Despite a rocky start to the 2019 Summer Cup day, the Turffontein Pick 6 pool rocketed to a record nett R21,2 million with the tote favourite True To Life cruising to a first stakes success to open proceedings in the R200 000 Gr3 Magnolia Handicap.
The Northfields Stud-bred 3yo daughter of Drakenstein sire Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill) showed her appreciation of the course-and-distance to register a smart victory in the 1160m handicap under Chase Maujean and prove again that just when it looked a ‘field’ race in the big exotic, it was hardly needed to go more than a handful.
Chase Maujean gets down low as True To Life storms to victory (Pic- JC Photos)
Maujean had the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained galloper just off the pace set by the enthusiastic Singforafa and he brought her through her field at the 300m marker to win going away at 3-1 by three lengths in a time of 66,19 secs.
Roy Magner’s longshot Dancing Queen (28-1) chased late to keep the gallant Sarah out of second position. Tony Peter’s pre-race observation that Sarah was lumping 5,5kgs more than the same age True To Life came home to roost – but it was a handicap, after all!
Another Magner charge in Pool Party (13-1) rounded off the quartet.
The winner was offered by Lammerskraal Stud on the 2018 National Yearling Sale where Greenstreet Bloodstock signed the slip at R180 000.
She is out of Zim and SA seven-time winner Mina Salaam, who won the Zimbabwe Guineas, Queen Of The Sand and Bloodstock SA 2000 and achieved her victories from 1200m to 2000m.
She is a Medaglia D’oro daughter of ten-time winning Equus Champion, Circle Of Life.
True To Life has won 4 races with 1 place from 7 starts for stakes of R369 625.
She was thought to have been likely to enjoy more ground but her worst run ever was in the 1600m Gr1 Thekwini Stakes last term. Sprinting is obviously her game.
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Gr3 Magnolia Handicap (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, November 30, R200k, 1160m, turf, good, 1.06.19
1 – TRUE TO LIFE (SAF), 53.0, b f 3, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Mina Salaam (USA) by Medaglia D’oro (USA). Owner Messrs J F & L M F Wernars & Mrs T J Wernars; Breeder Northfields Stud; trainer JAJ v Vuuren; jockey C Maujean
2 – Dancing Queen (SAF), 56.0, b f 4, Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Jet Princess (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
3 – Sarah (SAF), 58.5, ch f 3, What A Winter (SAF) – Sylvie (SAF) by Dupont (GB)
Margins: 3.00, 0.25, 0.50
