An impressive 1750m debut win by the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo and four winners for Summerveld based Garth Puller were the highlights of the Scottsville Sunday meeting.
Anthony Delpech steers Hashtagyolo to a fluent victory (Pic – Candiese Marnewick – Gold Circle)
The Capetonians would both have come out of the meeting feeling positive and the Varsfontein bred Hashtagyolo (social media tag for ‘you only live once’) looks very likely to be headed to the Kannemeyer Milnerton base for the big summer season after her win.
A R1,1 million National Yearling Sale buy, she was allowed to settle before cutting her field down in the straight to win very easily. She is out of the once winning My Guiding Star (Jallad) – which makes her a half sister to the promising Drier filly La Revere (Var).
Hashtagyolo races in the interests of Spring Valley’s Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke. Anthony Delpech said that she has shown decent work – “but we didn’t realise she was this special!”
Brothers Puller. Garth(left) and Glen – also a trainer
Garth Puller’s change of yard last week into the vacated Mike De Kock stables in Summerveld probably had little to do with the stable’s four-timer. But Puller has been sending them out to win regularly and he has threatened to produce a big day.
Athandiwe Mgudlwa brought home the Horse Chestnut gelding Wall Tag to win the second for Garth’s fiancé, Wendy Heyns. The R200 000 March Yearling Sale graduate was bred by Wendy’s Uncle, Ian Heyns.
Anthony Delpech rode a perfect race to follow up in the next race for Puller when the R90 000 National Yearling Sale buy Bypass, sqeaked in ahead of the longtime pacesetter, Toltec. Both trainer and jockey described the Pickering bred son of Byword as one of the longest striding horses they had seen. “If you watched him go down to post, you would have seen he was a winner,” said Delpech. Puller added that he had told co-owner Andy Williams last time that it was a matter of how far, but that a virus had seen the gelding run a below-par race. Back to health on Sunday, he didn’t disappoint.
After having the disappointment of the fancied Flying Silver do a tendon in the fifth race, Puller got another on the board courtesy of Anton Marcus and the Mogok gelding Ever Dear in the 1950m MR 70 Handicap. A fellow ‘with his problems’, Ever Dear was overdue to score his second win and looks worthy of following, if sound.
Anthony Delpech registered his personal fourth winner of the day as Puller’s four-timer was rounded off in the last when the Brave Tin Soldier filly If Only won well after a 10 week break and scored by a half length over the consistent Diamond In The Sky. Puller trainer the winner’s dam.
In the post-race interview, Puller summed up the day, saying ‘we all get our chance’.
“It’s spring, the horses are well. The racing’s slightly weaker. We will just enjoy it and be thankful,” said the man who as a jockey rode 7 winners on an afternoon 36 years ago.
