The Epworth Children’s Home joined the Bingwa supporters as an elated beneficiary charity as the Stonebridge family celebrated a successful title defence in Saturday’s R800 000 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Gr2 Charity Mile at Turffontein.
Gavin Lerena rides a confident race on Bingwa in his title defence (Pic – JC Photos)
Trained by Dorrie Sham and ridden by Chase Maujean when winning in 2021, Bingwa – now with Johan Janse van Vuuren – had not won a race in the interim, but found his best stride under Gavin Lerena on Saturday to go off at 10-1 and beat Puerto Manzano (16-1) by 2,50 lengths in a time of 98,02 secs.
The fancied Safe Passage (33-10) was having his first start since a third in the Hollywoodbets Durban July last season, and ran on well to grab third, while Joey Soma would have been pleased with Red Saxon’s (16-1) return for fourth, just a half length back.
Bingwa has now won 5 races with 12 places from his 27 starts for stakes of R1 405 850.
Bred by Tanzania residents Colin and Lynne Stonebridge, the winner is a son of Sandown Stud-based Pathfork (Distorted Humor) out of the two-time winning Century Stand mare, Marauding Lady.
Interesting bit of trivia – Gavin Lerena has been lucky for the Stonebridge family and won the Zimbabwe Fillies Nursery on Bingwa’s Grandmother!
Watch the replay here:
Bingwa is likely to line up next in the Betway Summer Cup on 26 November.
Second entries for the Betway Summer Cup close at 11am on Tuesday 1 November and final entries at 9am on Friday 18 November after which the weights will be announced.
Declarations must be in by 11am on Monday 21 November.
