Candice Dawson’s decision to avoid the testing climes of the higher status features on July day paid handsome dividends when her grey flyer Infamous Fox showed great courage to win the R150 000 Listed Engen Performance Stakes – previously the Thukela Handicap – for the second year running.
MJ Byleveld and Infamous Fox have formed a winning partnership (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
The topweight – the 4yo carried exactly 10kgs more than when winning the race last year – he sure runs for MJ Byleveld, and displayed heart and courage when taking a narrow gap on the rail to grab the advantage at the right moment. It was a brave move on the part of horse and rider.
Priced at a generous 11-1, he held off a storming late effort from an unlucky Silver Maple to win by 0,70 lengths in a time of 95,89 secs.
Sean Tarry’s Social Order found his better form again to run into the trifecta.
The winner was purchased for A$25 000 off the Glastonbury Farms draft at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A son of champion second season sire and Gr1 sprinter Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock), Infamous Fox is out of the unraced French (Nadeem), a half-sister to the staying stakes winner Ovidio (Danehill Dancer), who was trained by Justin Snaith.
He has won 8 races with 3 places from 21 starts and took his stakes to R670 350.
