“One thing bigger than my Dad’s mouth is his heart.” Winning jockey Aldo Domeyer’s touching tribute to his legendary sire Andrew Fortune after the Scribante family’s flying filly O Tamara had annihilated the males to score a terrific victory in the R200 000 Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup at Fairview on Friday.
Aldo Domeyer poses for the camera as O Tamara storms too victory in the Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup (Pic – Coastal Photos)
Fortune had been aboard at both the Argonaut filly’s previous two wins and judging from the comments of Friday’s winning trainer and jockey, the veteran had plenty of input in the tactics and the decision to run her.
“Her last win in the Lady’s Slipper was going to be her last run of the term, but I spoke to Andrew about running her here and he didn’t hesitate when suggesting we should,” said Alan Greeff in the post-race interview.
The ‘Fortune Factor’ Aldo Domeyer with dad Andrew
And the young Domeyer, who is just two winners away from the magical 100 winner mark, was also full of praise for his Dad.
“He told me if I get her into that position that she would have a big chance. And things worked out magically. I gave her two light taps. She has a distinguished turn of foot. She can only get better as she goes further and gets stronger. I think we will hear plenty about her next season,” said the talented jockey.
The 1400m race went perfectly according to plan.
O Tamara, drawn at 6, jumped nicely and was relaxed in midfield as Bollemakiesie made the pace.
At the 300m, the Glen Kotzen-trained Cape challenger Dark Force ranged up dangerously in the hands of Donovan Dillon and looked to be the one to beat. But the lovely son of Rebel King had no answer to the sweeping late effort of O Tamara who breezed on by to a smart win by 3,25 lengths in a time of 86,65 secs.
Dark Force, who had decent collateral to Gr3 Langerman winner Table Bay, held on for second ahead of the late challenge of Grandissimo.
O Tamara was the second filly to win this race in three years since the now retired Jet Set Go romped home for Vaughan Marshall in 2014.
Trainer Alan Greeff said that he was thrilled to give the KZN based Piemonte Stud their first group winner.
“I have to mention their hardworking stud manager Dino and also Lee. They will be very pleased with this win,” said the broadly smiling Greeff.
Lee Scribante – looking forward to O Tamara’s 3yo career
Lee Scribante of breeders Piemonte Stud told the Sporting Post that O Tamara, who had been named after his daughter, had attracted no interest at the 2015 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale.
“She was bought back for R30 000 by my trainer Alan Greeff. Interestingly, Gill Drier actually loved her and picked her out as the best of my draft. But nobody wanted the Argonauts and they could have gotten her for R10 000. Not bad for a filly who has run only eight times and earned over R400 000! But, hey, we are not complaining.”
On the discarded Argonaut, Lee added that he felt that the ‘racing jury’ were a bit quick to condemn stallions at times.
He said that they had already turned down two offers for the lovely filly and that she would be rested with a view to targetting the Cape Summer Season Gr1’s next season.
Named after the province of Piemonte in Italy where the Scribante’s family home is located, the stud is a family owned business
O Tamara has now won 4 races with 4 places from 8 starts and took her stakes tally to R358 725 – which excludes the BSA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R87 500.
She is by Equus Champion colt of 2007, Argonaut, out of the three-time winning Spectrum mare, Syncopate.
She is a filly for the notebook.
_________
Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup (SAf-Gr3)
Fairview, South Africa, July 8, R200k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.26.65
1 – O TAMARA (SAF), 57.5, b f 2, Argonaut (SAF) – Syncopate (SAF) by Spectrum (IRE). Owner Messrs C G & L F Scribante; Breeder Piemonte Stud; trainer AC Greeff; jockey A Domeyer
2 – Dark Force (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Rebel King (SAF) – Folies Trevise (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
3 – Grandissimo (SAF), 60.0, b g 2, Biarritz (SAF) – Princess Pavlova (SAF) by Pole Position (GB)
Margins: 3.25, 0.50, 1.50
