Off the rails – Dollar Dazzler uses the rail as his guide as he streaks home under Donavan Mansour (JC Photos)
Avontuur super stallion Var continues to churn out the top-class racers with lightning regularity and his much talked about son Dollar Dazzler scored an impressive Gr2 victory at Turffontein on Saturday at just his eighth career outing.
Alec Laird always had a strong three pronged attack in the R400 000 Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap and after the withdrawal of fifty percent of the Tarry attack in the form of the class 3yo Zambezi River, the scales tipped in Laird’s direction – although the bang in-form Tarry had the fancied Willow Magic carrying his flag.
Polished ride by Donavan Mansour
With the field reduced to ten, Willow Magic was a hot order at even money with Moofeed and One Man’s Dream next best at 7-1. The Dollar Dazzler supporters must have been smiling with 12’s available on their guy – although hindsight is an exact science.
With Willow Magic marginally slowly away, Chekilli led the inside group with the pacy long-striding Dollar Dazzler at the head of affairs down the outside
Moofeed continued to gallop strongly as he challenged Chekilli for the lead with Aurum Pot stopping and Dollar Dazzler starting to lengthen his stride down the outside.
In a matter of strides Dollar Dazzler asserted himself and stormed home under a delighted Donovan Mansour to beat the running on Moofeed by 1,75 lengths in a time of 66,83 secs.
Roy Magner’s Greasepaint maintained his consistent place cheque record with a respectable third, while Aurum Pot shaded his stablemate Chekilli to run fourth.
The even money favourite Willow Magic moved forward menacingly at the 400m marker, but went backwards just as fast to finish second last and 11,50 lengths behind the winner. We await the official stipes report.
The 4yo Dollar Dazzler is far more committed since gelding and has now won 4 of his 8 starts for Alec Laird with 3 places for stakes of R474 500.
The Klipdrif Stud-bred Dollar Dazzler is a son of Var and is the third foal of the stakes placed four-time winning Joshua Dancer mare, Isla Bonita, who won up to 1400m.
He was a R525 000 National Yearling Sale purchase.
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Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 4, R400k, 1160m, turf, good, 1.06.83
1 – DOLLAR DAZZLER (SAF), 54.0, b g 4, Var (USA) – Isla Bonita (SAF) by Joshua Dancer (USA). Owner Messrs M C Gerber & J F & L M F Wernars; Breeder Klipdrif Stud; trainer AG Laird; jockey D Mansour
2 – Moofeed (AUS), 53.0, b c 4, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Dizzy De Lago (AUS) by Encosta De Lago (AUS)
3 – Greasepaint (SAF), 52.5, ch g 4, Kahal (GB) – Lady Red (SAF) by Russian Revival (USA)
Margins: 1.75, 1.25, 0.20
