David Thiselton

 

The SA Derby and SA Oaks trial races, known these days as the Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes and the Non-Black Type Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial, both over 2000m, saw an admirable win for Diogenes and a rout by Curious Girl respectively at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, while the Listed WSB Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m was won by Daimyo.

 

Muzi Yeni must be one of the best at overcoming a wide draw in the country and he was at his best on Diogenes, who is ironically by Hawwaam.

 

The Riethuiskraal Stud-bred gelding was having his third start for Weichong Marwing, having arrived from Cape Town as the winner of one race over 1600m in five starts and that was in an open maiden in which he carried only 56kg.

 

He is out of the Captain Al mare Captainofmysoul, who was a five-time winning sprinter.

 

However, Hawwaam stayed well and with three of his five Gr 1 wins being over 2000m.

 

Furthermore, Weichong Marwing was once stable jockey to the maestro Ormond Ferraris, while his brother Weiho also learnt from Ferraris and is thus known as a master of staying races.

 

Yeni took Diogenes up handy and was caught wide initially, but saw a split second opportunity to slot in behind the pacemaker Texas Missile and took it superbly without causing any interference.

 

Texas Missile was the 4/1 favourite in an open looking contest and relaxed well in front, setting a steady pace.

 

He stayed on well in the straight and was only headed by Diogenes at the 100m mark.

 

Diogenese, carrying only 54kg off an 80 merit rating, was receiving 3kg from Texas Missile under the merit rated band conditions of the race and beat him by 1,50 lengths with Master Spy, Councillor and Copper Eagle next best.

 

Diogenes started at odds of 8/1.

 

His running style suggests he will enjoy the step up to the 2450m of the Gr 1 SA Derby, but he will face a much tougher task there.

 

In the Oaks Trial the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Curious Girl has got better and better in line with her becoming more mature and stepping up in trip, which is the typical pattern of her sire Futura’s progeny. She had previously won three out of five starts and the two losses were over 1600m and the three wins from 1800m up to 2400m.

 

Mike de Kock was another who went through the tough but beneficial learning school of Ormond Ferraris and he also has a fine record in staying races.

 

Curious Girl was backed in from 4/1 to 5/2 and never looked like losing under Gavin Lerena, despite her 86 merit rating meaning she had to carry joint topweight of 60kg.

 

She proved way better than an 86 merit rating and ran out a 5,75 length winner.

 

The Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara-chasing Hazy Dazy now suddenly has a harder task of winning the third and final leg, the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m, than had been previously thought, especially considering Curious Girl has won over a staying trip before.

 

On Saturday Lerena got Curious Girl over nicely from draw seven into a midfield position with cover and within striking distance of the pace, which was set by Clouds Clearing.

 

In the straight the Riyo Stud-bred Curious Girl’s rangy style saw her eating up the ground and she had taken the lead by the 300m mark.

 

She then simply galloped away from them.

 

The tall filly’s big stride made the rest of the field look like small horses and the bonus for her future is that she still looks a touch gangly, so has scope for further furnishing.

 

The 15/10 favourite Into Dancing was receiving 1,5kg from Curious Girl and stayed on for second.

 

She was followed by joint topweight Ethical and next best were Scarlet O’Hara and Lady Blunt.

 

There was 9,45 lengths between first and sixth in the 14 horse field and Curious Girl’s time was 1,63 seconds faster than Diogenes time, despite her having to carry 6kg more weight.

 

It all augurs well for Curious Girl to have a tilt at the SA Oaks.

 

Diogenes is owned by Mr M Havenga, while Curious Girl is owned by Hollywood Racing.

 

In The Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m, the Alec Laird-trained five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Daimyo scored his second Listed race win of the season over the Turffontein 2400m trip.

 

Daimyo managed to dictate from the front as he was beautifully relaxed under Calvin Habib and he duly found a lot in the straight carrying 57,5kg off a 99 merit rating to keep the progressive 103-rated Aladdin’s Lamp at bay by 2,30 lengths with the 96-rated Enflame running on well for third.

 

Daimyo is owned by Messrs K P Nagendran & R V Norton & Mrs C Nagendran.