Andrew Harrison
The Conditions Plate that was the headline race at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday was always going to be something of a guessing game with most of the runners being prepared for races further down the road.
It didn’t help that warm favourite See It Again was scratched before the start for refusing to load which didn’t go down well with the gelding’s supporters who expected a little more effort from the starter’s assistants.
That will all be up for debate but title chasing Craig Zackey took advantage for his third win of the afternoon as Madison Valley made short work of his rivals, Frank Robinson’s charge accelerating past the opposition to win uncontested with well-back tote favourite On My Honour not getting the best of passages but a well-beaten fourth putting paid to a host of exotic bet tickets.
I don’t think the handicappers will read much into the race as far as penalties go but it was certainly a smart run from Madison Valley who would appreciate it a touch further but circumstances going his way.
A Betway Summer Cup entry, On My Honour was not disgraced and should come on from this run while it will have been a huge relief for the connections of former Summer Cup winner Royal Victory to see their champion behaved impeccably and doing his best work late over a distance well short of his best.
Oklahoma Girl and Saudi Sweep tangled in a not quarters given in the card opener. Both were out in a flash with replacement rider Muzi Yeni winning the battle for the lead on Louis Goosen’s filly. Saudi Sweep led into the straight but Tristan Godden took the inside route home on Mike Miller’s filly and it was head-and-head to the line with both runners giving it their all.
Ashburton Training Centre, when an open training establishment, always provided a steady stream of winners from trainers with mostly runners of limited ability. They did provide a Hollywoodbets Durban July ‘winner’ in Wiley Hall who lost the race in the boardroom.
Now the private domain of Hollywoodbets, head trainer Vengi Masawi, on the recommendation of Mike de Kock, and his assistant Megan Trot are taking fully advantage of the upgraded facilities. So it was a touch of irony as Mfethu got the better of the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained favourite Bombardier Boy but giving Hollywood Racing a deserved one-two with pacemaker Amber Alert staying on to hold off the filly Mystic Dancer who should not be long in winning if Robbie Hill can keep the lid on her temperament.
The first leg of the PA turned into a disaster for hot favourite Annie’s Song who could only manage fourth. A tardy start saw her stuck in midfield as Yeni dictated a modest gallop on Cool Wind and Sean Veale was left swinging onto a filly that refused to settle. It was a tough run to the wire for Paul Lafferty’s filly but she kept firing to hold her lead with Aurelian and Ms Galore doing the chasing and Annie’s Song all over the place on the wrong hymn sheet.
Tienie Prinsloo harks back to the days of Flamingo Park where the sick, lame and laziest found their way into his yard after those in the bigger centers had given up on them. So he knows how to keep an old horse interested, not to mention that Global Movement was dropping in class. Craig Zackey gave the grey a patient ride, midfield for the early exchanges, but once asked the question, Global Movement responded smartly to put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
Spectacular made the transition to turf in smart fashion as he quickened out of the pack under Serino Moodley to win the fifth as he liked. Glen Kotzen and his Summerveld assistant John Buckler had kept him on the poly since his arrival from the Cape to good effect but the gelding obviously enjoy the switch in surface and could well pay to follow. Second-placed Continental Express ran out of runway and 2400m is more his forte.
La Maddalena had never gone beyond a mile before but under a smart ride from Yeni, his second winner of the afternoon, Gareth van Zyl filly muscled her way through the pack to get the better of a tight finish with Out Lady Fate to deny title-chasing Craig Zackey his third winner of the afternoon.
Treaty Of Paris, once on a sales list, paid his way as he finished off his race in fine style to win the seventh. He looked to have got himself in a bit of a tangle early in exchanges but Godden gave him a confident ride to weave his way through the traffic to hold off a late-charging Lions Eye.
Taking the plunge to go on your own in a tough sport, Darryl Moore is getting his head above water. The former assistant to top trainer Charles Laird, Moore is slowly working his way up the ladder and Tara Star went back-to-back when making most of the running under apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto to round off the Pick 6 that paid over R276k.
* It was a sad afternoon as the flags flew half-mast for the passing of Champion Eastern Cape trainer Gavin Smith and it was also the birthday of the late larger-than-life Tony Jelinski who had shares in first race winner Oklahoma Girl.
