Longstanding KZN-based owner Preggie Somasundram capped a great weekend at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday when his 3yo Canadian Summer proved a touch too classy for her seven older rivals in the R125 000 Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes.
On Friday, Mr Somasundram, who is holidaying with his family in Dubai, banked the R80 000 winning owner’s cheque for the Louis Goosen-trained Princess Tea who topped the log in the Hollywoodbets KZN Sizzling Summer Challenge.
Jason Gates salutes as Canadian Summer powers home to win the Sunday feature (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
48 hours later at the same venue, last season’s Gr1 Thekwini Stakes winner Canadian Summer – the only 3yo in the field – handed her opposition a galloping lesson in the Somasundram green and black when she relaxed in the box seat for much of the trip before smoothly finding her stride and going on powerfully under regular pilot Jason Gates.
The popular 18-10 favourite, Canadian Summer easily held off a late challenge from Dawnofanewday (8-1) to win by 2,10 lengths in a time of 99,06 secs.
Top Me Up Holly (10-1) stayed on for third, with the pacemaker Monashada (25-1) fading tamely into fourth.
There were ‘nerves’ expressed by both the winning trainer and jockey, and the win would have been particularly pleasing as her work had apparently not been 100%.
“I must thank my old boss and mentor Charles Laird who helps me with ideas on her programme,” added a delighted Darryl Moore.
An astute R80 000 2021 BSA August 2yo Sale buy, the winner was bred by Oldlands Stud and is a daughter of retired Avontuur stallion Oratorio (Danehill) out of the two-time winning Silvano mare Autumn Splendour.
Canadian Summer has now won 4 races with 3 places from 7 starts for stakes of R585 750.
Watch the replay here:
