It’s been a long time between drinks but Gunner finally got his connections to raise their glasses once again when winning the fourth at Greyville yesterday. Paul Gadsby’s gelding was the first Gr1 winner for the now prolific sire Gimmethegreenlight when victorious in the Premiers Champion Stakes some two year’s back but he has since struggled to add to that tally.
But Gadsby has been nothing but patient and persistent and Gunner repaid him yesterday. Apprentice Eric Ngwane, who comes out of his time at the end of the year, had him perfectly placed throughout and when asked to kick, Gunner fired to get home comfortably from Gat Henshaw and Legend who fought a head-to-head duel for the minor placings.
Palace Rose was widely regarded as a possible Pick 6 banker in the opening leg of the exotic bet but Kom Naidoo’s filly again found one too good for her and those that had faith were tearing up their tickets a long way out.
Gunner (Candiese Marnewick)
Gareth Wright, who had earlier guided Andre Nel’s filly Playlist to a well-deserved win in the previous race, rode a supremely confident race on Face Of An Angel to give Nel and assistant Byron Forster a quick double.
The writing was on the wall a long way out for Palace Rose as Wright sat his filly in behind and shadowed her every move. In the straight, Anton Marcus tried hard to shut all the doors but Wright had more than enough horse under him and Face Of An Angel sailed by with plenty to spare, the balance of the field strung out behind.
Dennis Drier, crown KZN Champion trainer and recording the 2000th winner of his career, has got his new season off to a strong start with a treble last Sunday and adding another when Illuminate ran out a comfortable winner of the fifth.
Stable rider Sean Veale, fresh back from a week’s suspension, took the shortest way home for the joint top weight and the result was pretty much in the frame a long way out with Vallanaut coming on late to touch of Red Al for second.
Apprentice Khanya Sakayi continues to impress and rode another cracking finish on Essenceoflife for Glen Kotzen in the sixth, getting the better of luke-warm favourite Accidental Tourist in a driving finish. Sakayi allowed his mount to drift off a straight course under pressure but he always had the measure of Accidental Tourist who was quickly running out of room on the outside rail.
Apprentice Ashton Arries is a man of few words and had to be collared as he tried to duck his acceptance speech as KZN’s Champion apprentice at last weeks KZN Racing awards.
He was fully deserving of his award as he showed aboard Gorgeous Guest for Alyson Wright. Arries made the pace and then let the chasing pack move on past. Just when it looked as if he would finish out of the back door, the stepped on the gas and Gorgeous Guest rocketed away to win as she liked.
Julie Dittmer and staunch owner Carol Kingham go back a long way together and they pick up their second win in a fortnight when Winter Wolf, a reserve runner, came from the clouds to snatch victory from favourite Trust In Gold. A chance ride for Jarred Samuel, Trust In Gold and Anton Marcus appeared to have the race sewn up before the 55-1 outsider snuffed them out on the line.
By Andrew Harrison
