Red-letter day for Van Vuuren as his runners dominate Charity meeting
Trainer leapfrogs into fourth place in the national log as his stable enjoys huge success at Saturday’s Charity Mile meeting at Turffontein
Johan Janse van Vuuren leapfrogged into fourth place in the national trainers log as his stable enjoyed huge success at Saturday’s Charity Mile meeting at Turffontein.
Van Vuuren took first and second prizes with Bingwa and Puerto Manzano in the R800,000 Allied Steelrode On A Mission Mile, the former winning the race for the second year running.
The stable also captured the second race with the well-supported Southern Skies, a R500,000 son of Vercingetorix, and the third race with the four-year-old filly, Bon Vivant.
Bingwa’s fifth win of his career secured R100,000 for the Epworth Children Home, based in Germiston. Staff members at the city track were understandably overjoyed.
Van Vuuren, who was formerly assistant to top trainer Geoff Woodruff, said he was confident his charges would be competitive in the big race.
“We have been focused on this day, and when Bingwa drew barrier one I was more confident about his chance,” Van Vuuren said. Last year, the Pathfork gelding had a wide draw.
Gavin Lerena, always to be feared in big races, made full use of Bingwa’s good draw to hold off stablemate Puerto Manzano. The Argentinian-bred gelding will now be one of the fancied contenders for the Betway Summer Cup on November 26.
The favourite, Safe Passage, having his first outing since the Durban July, finished a creditable third under Grant van Niekerk and is likely to be piloted by Muzi Yeni in the Summer Cup.
Considering he was having his first outing since finishing last in the Durban July, Red Saxon performed well to take the R40,000 fourth cheque.
Bargain buy
The disappointments were Humdinger, who was in the front rank for a low way before fading to finish 13th, and KwaZulu-Natal raider After The Rain, who started at 9-2 and came home 10th.
Irish Tractor, drawn 16 out of 16, finished sixth under Kabelo Matsunyune, who continued his good season when winning the grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap on bargain buy Gilded Butterfly. The daughter of Flower Alley cost just R50,000 as a yearling.
Another grade 3 event, the R200,000 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, was also won by a cheap purchase. Miss Daisy made it a memorable day for trainer Billy Ruiters when scoring in the hands of Ryan Munger.
Anfields Rocket made it four wins from five starts when winning the grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes for trainer Grant Maroun. This gelding, an even cheaper buy than Miss Daisy or Gilded Butterfly, cost only R11,000 when bought from Klawervlei Stud.
Mike de Kock was concerned about the wide draws of Shoemaker and Union Square, but the stablemates finished second and fourth, respectively, behind Maroun's winner.
Union Square, a choicely bred son of Rafeef, looks every inch a Derby prospect as the colt clearly found Saturday’s 1,400m trip too sharp.
The Pick Six dividend of R1.5m told the story that it was a tough meeting for punters and many tickets would have gone in the bin when 20-1 chance, Arumugam, won the final leg.