Soma’s Crowning Moment

Kevin Shea drives Athina through to beat Along Came Polly (outside) and Not Sulking (JC Photos)

Trainer Joey Soma and jockey Kevin Shea are not the most youthful combination of talents one could hope to find on any good day in this fascinating game. But between them they performed a giant killing act when Fort Wood’s daughter Athina stormed home to win the R1 million Gr1 SA Fillies Classic at Turffontein on Saturday in a memorable race for the Triple Tiara sponsors, Wilgerbosdrift Stud.

Joey Soma is as good a trainer of racehorses as any of our top ten conditioners given the right stock to train and he had the diminituve Athina tuned to the moment for a race that could prove to be a turning point in her career.

The question as to whether she would stay or not had been the lingering doubt and on paper, while she is by Fort Wood, she is out of a Rich Man’s Gold mare who only won at 1200m.

But we tipped her as our value bet based on the fact that she has an electrifying turn of foot and had stayed on well previously at good tries over a mile. It was a gamble of probabilities that proved spot on.

Joey Soma with his colleague and friend, Mike De Kock

Geoff Woodruff’s Arcetri Pink had won the Guineas on 1 March and any hopes of crowning a potential Triple Tiara Queen were dashed when she was run out of it late and ran fourth. She will still win plenty though.

The race was run at a good gallop and in much better conditions than the first leg of the richest series of races for 3yo fillies in Africa.

Into the final 400m any one of ten could win it as Ash Cloud was running strongly, with Along Came Polly looking a likely winner.

But the brilliant Shea had set Athina alight and she was veering through horses as she grabbed every gap to burst between runners in the dying strides to win going away

Shea had timed his challenge to perfection and Athina flashed up to get the decision by a short head in a time of 111,63 secs.

Judpot’s first Gr1 winner Along Came Polly stayed on well for second in an encouraging return to better form, while the Woodruff runners Not Sulking and Arcetri Pink ran third and fourth, all within 0,75 lengths of the winner.

Shea played down his brilliance and talent as he labelled Athina a ‘tricky filly to ride.’

The former De Kock number 1 picked up the ride as Sean Cormack had Drier stable commitments at Clairwood.

“Sean Cormack’s input was invaluable and the bottom line with her is that you have to wait and wait a bit longer.  I wouldn’t be concerned about going further with her. She is a really good filly,” he said competing with the droning noise of a departing helicopter.

Winning owner and breeder, Mary Slack

Trainer Joey Soma was thrilled and expressed what is surely one of the great racing understatements of the year to Tellytrack’s visiting presenter Stan Elley, when he suggested: ‘I am enjoying this, Stan!’.

Soma trained the 2012 Sansui Summer Cup winner Wagner for the Joostes. He was incidentally by Mauritzfontein’s late sire, Tiger Ridge.

“It was touch and go if we would actually run Athina here. I am very glad we did and this was one of the better rides I have seen in a long time. This a a big moment in my career to win a race of this nature for Mrs Mary Slack. What an absolute privilege,” he said proudly.

Owner Mary Slack was presented with the magnificent winner’s trophy by her daughter, Rachel.

“I can’t believe it. I was watching the grey filly and I could see Athina was so far back. She has a great turn of foot. What a superb win,”  said Mary Slack.

Athina has won 4 of her 11 starts for 4 places and R1 045 375 in stakes. Her previous biggest moment was her Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes victory.

Athina  was bred by Mauritzfontein from Fort Wood out of the one time winning Rich Man’s Gold mare, The Heiress.

She will be a big runner in the Oaks but could also be seen down in KZN for Champions Season.

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