sea in the All To Come Juvenile Plate at Scottsville yesterday and the son of first season sire Twice Over did it in a fashion that says, “plenty more to come but …!”
Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)
Al Mariachi, a winner second time of asking at Kenilworth, found plenty of support on course but Sand And Sea was not friendless, the word out that he was smart, and indeed started tote favourite.
He is a magnificent specimen of a thoroughbred and pranced around the paddock like he owned the place.
But backing juveniles first time out, especially against more seasoned runners, is a risky business at the best of times and those that plunged on Sand And Sea will have been reaching for the blood pressure pills a long way out.
The colt was all over the race course with Anton Marcus every time he was let off the bit. However, it was a measure of his ability that once pulled away from the opposition and racing on his own, he picked up smartly to beat Al Mariachi. Had Sand And Sea got beaten there would have been plenty of valid excuses.
Drier is attending the National Yearling Sales and when assistant Stuart Ferrie was quizzed on when the vet would be called in, his answer was a grin.
The mare Bump ‘N Grind has been a gold mine for owner/breeder Andre Hauptfleisch with champion Via Africa putting her on the map. Her three subsequent foals have all been winners including Al Wahed, Elusive Enchantment and yesterday’s first race winner, Swift Dancer.
Elusivenchantment (Nkosi Hlophe)
Elusive Enchantment will be out to go one better than Via Africa and win Saturday’s Computaform Sprint while Al Wahed will be lining up at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Swift Dancer gave notice of her ability with two promising efforts in soft ground so was well suited to the firmer going yesterday. Stable rider Keagan de Melo had her up with the pace from the jump but just when she looked to have the race in the bag she came under pressure from the first timer Tsessebe and had to grind it out to the line.
“She’s still immature and weak,” said Duncan Howells, an opinion confirmed by De Melo. “She needs to strengthen up. I will put her away now. She will be a much better filly come next season.”
Howells was not impressed by the stipendiary steward’s decision to take the race away from favourite Silent Obsession in the Racing.It’s A Rush Maiden Plate, giving it to second-placed Enticer in the boardroom.
The winning margin of a short head is what probably swayed the panel in favour of jockey Warren Kennedy’s protest but to most it was a 50/50 call.
This was the fourth time that Howells has been on the wrong side of an objection in the past few months.
By Andrew Harrison
