Gimmethegreenlight’s fast progressive daughter Green Pepper got the summer sun shining bright and early when she got punters off to a flying start, winning the R250 000 Gr3 Magnolia Handicap at Turffontein on Summer Cup day.
Randall Simons steers Green Pepper to a facile win (Pic – JC Photos)
Registering her fourth – and biggest – win from five starts, the beautiful 3yo showed her ability and prospects as one of the most talented speedsters of her age and sex.
Taking on a field of seasoned flyers, she blew any reservations her trainer may have had about her being 2kgs under sufferance, sweetly out of the water – and showed that she is a few lengths ahead of the handicapper at this stage of the game.
Punters had plenty of confidence – backing her into the red for the 1160m event.
Randall Simons – Green Pepper’s partner
An uncomplicated professional athlete, Green Pepper does everything right and switched off early a few lengths off the pace, she came home powerfully to give Randall Simons an armchair ride.
Tuned to the minute by Johan Janse van Vuuren, the Listed Gardenia Stakes winner skipped away from Gary Alexander’s consistent late-finisher Crystal Glamour to win by 2,25 lengths in a time of 66,79 secs.
Simons is the only jockey ever to have ridden Green Pepper and his post-race sentiments echoed his deep admiration for her ability.
This was her second stakes victory and she has now earned R584 375, with her 4 wins and narrowly beaten second in her 5 starts. A genuine model of consistency!
The Varsfontein Stud-bred winner is a daughter of champion freshman Gimmethegreenlight out of the once winning Fort Wood mare, Pimento.
She was purchased for R300 000 off the 2015 BSA Val De Vie Yearling Sale.
Trainer Sean Tarry, who saddled third-placed Old Em, started the day with a bang, saddling the first double.
Klawervlei Sale graduate Apocalypse Now beat his more fancied stablemate Furiosa to win the first under Apprentice Lyle Hewitson, and the yard followed up with Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate the Nutfield Stud-bred filly, Magicality winning the second with ease in the hands of SA champion, S’manga Khumalo.
Both are progeny of Captain Al.
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Gr3 Magnolia Handicap (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, November 26, R250k, 1160m, turf, soft, 1.06.79
1 – GREEN PEPPER (SAF), 52.0, b f 3, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Pimento (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Mr P A Pearson & Vendel Civils (Pty) Ltd; Breeder Varsfontein Stud; trainer JJ v Vuuren; jockey R Simons
2 – Crystal Glamour (SAF), 52.0, b f 4, Seventh Rock (AUS) – Eastern Glamour (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
3 – Swift Sarah (SAF), 54.5, b f 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Quebec Express (USA) by Arch
Margins: 2.25, 3.20, 1.20
