As she did in 2020, reigning SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding will not take her place in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July. A run in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet at Hollywoodbets Greyville in the SA Champions Season climax on 31 July is a possibility, though.
With four Gr1 events on the day, the one-time Super Saturday meeting could be an Equus Award crunch clash and will make for a scintillating climax to what has been a superb season so far.
Having a break – Summer Pudding at her Turffontein stable (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
And will the Gold Bracelet be Summer Pudding’s swansong appearance?
The undisputed reigning Queen Of Turffontein and SA Horse Of The Year registered her tenth victory from eleven starts, when romping home in the R250 000 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes in style at the end of March.
It was a terrific effort, following an eleven week break after a below-par effort in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth,
On 17 April she would record her eleventh victory when winning the HSH Gr1 Princess Charlene Stakes over a mile – a distance short of her best.
Two weeks later she returned to take on SA Triple Crown star Malmoos and Got The Greenlight in the 4Racing Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.
In a below-par run, she would finish a 4,50 length fourth behind Soma star Got The Greenlight.
Making no excuses, trainer Paul Peter said that it was a rough race and the muddling pace did not suit her.
Talking to the Sporting Post on Monday, Peter said his stable star was taken out of the Vodacom Durban July at first declarations on Monday after consultation with owners, Jess and Steven Jell.
“It’s been a tough season for her. She has run six times, including four Gr1’s and she also travelled to the Cape where she got sick. Jess and Steve (Jell) love their horses and she’s just too valuable a filly to push hard. She will tick over now, and we may consider the Gold Bracelet at the end of the term.”
Peter was unable to confirm possible retirement for the daughter of Silvano. But it would make sense were they to call it a day in the Gold Bracelet.
