Trainer Stuart Pettigrew has opted to take his chances from a wide draw in the Gr1 SA Classic for his smart Gimmethegreenlight colt Surcharge, rather than take on the might of champion miler Legal Eagle at unfavourable weight terms in the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
Majestic Mambo – owes a few punters a few rand after the Guineas
The Classic Day picture for Turffontein on 7 April has started to become clearer after Pettigrew, fired up by a wide gate, kept his options open until the last minute.
A running on – albeit distant – second behind the subsequently exported Monks Hood in the Gauteng Guineas early in March makes Surcharge a massive contender over the extra 200m.
Piere Strydom takes the ride again and he may have most to fear from the Mike de Kock quintet, headed by Royal Crusade and Noble Secret – third and fourth in the Guineas.
Boom colt Majestic Mambo, who blotted his copybook in the Guineas with a performance punctuated by coltish behaviour, will be out to make amends. He went into the classic unbeaten after three starts, but was never in the hunt.
R2 million Gr1 S A CLASSIC
For 3 year-olds (2nd Leg of SA Triple Crown)
| 1 | 5 | Roy Had Enough (AUS) | 60 | 110 | A | W Kennedy | Frank Robinson | |
| 2 | 14 | Surcharge | 60 | 110 | A | P Strydom | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 3 | 13 | Greek Fire | 60 | 106 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 4 | 1 | Like A Panther | 60 | 106 | A | C Murray | Mike de Kock | |
| 5 | 10 | Majestic Mambo | 60 | 104 | A | A Delpech | Paul Peter | |
| 6 | 4 | Noble Secret | 60 | 101 | A | R Simons | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 7 | Royal Crusade | 60 | 101 | BA | A Marcus | Mike de Kock | |
| 8 | 2 | Lobo’s Legend | 60 | 97 | A | M Yeni | Joe Soma | |
| 9 | 12 | Alshibaa (AUS) | 60 | 93 | BA | R Munger | Mike de Kock | |
| 10 | 3 | Pietro Mascagni | 60 | 93 | T A | G Lerena | Mike de Kock | |
| 11 | 11 | Silver God | 60 | 93 | T A | R Danielson | Sean Tarry | |
| 12 | 8 | Darkest Hour | 60 | 89 | BA | C Zackey | Barend Botes | |
| 13 | 9 | Hero’s Honour | 60 | 88 | A | C Maujean | Gary Alexander | |
| 14 | 6 | Throng | 60 | 82 | T A | *L Hewitson | Sean Tarry | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (4,6,7,9,10) (11,14) | ||||||||
Much like Surcharge, Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Takingthepeace has pulled a wide gate for the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara.
Folk Dance – goes further and has been consistent
The daughter of Visionaire beat her stablemate Silver Thursday by a quarter length in a thriller on 3 March, and both third placed Green Top and the consistent Folk Dance, who ran fourth, are back to try and turn the tables.
3yof (2nd Leg Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara)
| 1 | 14 | Takingthepeace | 60 | 104 | A | C Murray | Mike de Kock | |
| 2 | 9 | Folk Dance | 60 | 103 | A | K de Melo | Paul Peter | |
| 3 | 10 | Silver Thursday | 60 | 103 | A | A Delpech | Mike de Kock | |
| 4 | 15 | Flichity By Farr | 60 | 99 | A | M V’Rensburg | Alyson Wright | |
| 5 | 8 | Roy’s Riviera (AUS) | 60 | 98 | A | W Kennedy | Frank Robinson | |
| 6 | 6 | Cashel Palace | 60 | 96 | A | R Simons | Alec Laird | |
| 7 | 11 | Fiorella | 60 | 96 | A | A Marcus | Duncan Howells | |
| 8 | 1 | Aurelia Cotta | 60 | 93 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Sean Tarry | |
| 9 | 7 | Green Top | 60 | 91 | BA | M Yeni | Alec Laird | |
| 10 | 5 | Rockin Russian | 60 | 91 | A | *L Hewitson | Sean Tarry | |
| 11 | 4 | Radiant Splendour (AUS) | 60 | 89 | A | P Strydom | Gary Alexander | |
| 12 | 16 | Mar Del Sur | 60 | 88 | A | C Zackey | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 13 | 3 | Secret Potion | 60 | 88 | A | G Lerena | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 14 | 2 | London Secret | 60 | 85 | A | R Danielson | Sean Tarry | |
| 15 | 12 | Forest Express | 60 | 83 | T A | S Khumalo | Sean Tarry | |
| 16 | 13 | Saragon | 60 | 79 | A | C Maujean | Gary Alexander | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,3) (6,9) (8,10,14,15) (11,16) | ||||||||
