The Ridgemont-bred Rafeef gelding William Robertson notched up a tenth career victory for top travelling trainer Corne Spies as Mother Nature came out with all guns blazing to bring an early end to the Hollywoodbets Scottsville racemeeting on Sunday.
With lightning in the vicinity, hail stones half the size of golf balls were falling from the heavens – and then the rain came as the eight-horse meeting was abbreviated to just six races.
Candiese Lenferna captured this dramatic image of a gloomy Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday afternoon
Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik told the Sporting Post that the light was fading fast during the running of the sixth race, and this fact is illustrated by the Judge’s light, which shone brightly across the track as the 5yo William Robertson made it three wins on the trot – his last two in quick succession in the KZN Capital City.
Sporting Post reader Cecil Pienaar kindly sent us this image of a hail stone found in the vicinity of Pietermaritzburg on Sunday
As Mike de Kock showed at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, running horses regularly and travelling is not impossible with the right animal, and William Robertson is growing in confidence. Gavin Lerena has been aboard at all three of his recent wins.
Gavin Lerena steers William Robertson to his tenth victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
William Robertson is by Ridgemont’s top-class sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice), who enjoyed a top weekend. The gelding is out of the thrice winning Trippi mare Massachusetts and cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale.
William Robertson is now a winner of 10 races with 11 places from 31 starts for stakes of R1 799 750.
Winning Form rider Richard Fourie was the top jockey on the afternoon, with a double that took his season tally to 108, as he extended his lead over nearest rival, Muzi Yeni.
Raf Sheik confirmed that the headliner Non Black-Type River Indigo Handicap, and the abandoned last race, a fillies and mares MR 66 Handicap, would be rescheduled, with a decision likely to be made on Monday.
There is no local racing on Monday and the SA programme gets underway at Turffontein on Tuesday at 12h25.
