The Alec Laird-trained six-year-old Bezrin gelding Bezanova relished the soft ground at Turffontein Standside yesterday and produced a strong finish on the outside to win the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m under Randall Simons.
The big chestnut won the Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile as a four-year-old. He also won the KZN Breeders Mile later that season, following a cracking third in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. However, going into yesterday’s race he had appeared to have lost interest and had not made the frame for his last seven starts.
However, he was well weighted on his best form yesterday, carrying just 54kg, and was backed into 9/1.
Bezanova (Nkosi Hlophe)
The meeting was postponed from Saturday and there were five scratchings, leaving 12 runners facing the starter.
Bezanova was slotted into midfield from a draw of six as stablemates Arctica and Amsterdam set a steady pace up front. The 3/1 favourite Liege was next and was followed by the fancied Master ‘N Commander.
Liege got the better of the front runners in the straight and the only three-year-old in the field Bold Rex also ran on well. However, they had no answer to Bezanova’s powerful finish, in which his long stride was seen back at its best. Liege was beaten 0,5 lengths into second and Bold Rex was third. Arctica was next best ahead of Coltrane, while Master ‘N Commander ran a disappointing second last.
Earlier, the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained three-year-old Gimmethegreenlight filly Green Pepper proved herself a sprinter with a big future when waltzing away with the Listed Gardenia Stakes over 1000m and she provided the first leg of e feature double for Randall Simons. She was officially 6,5kg under sufferance being a progressive sort who had only reached a merit rating of 86 in three runs. To beat older fillies and mares at this stage of the season by a comfortable 2,25 lengths was some performance. Another three-year-old, Queen Laurie, finished second and Crystal Glamour was third. The topweight Joan Ranger was a touch slow away, so did well to finish fourth, and the second favourite, three-year-old Exquisite Touch, was fifth. Green Pepper, a powerful bay, started favourite at 15/10.
Earlier in a hotly contested Pinnacle Stakes race over 1160m, the Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars could only manage fifth place as the Tarry-trained Trip To Heaven romped home to a comfortable victory under S’Manga Khumalo. Talktothestars (merit rated 121), Legal Eagle (120), Abashiri (117), Trip To Heaven (114), Dollar Dazzler (107) and Doing It For Dan (105) all carried 61,5kg. Talktothestars set the pace but Trip To Heaven, who was making his seasonal reappearance, enjoyed the conditions and cruised past to win by two lengths. Splendid Garden, merit rated only 99, was officially 8kg under sufferance with Talktothestars, but is known to be a quirky sort and he had one of his going days, running on for second. The reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle made a cracking seasonal reappearance over a trip well short of his best to run a 2,4 length third. Pivotal Pursuit was fourth and Talktothestars faded late to finish 3,1 lengths back in ground which may not have suited him.
By David Thiselton
