Bezanova beats No Worries to win the Charity Mile, as Louis The King sticks his head into the pic in third place (JC Phots)
A clever ‘clown’ who once paid R150 000 for a Bezrin gelding enjoyed banking a hefty R375 000 winning cheque at Turffontein on Saturday. Longstanding owner and breeder Chris Gerber’s pleasure was palpable as he received the winning owner trophy after the courageous Bezanova had streaked to a smooth victory in the R600 000 Gr2 Emperors Palace Charity Mile.
To the accompaniment of the imaginary strains of Manfred Mann’s 1966 hit, ‘Ha Ha Said The Clown’, a jubilant Gerber, who is no greenhorn in this game, recounted an exchange he had with popular former TBA Marketing man Tom Callaghan after the sale on which he had acquired the Clifton Stud-bred gelding.
Click on the link below to set the scene!
Trainer Alec Laird had two in the race in the Gerber blue and yellow and it was understandable that the Tiger Ridge gelding As You Like was the more fancied at the weights.
Alec Laird – another feature winner for the top yard
But Bezanova put his best foot forward at a lovely 18 to 1 to show that his frustrating 3yo season, a time he seemed to always be just on the outside looking in on the serious silverware, could well be a phase of his wild youth, as it were.
There was drama at the start when Rake’s Chestnut crossed his legs and nearly fell, unseating Anton Marcus. Punters pulled the short end of the stick as the riderless gelding was declared under starter’s orders. A lovely example of how we do our tom in cold blood!
Rake’s Chestnut appeared to cause minimal interference in running and thankfully both rider and horse came through the experience unscathed.
Trainer Alec Laird brought the chestnut Bezanova back in fighting trim after his recent confidence boosting prep run win and Marwing had him relaxed in sixth and some 7 lengths away as Emerald Cup winner Tommy Gun led No Worries, with Jet Jamboree and Midnight Run further back.
At the 500m the free running No Worries was set alight by Keagan De Melo as Bezanova ghosted down the inside rail.
Bezanova hit the front inside the 300m and Weiho Marwing, one of the most powerful and experienced jockeys around, got him to maintain his gallop all the way to the line. He went on to hold the gallant No Worries to a quarter length in a time of 95,54 secs.
Weichong Marwing – powerful ride to get Bezanova home
Triple Crown winner Louis The King charged through for third place down the outside in a heartening return to form after a rest and, more importantly, sweetly on the eve of the Sansui Summer Cup.
Lockheed Jetstar went next best of the Woodruff quintet when he banked fourth cheque after traffic problems in the straight did his prospects little good.
Robbie Sage’s consistent Sovereign Mint went off a weak 5 to 1 favourite in a bid to win his fifth consecutive race, but could do no better than plod into sixth and 2,35 lengths off the winner. He is worth another chance.
Bezanova has now won 4 from 13 starts with 4 places and R880 475 in stakes.
A R150 000 National Two Year Old Sale graduate, he was bred by Clifton Stud and is by Bezrin out of the thrice winning London News mare, Ananova.
Bezrin relocated to Spencer Cook’s The Rock Stud in Paarl, Western Cape from KZN in 2013.
The stakes winning, Group placed son of Danzig is the sire of the top rated Jimmi Choo and multiple stakes winners Celtic Fire, Tetelestai, Thunderflash and All Ablaze.
He stands for R10 000 – which sounds like real value in this day and age.
The Charity Mile was worth R550 000 to 16 charities, with R100 000 to the charity partnered to the winner and R20 000 each to the last five horses to finish
Bezanova ran for the National Horse Trust.
The winning media partner was Mix FM, while the lovely Mrs South Africa 2014, Sarah Kate Scott was the winning celebrity.
