Winless in over two years, the 6yo Archipenko gelding Kingston Mines found form at his fifth start in the Eastern Cape to outstay his rivals to win the R150 000 Listed Glenlair Trophy at Fairview on Friday.
Greg Cheyne keeps Kingston Mines going (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
Multiple local champion trainer Alan Greeff is the master of the second chance option for tired major province performers, and his victories with Our Icon and Kingston Mines in the afternoon’s two features underlined his skills.
Formerly with Mike De Kock, Kingston Mines last tasted victory in the 2015 Caradoc Gold Cup and arrived in Port Elizabeth looking for a change.
On Friday he rewarded his patient owners – one of whom is Mike de Kock – and banked the R93 750 first cheque after an arduous tussle up the home straight.
After Greg Cheyne had sat quietly near the rear for much of the race, he bounced the 6yo around his field as they came for home and the chestnut looked set for a big win.
But the Cheyne initiative appeared to be unravelling at the 300m as Coltraine challenged up the inside, and his mount started hanging.
Cheyne didn’t panic though and straightening Kingston Mines out, the pair found the right momentum and despite hanging, they went on best of all to hold Coltrane to 1,75 lengths in a time of 204,85 secs.
A good performance from a versatile sort who can run his race up with the pace, if circumstances dictate.
Arezzo stayed on best of the rest for third, a further half length back, with Alghadeer running on for fourth.
Alan Greeff – hat trick of winners
Kingston Mines now looks a natural candidate for South Africa’s longest race, the PE Gold Cup which is run over 3600m on 23 June.
He has won 5 races with 11 places from 33 starts for stakes of R862 875.
Kingston Mines was bred in the UK by Miss Kirsten Rausing & Mrs S Rogers at Lanwades Stud.
From Archipenko’s first crop, Kingston Mines was a yearling purchase by Form Bloodtsock from Staffordstown at Goffs in 2012.
The winner is out of the very well-related staying Nashwan mare Alexandrine, who won in the UK from 2000m to 2800m.
Archipenko was a Gr1 winner and a leading international miler who won 5 Group races on 3 continents. He was Timeform rated 127 (2lbs above his sire, Kingmambo.)
Trained by Mike de Kock, Archipenko was the horse who broke the ice for the SA champion in the UK when he won the Gr2 Summer Mile under Kevin Shea at Ascot. In doing so, De Kock became the first South African trainer to win a race in England.
He was once described by De Kock as ‘the most intelligent I have trained. The only thing he can’t do is talk. He’s smart.’
Cheyne and Greeff enjoyed a good day with three winners – but their former Betting World 1900 winner Dynastic Power, who was expected to win, was a major disappointment with a flat fourth in the penultimate race of the day.
