Thrilling Championships Finale fields at Turffontein

Jack Milner

The fields for the Championships Finale at Turffontein on Saturday were revealed onTuesday and bettors are in for an entertaining day’s racing.

While there are no Grade 1 events, the meeting contains four Grade 2 races, two Grade 3s and a Listed event, all of which appear to be highly competitive.

The Grade 2 races comprise the TAB Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m, the TAB Colorado King Stakes over 2000m, as well as the Grade 3 TAB Camellia Stakes over 1160m and the TAB Igugu Stakes over 2000m, both for fillies and mares.

The pair of Grade 3 races are both for two-year-olds over 1100m and are the Protea Stakes and the Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies.

Stayers get their opportunity in the TAB Gold Bowl over 3200m and although it is a Listed race, it does carry a stake of R400,000.

There will be 12 runners lining up in the Senor Santa Stakes and the weights heavily favour the country’s leading sprinter, Buffalo Storm Cody from the Tony Peter yard. Despite carrying 62kg, he is at least 4kg better weighted than his opposition.

He is also has the advantage of jumping for the outside draw and will have Richard Fourie, who rode him to victory in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint on 4 April, back in the irons.

He will be a popular banker on the day, but perhaps another runner who stands out is Olivia’s Way. She was nominated for both the Colorado King Stakes and the Igugu Stakes but trainer Roy Magner has opted to put her up against her own sex in the latter event.

Her last run was a third place behind See It Again and Okavango in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge and back in fillies’ company she looks hard to oppose. Marco van Rensburg gets the ride.

There will also be a R500,000 Pick 6 carryover at the meeting with a likely pool of R3-million and with many of the other legs looking highly competitive, Buffalo Storm Cody and Olivia’s Way will be popular bankers.

Final field for the R500,000 TAB Senor Santa Stakes (Grade 2) over 1160m

1 - 12 BUFFALO STORM CODY (A P Peter) R Fourie 62.0 - 132

2 - 5 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) T Mayhew 62.0 - 124

3 - 9 COSMIC SPEED (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 - 120

4 - 6 TRUTH (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 60.0 - 119

5 - 3 ZIYASHA (C Binda) C Habib 60.0 - 118

6 - 11 MOUNT PINATUBO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 58.0 - 113

7 - 8 BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW (G J Maroun) M V'Rensburg 56.0 - 110

8 - 4 ANFIELDS ROCKET (G J Maroun) R A Venniker 54.0 - 106

9 - 2 CHARMING CHEETAH (R Klaasen) M Yeni 54.0 - 106

10 - 1 THE LAST DUKE (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 52.0 - 102

11 - 10 THE SPECIALIST (S G Tarry) M K Katjedi 52.0 - 101

12 - 7 JERUSALEMA RAIN (S G Tarry) M Michel 52.0 - 100

Same Trainer: (3,11,12) (7,8)

Final field for the R500,000 TAB Colorado King Stakes (Grade 2) over 2000m

1 - 1 FIRE ATTACK (A G Laird) R Fourie 60.0 - 124

2 - 5 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) C Habib 59.0 - 127

3 - 3 CHOISAANADA (E Verdonese) R A Venniker 58.0 - 121

4 - 6 THE ULTIMATE KING (A P Peter) T Mayhew 58.0 - 117

5 - 2 FIELD MARSHAL (N Kotzen) C Zackey 58.0 - 110

6 - 4 BAKWENA (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 55.5 - 97

7 - 7 COPPER EAGLE (R Klaasen) S Moodley 54.5 - 97

Same Trainer: (1,2)

