What A Winner! Bernard Fayd’herbe poses for the photographer as What A Winter skips clear to win the Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood
The astute conditioning skills of veteran Cape trainer Mike Bass were to the fore at Clairwood on Saturday, when the brilliant sprinter What A Winter bounced back to his best after a lean spell. The Daytona Stud-bred son of Western Winter turned the R600 000 Gr1 Mercury Sprint into a procession.
If the acid test of a racehorse trainer lies in the measure of his character and skill, and his ability to recover from adversity and negative sentiment, then Mike Bass passes the exam with flying colours.
Written off after his Gr1 dirty downer double in the Computaform Sprint in Johannesburg, and then his flat effort in the Golden Horse Casino Sprint at Scottsville, the top colt reminded us on Saturday just why he was rated one of the most exciting sprinters of the decade, hardly a year ago. And no doubt Mike Bass has always held on to that amid the armchair criticism and the form peaks and troughs.
What A Winter’s last run in the Gold Challenge won by Variety Club over a mile at this track, was a failed experiment and he proved again in the Mercury Sprint that he is a high-class speed machine, with a set of gears and turn of foot, that could make Usain Bolt blush.
Starting a 14-10 favourite in this Gr1 sprint, he restored our expectations and faith in no uncertain terms. It all went so smoothly.
The only filly in the race Chocolicious showed her usual toe to lead the charge, just ahead of Winking Jack on the inside with Snowdon and Midnight Serenade also showing good pace. Bernard Fayd’herbe had What A Winter nicely covered up about three lengths off the leaders at this stage, while his late-dash stablemate Rushing Wind languishing in the back rank, as he always does..
Chocolicious continued to lead at the halfway mark from Midnight Serenade with Delago Deluxe edging closer. Marcus sensed the danger to his wide outside as he sent Delago Deluxe earlier than he may have chosen to. He and What A Winter came forward together at the 400m.
Brothers and Bass. The winning trio of Mike Bass, skirted by the brothers Fayd’herbe – Robert on left and Bernie on right
The two paced it out for a few strides, but Fayd’herbe was in no mood to play poker with any inferior younger talents, and he pressed the launch button as the star sprinter strode clear to win going away. He also restored our faith in Gr1 form, after the Vodacom Durban July outsider debacle for many punters, of just a week ago.
Delago Deluxe maintained his consistent formline and stayed on for second 2,75 lengths behind, with the very game Snowdon a further 2,75 lengths back for the rather tasty R60 000 third cheque. Joey Ramsden’s Copper Parade ran a predictable third Group sprint fourth place in a row. He must be a frustrating horse to place, as he surely is so much better than a four-time winner?
The race went predictably and to form, with the straight line winning trifecta paying a remarkable 39-1 on the Saftote! Like we have seen so often recently in other cases, the Bass horse reversed the Scottsville Golden Horse Casino Sprint form, although the weight differential here was always going to bring him and Delago Deluxe much closer together.
There were no major disappointments. Antious ran 7,85 lengths and despite the fitment of a tongue-tie, maintained his unfortunate recent downward form spiral. The filly Chocolicious had a huge task and after showing toe, faded out to finish 9,10 lengths off.Beyond Snowdon paying his way, the Gauteng challengers Winking Jack, Magico and Midnight Serenade, left empty-handed.
The winner covered the 1200m trip in a time of 67,76 secs which, with the assistance of the tailwind, was marginally slower outside of JJ The Jet Plane’s course record of 67,45 secs.
This was What A Winter’s 9th with 4 places from 17 starts. He took his career earnings to R1 876 833.
He looked a million dollars in the parade and canter-past and winning Groomsman, Andile Matshokotsha, deserves every credit as a member of the winning team.
The winner was bred by Robin Hamilton’s Daytona Stud.
Besides the lovely R375 000 first cheque, what must be most exciting for the owners, father-and-son team Marsh and Guy Shirtliff, and Mike Bass and Bryn Ressel, is that the extremely well-performed winner still has stallion pretensions. He is beautifully bred too, being a four year old son of Western Winter, out of the Irish-bred miler Waseela.
Result:
The Mercury Sprint (SAf-G1) (7/14)
Clairwood, South Africa, July 14, R600.000, 1200m, turf, good, 1.07.76 (CR1.07.45).
WHAT A WINTER (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Western Winter – Waseela (IRE) by Ahonoora (IRE). Owner M W Bass, B Ressell, G N & N M Shirtliff; breeder Daytona Stud (SAF); trainer M W Bass; jockey B Fayd’herbe (R375.000)
Delago Deluxe (AUS), 59.5, b c 3, Encosta De Lago (AUS) – Succeeding (AUS) by Flying Spur (AUS)
Snowdon (SAF), 60.0, b g 4, Western Winter – Antonia’s Law (SAF) by National Assembly (CAN)
Margins: 2¾, 2¾, ¾
Also ran: Copper Parade (SAF) 60.0, Winking Jack (SAF) 60.0, Mike’s Choice (SAF) 60.0, Magico (SAF) 60.0, Antious (ARG) 60.0, Midnight Serenade (SAF) 59.5, Chocolicious (SAF) 57.5, Rushing Wind (SAF) 60.0, Shades Of Indigo (SAF) 60.0
