Great Ride! Piere Strydom drives Seal out to win the Listed Aquanaut Handicap
An outstanding display in the saddle gave Silvano a second feature win of the day, when Piere Strydom steered the tough as teak Seal to victory in the R150 000 Listed Aquanaut Handicap run over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday.
The inspired new Dad Piere Strydom on song is music to any astute punter’s ears, and the blonde jockey rode a textbook race on Gavin Van Zyl’s gelding, who carried his welterweight around the 2450m circuit in sensational style.
The former Gr1 SA Derby and Gold Vase winner went off relatively friendless at 12 to 1, and he was always up amongst the action before surging ahead in the final 200m to give the year younger Canterbury Tale 11 kgs and a 0,75 length beating.
Carrying 62,5kgs, Geoff Woodruff’s Java Handicap winner Soul Master rattled through late to run a very impressive 1,25 length third.
Seal’s winning time of 154.88 secs was testimony to the pace being slowed up dramatically at the halfway marker by MJ Odendaal on the Albert Hall filly Avenue Of Gold.
The disappointments here included Azzie’s favourite Brooks Club (8, 50 lengths), the fancied Mike De Kock runner Rocco’s Luck (9,7 5) and the Spike Lerena runner Go Gold (10 lengths ), who spoilt his consistent formline.
The race was run predictably as Avenue Of Gold scooted off to lead by a few lengths from Masai Warrior, with Seal just heading Brooks Club and Canterbury Tale.
At about the 1400m marker Odendaal slammed on brakes to give his mount a breather, and this may well have played right into Strydom’s hands, while not favouring the likes ofBrooks Club and Rocco’s Luck.
Avenue Of Gold came back to her field in the home run as Masai Warrior gunned for the judge with Brooks Club and Seal right in attendance.
Strydom always appeared to have things in control though, as he punched Seal into the final 200m with Canterbury Tale and Soul Master staying on. A top ride!
Bred by Cape veterinarian Dr Ian Heyns, Seal is by Silvano out of the unraced Rambo Dancer mare Prestine Performer. Silvano also produced the winner of the previous race, when Tellina won the Gr2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas for Geoff Woodruff.
Seal cost R210 000 on the National Two Year Old Sale of his year, and has been a very fun and profitable horse to own. Legend has it that KZN trainer Paul Lafferty was the underbidder
Seal is versatility personified and has won from 1200m to 3000m.
Seal registered his seventh win and 11 places from his 28 starts and took his career earnings to R1 709 462.
He looks medium term Gold Cup material at this point.