Final field for the R350,000 TAB Camellia Stakes (F&M) (Grade 2) over 1160m

1 - 4 RODEO DRIVE (S G Tarry) P Mxoli 60.0 - 113

2 - 6 ALMOND SEA (A P Peter) R Fourie 59.0 - 119

3 - 8 WHISTLE THE TUNE (C/T Dawson) M Yeni 59.0 - 116

4 - 9 CHROME TOURMALINE (F P Habib) R A Venniker 59.0 - 107

5 - 3 DESTINY OF FIRE (M/M de Kock) C Murray 59.0 - 100

6 - 2 GREEN DIAMOND (S G Tarry) C Zackey 58.0 - 111

7 - 5 ONE FINE WINTER (S G Tarry) K de Melo 57.0 - 105

8 - 7 RACHEL WALL (A P Peter) S Moodley 57.0 - 105

9 - 10 RIFLE QUEEN (A P Peter) C Habib 57.0 - 105

10 - 1 PERFECT MIRACLE (A P Peter) M V'Rensburg 57.0 - 96

Same Trainer: (1,6,7) (2,8,9,10)

Final field for the R350,000 TAB Igugu Stakes (F&M) (Grade 2) over 2000m

1 - 4 OLIVIA'S WAY (R R Magner) M V'Rensburg 60.0 - 114

2 - 6 CALLMEGETRIX (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 - 113

3 - 2 MINOGUE (C/T Dawson) M Yeni 59.0 - 114

4 - 3 INDIAN OCEAN (M Pandaram) T Godden 59.0 - 105

5 - 8 DOITWITHDIAMONDS (A P Peter) C Habib 59.0 - 99

6 - 1 SOLDIER'S EYE (W/W Marwing) K J Lihaba 59.0 - 94

7 - 5 CHARGE IT (A Wright) R Fourie 55.5 - 113

8 - 7 DAISY JONES (M G Azzie) R A Venniker 55.5 - 108

Final field for the R300,000 TAB Protea Stakes (Grade 3) over 1100m

1 - 3 TIME IS PRECIOUS (J J van Vuuren) C Murray 60.0 - 92

2 - 7 GIMME A VODKA (S G Tarry) C Zackey 58.0 - 97

3 - 1 GIMME SOME LUCK (F P Habib) M Yeni 58.0 - 92

4 - 6 SHERLOCK HOLMES (A P Peter) K Strydom 58.0 - 86

5 - 2 STATUS SYMBOL (S G Tarry) K de Melo 58.0 - 88

6 - 5 THE BRONX BULL (A P Peter) C Habib 58.0 - 96

7 - 4 KAVADY (M Pandaram) T Godden 55.5 - 88

Same Trainer: (2,5) (4,6)

Final field for the R250,000 TAB Pretty Polly Stakes (fillies) (Grade 3) over 1100m

1 - 5 GOOD DAY SUNSHINE (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 - 99

2 - 2 CUSTODIAN (R Klaasen) C Habib 58.0 - 84

3 - 1 GET UP (S G Tarry) C Zackey 58.0 - 97

4 - 3 LANZAROTE (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 58.0 - 87

5 - 4 LOVE NOT WAR (S T Pettigrew) C Murray 58.0 - 81

6 - 7 NO DRAMA (P F Matchett) M Yeni 58.0 - 83

7 - 6 QUEEN LEILA (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 58.0 - 88

8 - 9 USHOULDBEDANCING (R Klaasen) K Strydom 58.0 - 82

9 - 8 LADY HARLEQUIN (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 55.0 - 0

Same Trainer: (2,8) (6,7)

Final fields for the R400,000 TAB Gold Bowl (Listed) over 3200m

1 - 3 SHOOT THE RAPIDS (N Kotzen) C Zackey 62.0 - 117

2 - 1 POETS WARRIOR (M G Azzie) R A Venniker 60.0 - 114

3 - 2 ALADDIN'S LAMP (M/M de Kock) C Murray 56.0 - 106

4 - 7 ENFLAME (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 56.0 - 104

5 - 10 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) M Michel 54.0 - 101

6 - 5 HOTARUBI (C I Jonker) M Yeni 54.0 - 97

7 - 9 TAXHAVEN (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 52.0 - 96

8 - 8 MO MENT (B Webber) J R Syster 52.0 - 93

9 - 4 BATTLEGROUND (M N Houdalakis) C Maujean 52.0 - 92

10 - 6 ROYAL INVITATION (B Webber) J Gates 51.5 - 99

Same Trainer: (8,10)