Former Eastern Cape trainer Dorrie Sham pulled off the biggest win post her move to Gauteng when the lightning fast Pinnacle Peak went all the way to upstage the more fancied runners and win the R250 000 Gr3 Man O’War Sprint at Turffontein on Saturday.
Craig Zackey and Pinnacle Peak go all the way to win (Pic – JC Photos)
When the talented young Craig Zackey woke up on Saturday with thoughts of celebrating his 23rd birthday, a gift of a win in the Gr3 feature was probably not high on his wish list.
But the former SA champion apprentice had Pinnacle Peak out in the John Finlayson silks in a blitzing attack of aggression from the jump and he was never headed.
That despite drifting across the track from his outside 14 gate, to win down the inside.
The horse who won his maiden at Fairview at 14-1 registered a smart Vaal victory at his penultimate jump to show he can hold his own in the local hierarchy.
Craig Zackey – confident ride
He went on to beat the consistent Down To Zero by 2,20 lengths in a time of 62,93 secs.
The Gimmethegreenlight filly Green Plains threatened late and ran a decent race to grab third.
The fancied Mustaaqeem never showed and ran a disappointing race to finish last and some 7,85 lengths behind.
Bred by the Narrow Creek Stud, Pinnacle Peak is a son of the red-hot Querari (Oasis Dream) out of Pinnaquin (Count Dubois).
He has now won 3 races with 2 places from 6 starts for stakes of R288 775.
A Gr1 winning son of champion sprinter and world leading sire Oasis Dream, Querari has 16 lots on the CTS April Yearling Sale, and 26 yearlings on the 2018 National Yearling Sale.
_________
Gr3 Man O’ War Sprint (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 7, R250k, 1100m, turf, good, 1.02.93
1 – PINNACLE PEAK (SAF), 56.0, b g 3, Querari (GER) – Pinnaquin (SAF) by Count Dubois (GB). Owner Mr J E Finlayson; Breeder Narrow Creek Stud; trainer DA Sham; jockey C Zackey
2 – Down To Zero (SAF), 56.0, b c 3, Judpot (USA) – Armatrading (SAF) by Var (USA)
3 – Green Plains (SAF), 55.5, b f 3, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Savannah Leigh (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
Margins: 2.20, 0.50, 0.20
