Ultimate Dollar stretches out to win easily under S’manga Khumalo
A superbly judged front-running ride by SA champion jockey S’manga Khumalo opened the Vodacom Durban July day feature programme at Greyville on Saturday, with Justin Snaith’s Jet Master 3yo Ultimate Dollar slamming his arch-rival St Tropez, and his more fancied stablemate Dynamic, to win the R500 000 Gr3 tabGOLD 2200.
The July Consolation result would have sent out a sombre warning to trainers of the older generation, when the two decent looking 3yo’s had the race to themselves.
‘Bling’ Khumalo had his nine opponents (Sun On Africa was withdrawn at the start) play sweetly into his hands as he dictated a modest gallop ahead of Mountain Master and Dynamic, with Light The Lights and Big Cat further back.
At the 300m marker it was clear that nothing was getting to Ultimate Dollar and the gelding straightened up and drew off to register an easy 3,25 length win in a time of 137,53 secs. He went off at a generous 10-1.
Australian-based jockey Chad Schofield, having his first ride in SA in his old hometown, got St Tropez going late and he chased the winner home for second, ahead of the even-money favourite and Vodacom Durban July first reserve Dynamic, who offered little late.
Balance Sheet ran on best of the rest for fourth.
The race produced a happy revenge opportunity for Ultimate Dollar, who had beaten St Tropez at Greyville on 19 April, but was subsequently demoted in the boardroom.
He then ran handily in the KRA Guineas, before fading out late to run 5,95 lengths behind The Conglomerate.
The Daytona Stud-bred Ultimate Dollar is a 3yo son of Jet Master out of the four-time winning Western Winter mare, Mkushi Gold. He was a R460 000 purchase on the 2013 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
Ultimate Dollar has now won 4 races with 4 places from his 11 starts and took his stakes earnings to R486 775.
While the Greyville camerawork was superb, the tardiness of the Tote proved frustrating for punters – both on course and on line.
