Lezeanne Forbes is all smiles as she leads the winner in with Tristan Godden saluting
Tristan Godden registered the fourth winner of his career as a fully fledged jockey when riding a finely judged race to get Royal Armour home for Lezeanne Forbes in the Fever Tree Stakes at Scottsville on Sunday.
The 1400m non black-type feature hosted just eight runners on the soft going on a testing card that produced a lucky-for-some R268 000 Pick Six dividend.
With the jockeys leaving a gap on the inside rail, Sylvester The Cat made the running as he enjoys to do, with Royal Armour tucked away two lengths off.
Up the home straight, Sylvester The Cat maintained a strong gallop down the outside, with the likes of Monte Christo floundering down the outside.
Royal Armour took the lead at the 250m and always looked to be going the better – holding his advantage to the line to win by a head in a time of 86,55 secs.
It was Godden’s first feature success out of his apprenticeship.
The pacesetting Sylvester The Cat was given a good ride from the front by Jarred Samuel and almost came right back – holding on gamely for second.
His stablemate Amazon King (33-10) rounded off the trifecta.
Tristan Godden gets Royal Armour to stay on well
Christmas Handicap winner Rikitikitana ran a moderate race as did the 5-2 favourite Monte Christo who made his run down the seemingly worse going on the inside and faded to finish stone last of the eight runners.
The Waterford Stud bred winner is a 4yo son of Jay Peg out of the three-time winning Fort Wood mare, Royal Palm.
He was the second feature winner of the weekend for multiple Gr1 winner Jay Peg after Victorious Jay had won the Cape Mile at Kenilworth 24 hours earlier.
Royal Armour was purchased for just R60 000 off the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale and took his earnings to a very respectable R431 000 with his 7th win with 3 places from 22 starts.
