Champions Day a roaring success

Jack Milner

Champions Day promised a magnificent day of racing and it not only delivered on that undertaking, it surpassed it.

What we witnessed at Turffontein on Saturday was top-class horses, remarkable training feats, sensational riding and thrilling finishes that came right down to the wire.

Rain over the previous few days resulted in the going being good to soft and that obviously suited some horses more than others.

But it never troubled three-year-old filly Gimme A Nother who went on to score a seventh successive victory to remain unbeaten. The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight had racing fans on their feet as she raced past stable companion Humdinger to claim the Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m.

Ridden once again by JP van der Merwe and trained by Mike de Kock, Gimme A Nother was more handily placed this time, and after her customary “dead spot” at around the 400m mark, it was just a matter of time before she turned on those engines.

When she did, the 36-100 favourite took off like a guided missile and with 150m to race Van der Merwe was already looking over his shoulder and soon after that started to wind her down.

Piere Strydom rode a superb race on Humdinger who is not at her best over 1600m to stay on for second, 1.50-lengths back, with Mrs Geriatrix staying on for third, a further 3.50-lengths behind.

Royal Victory, under another polished ride from Muzi Yeni, came from well back to add the Grade 1 World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m to last year’s Betway Summer Cup triumph over the same course and distance.

Trained by Nathan Kotzen in KwaZulu-Natal, Royal Victory moved up strongly over the final 200m and had to be strongly ridden to get the better of Hollywoodbets Durban July champion Winchester Mansion who looked to have the race wrapped up.

The next three places went to the three De Kock-trained runners, Aragosta, Dave The King and Safe Passage respectively.

Next stop for Royal Victory will be the Hollywoodbets Durban July. “I will probably give him a couple of easy warm-up runs and then straight into the July,” said Kotzen.

The best finish of the day was that of the Grade 1 TAB SA Derby over 2450m. After his victory in the Grade 1 SA Classic on Purple Pitcher last month, jockey Kabelo Matsunyane stated that his mount was all heart, and the New Predator colt certainly proved that on Saturday.

Robyn Klaasen-trained Purple Pitcher fought out a three-way tussle with Pure Predator and Mondial virtually the whole way up the straight, with Richard Fourie on Pure Predator for Fanie Bronkhorst and Yeni aboard Mondial for Mike And Adam Azzie, throwing everything at their mounts but it was Matsunyane and Purple Pitcher who prevailed by a neck from Pure Predator with Mondial just a further 0.15 lengths back in third.

What made this victory more remarkable is that Mondial led shortly after the off with Purple Pitcher in second, and they were two of the three still standing 2400m later.

“I was always confident he would stay but everybody I spoke to made me doubt it.” said Klaasen.

“Anyway, he will have a rest now and then we will probably go for the Daily News 2000 and then the Durban July.”

The Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint over 1000m also produced a great finish as Sean Tarry-trained Thunderstruck and Tony Peter’s charge Golden Sickle fought it out over the final 200m.

For a moment it appeared the three-year-old filly would prevail but in the last few strides Thunderstruck and Fourie got the upper hand to win by 0.30 lengths.

Rulership ran third with fourth place going to Kiss Me Captain.