Ashton Arries is a man of few words but a lengthy spell in the doldrums after coming out of his apprenticeship, the man from Atlantis – not singer Donovan’s Atlantis but the tough Western Cape neighbourhood – has found new focus. Leading Cape Town-based trainer Glen Kotzen has taken him on board and he was Vaughan Marshall’s first call when Gauteng-based Craig Zackey got tied up at the airport.
The Marshall-trained San Pedro was the popular Milnerton trainer’s first raider to land the spoils for the yard, but it was something of an armchair ride for Arries as he sat handy with a blustery tailwind helping the field along to a commanding victory.
As Marshall alluded to post race, San Pedro shows good work on the sand and was well suited to the poly track. The manner of victory suggests that the gelding is one to follow on the synthetic surface.
Gary Rich has done a masterful job of keeping the striking grey White Cedar on the boil as the seven-year-old made all to out-run the opposition. The grey did not take well to the summer heat but his form has coincided with the cooling temperatures.
If anyone doubted the ability of Arries he showed it when getting Phaka Imali home for back-to-back wins for Rich and the Hollywood Syndicate. Jason Gates tried to run the opposition off their feet as he sent Quiz Master to the front with a tailwind but it was clear a furlong out that the ploy was flawed as the field closed him down. The field bunching on the outside of the track, Arries was faced with a wall of backsides but after two stabs at a gap, it was third time lucky as Quiz Master rolled out and Anotherdayinafrica drifted in leaving the barn door open.
Stable companions and the two greys in the race Capriana and New Orleans looked set to give trainer Carl Hewitson the exacta in the fourth as the pair pulled clear of the pack, but a fast-charging Poppy Of Bayeux, back on her favoured surface, finished like a train only to be denied one jump from the line, splitting the Hewitson pair. Serino Moodley had his saddle slip at the start but he managed to balanced it out. “There was a bit of scrimmaging at the start and my saddle slipped sideways. At one stage I though of pulling her out but I decided to preserve. It was all about balance.”
As Michael Roberts eluded to, winning four races in a row is not easy no matter in what division you race in, but Our Emily did Roberts and stable rider Rachel Venniker proud as she got her nose in front to get the better of favourite Certainly in a blanket finish.
“She doesn’t give in,” said Venniker of Our Emily, “and nor do I.” A lesson a few of her male counterparts should take to heart.
Venniker was back before the cameras as she produced the grey Mel’s Princess for a commanding win to give Hewitson a double on the day, joining Rich with two of the smallest yards producing the goods. Favourite Boogie Shoes was there until the death but ran out of gas late.
The last didn’t go according to script as outsider Mission Rocks put one over stable companion and favourite Birdwatcher but in the immoral words of Damon Runyon, ‘that’s racing’.
It was the first winner for Duncan Howells since his recent move to Summerveld after 22-years at Ashburton.
Andrew Harrison
