Snaith Racing dominates opening legs of Winter Series
WARRIOR (by Futura ex Nona in Command) took out the World Sports Betting Grade 3 Variety Club Mile, opening Leg of the “Becoming Champions” Winter Series, on Saturday.
This rapidly improving colt, who handled the steep hike up in class with aplomb, is trained by formidable local outfit, Snaith Racing.
The early pace was tepid as Greg Cheyne dictated on FireAlley before shaking loose on the lead midway down the long Kenilworth straight. He was pursued by a determined Warrior with the filly Marina making a big, belated move on the outer, against the race shape. Inside the distance, it still looked like FireAlley would ward off all threats, only for 22/10 Warrior to get up on the post, under an inspired ride by Richard Fourie, with Marina securing third in an exciting finish.
“Warrior dug down deep and showed his class – he’s going to be a serious racehorse,” was Fourie’s appraisal. Indeed, the son of Futura has now won three of six starts and just keeps getting better. He seems to harmonize a generally placid temperament with an essential competitive attribute for racing – the will to win.”
The Sweet Chestnut Stakes (Listed), also over 1 600m, was another triumph for the Snaith stable as they swept first, second and third with Really Royal, Rain In Newmarket and La Quinta. The 20/1 longshot winner is a substantial bay filly, regally bred, being by Captain Al out of the Fort Wood mare, Pagan Princess. It was desp erately close at the wire as Really Royal only narrowly held off the surging rally of her stablemate in a photo finish.
This victory represented big improvement on form shown to date – lightly raced, young fillies are eligible to make rapid progress and she belied her modest official rating of only 86 going into the contest. Winning jockey Luyolo Mxothwa extolled her virtues, describing her as, "a beautiful big baby – she’s just so smooth in a race”.