The switch from the Scottsville turf to the Greyville poly track yesterday resulted in a plethora of scratchings but the move will have been music to Dennis Bosch who saddled Sir Bernadini in the Blinkers Bar Handicap.
Well fancied over a mile on debut, the Australian-bred gelding with a touch of an American dirt pedigree, revelled on the synthetic surface and landed the odds in good fashion.
Sir Bernadini was given a hefty rating by the handicappers but their assessment proved fully justified as the favourite kept a clean sheet, this time under Anthony Delpech, keeping a charging Verdier and the fancied Archilles at bay. The former was having his first outing for Mark Dixon after showing some useful form in the Cape behind the much-touted African Night Sky in the Winter Series and he is definitely one for the notebook or the ‘Follow Me’ app available on TABgold.
Sir Bernardini (Candiese Marnewick)
Louis Goosen had Archilles lined-up for a crack on the Scottsville turf but the switch of surface dampened his confidence as he expressed candidly in his post-race interview in the winner’s box after Gratuity continued her good form in the Rockafellas Restaurant Handicap.
Not always easy to handle, Gratuity was given a copybook ride by Gunter Wrogemann who had piloted her to her most recent victory over course and distance beating smart stable companion Captain’s Girl.
Shifting Gears is another Goosen runner that has taken to the poly but this time around she found one too good in the form of Pearl Glow. Dean Kannemeyer’s filly made amends for her penultimate disappointment when a beaten odds-on favourite by shedding her maiden next time out. That form looked compromised by second-placed Holy Flame running a dismal race next time out but Duncan Howells reported to the stipendiary stewards that she had returned with a swollen eye from a clod in the face which would have accounted for that below par performance. However, Pearl Glow did start at the top of the boards.
Anton Marcus looked to have timed his run to perfection on Miziara in the sixth, making his move at the top of the straight, but in spite of giving his mount a breather after the subway, it was not enough as Keagan de Melo steamed home aboard the Yogas Govender-trained Komeshans Flight, nailing Miziara on the line.
Dixon may have had to settle for second with Verdier but there were no mistakes in the Racing. It’s A Rush Handicap as the run of winning favourites continued. De Melo had no hesitation in taking top weight Fantasy Lady to the head of affairs and she was never in danger as all challengers wilted around her.
By Andrew Harrison
