There were a few trainers bemoaning the switch to the Greyville poly track yesterday after Friday’s monsoon but Louis Goosen was not one. “If they switch to the poly then Varallo will be in trouble,” he predicted after homework at Ashburton on Thursday.

Zen Arcade (Candiese Marnewick)

Charles Laird’s runner looked to be one of the better bets on the afternoon with a lot in his favour, but although he put up a sterling performance, Goosen’s assessment was spot on as Di Mazzio took to the surface an exploited Varallo’s three-month holiday although it was a close-run thing.

The two hooked up a furlong from home and it was down to a neck at the line.

Third-placed Monks Hood had everything go wrong at the start, getting a back leg hooked up in the gate and then cannoning into the outside rail in the straight. Alistair Gordon’s gelding was an eye-catching third and definitely one for the notebook.

Goosen was not much enamoured by the handicap mark given Zen Arcade but the handicappers may have got their sums just about right as Zen Arcade followed up on his maiden win, getting the better of a bruising battle with Ryker and Perfect Jay.

Not only was it a red-letter day for Goosen, but also prolific owner Mario Ferreira and jockey Gunter Wrogemann who landed a treble. Wrogemann, Ferreira and Gratuity led home a Goosen 1-2-3 in the sixth with the daughter of Dynasty out-duelling stable companion Captain’s Girl with Yaas filling the shallow end of the purse.

Mark Dixon looks to have a useful filly in She’s A Dream, a smart winner of the second. Given that she was closely related to the Dixon stable star London Call, she was always on the Dixon shopping list when coming up for auction at the National Yearling Sales. “I went out back to bid and was surprise when she only made R70k. Bruce le Roux breeds a good horse so we are very happy.”

By Andrew Harrison