Tara Laing’s Trippi gelding Sir Duke galloped off with the R50 000 consolation bonus in the 2017 WSB East Cape Poly Challenge, despite only managing a modest ninth placed finish in the third and final leg at Fairview on Friday.
Greg Cheyne gets Our Icon up in the final stride (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
The opening day of the East Cape Derby Festival weekend saw competitive racing on the polytrack, with local-boy-made-good Piere Strydom visiting and sharing the riding honours on the day with local champion, Greg Cheyne.
Sir Duke was in an unassailable lead in the Poly Challenge points standings after being narrowly beaten by Juan Two Three in the first leg and winning the second leg.
But after showing good pace under joint topweight of 62kgs in the mile, he faded out to finish downfield.
The race produced an exciting finish after the Dorrie Sham trained Notting Hill was well in command inside the 200m and looking a winner. But Greg Cheyne had other ideas and produced Our Icon with a sustained burst from out the pack to gain a short head victory in a time of 95,94 secs.
Piere Strydom – two winners – including one for his Dad
Notting Hill, who ran from the widest draw, should pay to follow and is proving versatile on both surfaces.
The winner’s unfancied stablemate Scent ran a cracker to grab third, a half length ahead of Razed In Black.
The Highlands, Part Of Ridgemont, bred Our Icon hails from a famous family but has been plagued by unsoundness throughout his career.
A R3 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, the well related winner is by Dynasty out of Broodmare Of The Year, Our Table Mountain (Fusaichi Pegasus).
Racing in the famous Beck brown and white silks for trainer Alan Greeff, Our Icon has won 3 of 5 starts in the Eastern Cape since relocating from Milnerton.
He has won 6 races (3 for Dean Kannemeyer) in total, with 5 places from 17 starts and stakes of R334 725.
