The useful Charles Laird-trained Beloved Country proved her suitability to the minimum trip at Scottsville yesterday when winning the Non-Black Type African Holly Handicap over 1000m under Anton Marcus.
She was backed into odds-on and, running off a merit rating of 93 and carrying 57,5kg, it seemed race over when she took control close to home, but she then had to survive a late rally from Muscatt, who was one of a number horses over the weekend who showed that the lean spell of the Michael Roberts yard looks to be over. Muscatt, who started second favourite in the small six horse field, was only a quarter of a length back at the line and then there was two lengths back to third-placed Miss Varlicious.
Trainer Dennis Bosch had earlier scored a double and later made it a treble. The hard knocking Silvano gelding Red China converted 2/1 second favouritism in a Maiden over 1000m under Anthony Delpech. The talented Regardstobroadway then proved too good for a fillies and mares MR 77 handicap field over 1000m, despite odds of 13/2, and she thereby franked the form of two classy types, Free State and Beloved Country. Brandon Lerena, who had scored a treble at Greyville on Friday night, was aboard.
Later, in an unusually weak Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m, the Overlord filly Shezaleader destroyed them by 5,75 lengths to give Marcus a double. Marcus clinched a treble when winning the last race, a Maiden over 1200m, on the Gavin van Zyl-trained Western Winter colt Eternal Ice, who enjoyed the step back in trip.
There were two huge upsets in the Pick 6 legs. The Mike Pappas-trained seven-year-old King Of Kings gelding Highland Fling won a MR 70 handicap over 1200m under 2,5kg claimer Erico Saziwo Ngwane despite running off a 40 merit rating and being sent off at 110/1 odds. Later, the Corinne Bestel-trained three-year-old Fort Wood filly She’s A Fortress comfortably won a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1200m at odds of 66/1, but is entitled to be good as she is out of She’s A Winner, who won the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over the same course and distance.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Beloved Country (Nkosi Hlophe)
