A tactical move to include a pacemaker was probably the key to Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson winning the all-ages Gr3 Track & Ball Derby for the second time, courtesy of the Global View gelding Decorated, at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
A genuine staying son of Ascot stallion Global View, Decorated ground away after enjoying a decent pace set by his stablemate Catch The Tune.
Frank Robinson tasted success in this race in 2019, when Anton Marcus booted the Australian-bred Roy Had Enough home. The stake that year was R250 000, and in a sign of the times, they raced for R175 000 on Saturday.
Muzi Yeni rides a cracker to get Decorated home from Salvator Munid (Smanga Khumalo) & Spring Fling (Richard Fourie) in a thriller (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
On Saturday, maintenance just behind the stalls at the 100m marker delayed the start and many were left standing for some time before being sent on their way.
Muzi Yeni has enjoyed a terrific feature season on the East Coast and the competitive jockey rode a perfectly judged race, despite being run off his feet at the top of the straight.
Just when Smanga Khumalo looked to have poached it on Salvator Mundi (8-1), Yeni got Decorated (14-1) gunning and the gelding snatched victory in the final strides to win by a neck in a time of 150,99 secs.
Spring Fling (10-1) stayed on just over a length back in third, with Chewbaca (8-1) in fourth.
The fancied Senso Unico (3-1) and Hollywoodbets Durban July entry Silvano’s Timer (33-10) finished out of the money in disappointing efforts.
Raced by Dudley Cherry, Decorated was bred by Mr & Mrs John Slade and is a first graded stakes winner for Ascot’s Galileo stallion Global View. The winner is out of the twice-winning Dynasty mare, Art Deco.
Decorated took his stakes total to R372 625 with his fifth win and 6 places from 24 starts.
Watch the replay here:
Gold Circle made the move in 2014 to open the KZN Derby and the KZN Oaks to all ages at weight-for-age terms. This was based on the rationale that the main focus of 3yo’s during the SA Champions Season is the individual sex Guineas, the Daily News 2000, the Woolavington Stakes and the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
This meant that over the years the Derby and Oaks had suffered and were downgraded and battled to find a consistent place in the programme.
It was decided to try and enhance the quality and depth of both races by opening them up to all and move away from the traditional 3yo classic restriction. The decision was supported by international precedent, such as the Irish St Leger and the Yorkshire Oaks.
Further justification was seen in the fact that there are no weight-for-age races in South Africa over the distance, and it was hoped that the overall programme for stayers would benefit from the change. Has it? You be the judge.
Don’t miss the Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops – see below:
