Owner Marsh Shirtliff let the worst kept secret in racing out of the bag at Kenilworth on Saturday with a simple ‘July, here we come’ after the Silvano gelding Marinaresco had made hacks of his opposition to win the R250 000 Gr3 Winter Classic, and make it two from two in the Cape Winter Series.
Easy does it! Grant van Niekerk is all confidence as Marinaresco holds off Whisky Baron (Corne Orffer) for an easy win (Pic – Wayne Marks)
“I haven’t had a July favourite for a long time and I see our jockey is so confident he can drop his hands,” quipped Shirtliff after Marinaresco had toyed with his eleven rivals for an effortless victory in the second leg of the R1 million Winter Series.
That wave! Grant Van Niekerk
Winning rider Grant van Niekerk almost overdid the theatrics as his body language screamed ‘hell, this is so easy’ – glancing left at the 50m marker before taking his foot off the accelerator and giving his mount a friendly tickle around the head.
For a jockey who was so conscious of the costs of air tickets getting to Greyville 24 hours earlier, where he rode a great double, he seemed little concerned with the financial impact of what no doubt will come his way courtesy of the Stipes.
Part owner Marsh Shirtliff, who started out with trainer Greg Ennion back in the days of Dramdor and La Mancha, has to go back to 2008 when his best ever horse Pocket Power started favourite for the July at 28/10 – and landed up sharing honours in a dead heat with the 8-1 second favourite Dancer’s Daughter at 8/1.
Pocket Power was victorious in the 2006 Cape Winter Series and was beaten into fourth behind Hunting Tower when attempting the July as a 4yo, the first time.
Trainer Mike Bass, who will saddle his last July runner this year, has four entered in the race, which includes two fillies – and Marinaresco will certainly boost the stable hopes of a fairytale farewell for their legendary boss.
The Vodacom Durban July scoop is a bit of a marketing body blow for Kenilworth Racing, with both the boys and girls first leg winter series winners maintaining their 100% records – but both highly unlikely to take their places in what would have been a warming winter raceday climax to the respective trebles.
But such is the lure of Africa’s greatest horseracing event and the big money that far outstrips the local cash bonus of R250 000!
With Marinaresco covering the 1800m in 112,46 secs, the winning margin of 0,40 lengths flattered the runner-up Whisky Baron – who also played second fiddle in the Guineas first leg.
Royal Badge improved nicely to run third, ahead of the pacesetter Paladin.
Candice Robinson will be looking to give her Dad Mike a giant July send-off
Assistant trainer Candice Robinson labelled Marinaresco a ‘real smart little horse’ and added that he has an amazing turn of foot.
“Grant was a bit optimistic there! But he won so well. We don’t do a lot with Marinaresco as he lightens up a bit at home – I think he will go up for the July now,” she added with a broad smile commenting on the little fellow’s habit of pinning his ears back – “that’s why we gelded him, he wanted to go for everything around him,” she said.
Marinaresco has won 3 races with 5 places from 9 starts and took his stakes total to R531 325. He also picked up the BSA Added Value Bonus of R87 500.
Marinaresco is a 2014 BSA National Yearling Sale graduate. He was purchased by Mike Bass Racing for R1,3 million.
Bred by Mauritzfontein Stud, he is by Silvano out of the two-time winning Fort Wood mare, Gay Fortuna.
The winner’s older half sister by Ideal World is a rather modest looking one-time winner.
Role on 2 July – it is developing into one major racing spectacle!
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Gr3 Winter Classic (SAf-Gr3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, May 21, R250k, 1800m, turf, good, 1.52.46
1 – MARINARESCO (SAF), 60.0, b g 3, Silvano (GER) – Gay Fortuna (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Messrs F Green, Bryn Ressell & N M Shirtliff; Breeder Mauritzfontein Stud; trainer MW Bass; jockey G v Niekerk
2 – Whisky Baron (AUS), 59.0, b c 3, Manhattan Rain (AUS) – Tazkara (FR) by Sinndar (IRE)
3 – Royal Badge (SAF), 59.0, b c 3, Go Deputy (USA) – So Royal (SAF) by Kahir Almaydan (IRE)
Margins: 0.40, 1.25, 1.50
