Good Greeff. Trainer Alan Greeff trained Way Clear to win the Listed Racing Association Stakes
Sandown Stud’s Kingmambo stallion Ashaawes celebrated a stakes winner from his first crop, when the Fred Crabbia-owned Way Clear lived up to his name in running out an emphatic winner of the R125 000 Listed Racing Association Stakes run over a mile at Fairview on Friday.
Trained by Alan Greef, who also sent out the fancied Placido and the longshot Tribal Party, the race was turned into a procession – and an unhappy one at that for most punters with the fancied runners lost in action.
The result was also something of a bizarre tactical satisfaction for the Greeff yard.
Despite jumping slowly, their third-stringer Tribal Party was bustled through the field by Kendall Minnie to make sure the volume was at full blast from the get go.
Still a maiden, and a formless one at that, Tribal Party charged away to lead them by seven lengths from Sedge, Tealion and with Cigar Boy well positioned in the midfield shadows.
The filly Marry Me Mullin was a few lengths further back, with Devil’s Dollar alongside Way Clear while Bishop’s Choice and Placido languished at the rear.
Into the home straight Tribal Party started to shorten his stride as the challenges came from all round.But his work was done.
Way Clear quickly came forward at the 300m marker pursued by Cigar Boy’s stablemate Pole Star and Bishop’s Choice.
Placido was making heavy weather of making up the leeway.
Balanced. Jockey Charles Ndhlovu rode a confident race on Way Clear
Under a well- balanced ride by jockey Charles Ndhlovu, Way Clear streaked away in the final stages to win impressively by 3,25 lengths in a time of 96,36secs. Despite his good last win against older horses, he started unfancied at 22-1.
The Steven Janse Van Rensburg-trained Bishop’s Choice just pipped a vastly improved Pole Star for second cheque.
And what an awful disappointment was Cigar Boy! Like his colleague Alan Greeff, whose runners finished in the wrong order, Justin Snaith had to suffer the frustration of Pole Star getting the better of Cigar Boy. Explain that to the connections – and the punting public!
Cigar Boy was sent off a hot order at 7-10, after being the street corner whisper from Summerstrand to Kommetjie all week. But that all turned into a lot of hot air when he became one-paced halfway down the home straight. He was solidly beaten into fourth and 6,10 lengths behind Way Clear. Cigar Boy was just not good enough on the day.
His performance compounded a frustrating afternoon for owner Ken Truter, who had apprentice Teaque Gould fall off his runner Polo Lounge two races earlier.
The fancied Placido also plodded on late to finish just behind Cigar Boy, while Gavin Smith’s Champion Juvenile winner Sedge continued his stunning recent fall from grace by finishing 26,60 lengths back. A terrible effort from this once shining star.
Way Clear’s good win was the cherry on the top of a great afternoon for Singapore-based owner Fred Crabbia, who celebrated with the winners of four of the eight races.
The champagne corks were no doubt popping at James Armitage’s Sandown Stud in Muldersvlei in the Cape, where the Armitages stand Ashaawes for a fee of R12 000.
A $2,85 million yearling, Ashaawes showed brilliance on the track in the Godolphin silks before injury put an end to his career.
Way Clear is out of the five-time winning Goldkeeper mare Clear Up, a serious producer of winners.
He was knocked down to Fred Crabbia for what is looking increasingly like a bargain R90 000 at the National Yearling Sale.
Way Clear has now won three times with four places from his nine starts. He took his career earnings to R167 875 with this cheque.
It would be great to see Way Clear down in Cape Town next month for the Guineas. Let’s hope we do.
