It is very seldom that any jockey spoils the Striker party when the champion jockey looks to have the race in the bag. JP van der Merwe managed to do just that when he got the Mambo In Seattle filly Mambonick to rally late and come right back to win the R150 000 Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
Mambonick (JP van de Merwe) in orange cap) comes back between Heaps Of Fun (on outside – Piere Strydom) and Trip To India (Gavin Lerena), who ran third (Pic-JC Photos)
Van der Mewe took the substitute chance offered by Anthony Delpech’s early return to KZN for the rescheduled night meeting with both hands, to give Sean Tarry yet another feature winner – after French Navy had won the Gr3 London News earlier.
Tarry enjoyed the distinction of saddling the top two in the 1160m fillies event and Piere Strydom looked to have timed things perfectly as the 5-2 favourite Heaps Of Fun, runner-up to the exciting Negoamaro in the Fillies Mile, took off late and actually went past Mambonick in the final strides.
But Van der Merwe wasn’t taking no for an answer, and he got his 14-1 shot mount to rally – Mambonick getting the verdict over her stablemate by a head in a time of 67,06 secs.
JP van der Merwe – great ride to down Striker
Heaps Of Fun, who gave the winner 2kgs, ran a cracker in the steels and should not be long in racking up her third win.
Trip To India produced a decent showing, finishing only a half length off the winner.
Sean Tarry saddled a treble on the day, with Callan Murray and Weiho Marwing teaming up for a late double.
The Ambiance Stud-bred Mambonick is a daughter of Mambo In Seattle and is out of the unraced Var mare, Herself.
A R140 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, she took her earnings to R166 375 with her second win and one place from her four starts.
There are only two Mambo In Seattle fillies on this week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
