Sean Cormack steers Schiffer to an easy win
The brilliantly fast Var filly Schiffer retired from the competitive catwalk in a blaze of glory with a superb win in the R150 000 Listed Umngeni Handicap at Greyville on Saturday. Owned in partnership by two of South Africa’s breeding powerhouses, it will be interesting to see where she launches her first season as a broodmare in what should be the second phase of an exciting career.
This lightly raced full sister to the promising Mike De Kock Dubai bound 2yo Mastermind has oodles of raw sprinting ability but has had head issues at the starting gates that have plagued what could have been a brilliant career. Despite that she retires a Gr1 placed stakes winner and is an exciting paddock prospect if ever we have seen one.
Schiffer is a lovely strapping bay and her claustrophobic resistance to the starting stalls has shrouded the prospects of what potentially could have been in a cloak of mystery forever.
Extraordinarily, the Listed Umngeni was to be her first and last stakes victory but her connections will take the bonus with both hands. Particularly after part-owner Lindy White had to resort to ‘bullying’ to get the affable Dennis Drier to run her one last time!
Much maligned KZN starter Paul Hepworth may also find himself on a few more Christmas card mailing lists after stretching his usual limited bounds of patience to ensure the flyer actually loaded.
In the end it was a happy ending to chapter 1 and after showing blistering speed and leading all the way to beat Mr Whatever by an emphatic 2 lengths in a time of 57,60 secs, she moves on to chapter 2 and a life of maternal bliss in the paddocks of two of the world’s most beautiful stud farms.
Part owners Lindy White (Avontuur) and Gaynor Rupert (Drakenstein) will have plenty to discuss when planning Schiffer’s career going forward.
A real, albeit unconfirmed, possibility could be that she could visit the exciting Duke Of Marmalade this year and then move on to Avontuur and a date with Oratorio next season.
Kevin Sommerville and Lindy White lead Schiffer in after her dazzling victory
This theory is given further gravity by the fact that Oratorio does not cover maiden mares. But, this is mere speculation for now and both farms confirmed that final options still needed weighing up.
Winning trainer Dennis Drier looked to have aged ten years and was visibly relieved in the aftermath of Schiffer’s swansong.
“She is difficult but very talented. Tonight she showed how good she is!” he said.
Jockey Sean Cormack was typically diplomatic: “Hey, I am used to her. But she is hard work!” he laughed.
Schiffer was bred by Avontuur from Var out of the one-time winning Jallad mare, Model I.Q.
She showed top class ability on turf and poly and was ridden in all her starts by Sean Cormack.
She won 4 races with 2 places from 8 starts. (although she also won the 2014 Easter Dash which is not on the official records- so technically she actually won 5)
Her total stakes earned amounted to R296 000 (excluding the R100 000 Easter Dash)
