Peter Star Returns To Defend Spring Challenge Title

Bumper double feature action at Turffontein

South Africa’s joint highest rated galloper, Main Defender (131) will make his season debut as he steps out to defend his title in Saturday’s R550 000 Betway Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein.

Popular Highveld champion Main Defender could double up on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)

The Tony Peter-trained Main Defender beat the subsequent Equus Champion Sprinter Thunderstruck by over 6 lengths in a dazzling victory last year and bang in-form Highveld rider Gavin Lerena takes the reins for the first time in the fourteen horse line-up.

Main Defender comes in here off a break of approximately nine weeks since beaten by Unzen in a Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on 27 July, but runs well fresh as he showed when winning this feature off a similar rest last term.

R550 000 1450m 15:20 Ref-188
1st R343750, 2nd R110000, 3rd R55000, 4th R27500, 5th R13750
BETWAY JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE (Grade 2)
For all horses at Weight for age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-8kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
1 8 Main Defender 60 131 A Gavin Lerena Tony Peter
2 4 Purple Pitcher 60 123 A Kabelo Matsunyane Robyn Klaasen
3 10 William Robertson 58.5 125 HA Marco V’Rensburg Corne Spies
4 6 Gladatorian 58.5 120 T A Sean Veale Stuart Ferrie
5 9 Melech 58.5 118 T A Serino Moodley Roy Magner
6 14 Unzen 58.5 116 A Denis Schwarz Robbie Sage
7 2 Back In Business 58.5 106 A #Rachel Venniker Joe Soma
8 3 Barbaresco 58 120 Ae Raymond Danielson J A Janse van Vuuren
9 12 Gimmeanotherchance 58 119 A Craig Zackey Mike de Kock
10 5 Zinovi 58 114 A Piere Strydom Mike de Kock
11 7 Joker Man 58 106 A …………… J A Janse van Vuuren
12 11 Grand Crescendo 50.5 114 A Kaidan Brewer Candice Dawson
13 13 Dantonfromsandton 50.5 108 TBA Malesela Katjedi Sean Tarry
14 1 Wild At War 50.5 100 A Philasande Mxoli Candice Dawson
Same Trainer
(8,11) (9,10) (12,14)

In the fairer sex equivalent, a capacity field of fourteen and one reserve was declared on Tuesday.

The R450 000 Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge was won last year by Stuart Pettigrew’s Feather Boa who made such an eyecatching USA debut recently.

Captain Peg – back to her preferred trip on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)

Feather Boa’s stablemate and 2023 runner-up Captain Peg (104) runs from a decent draw on Saturday,and she should strip fit after a smart pipe-opener third in the Betway The Lady’s Stakes recently.

 R450 000 1450m 14:45 Ref-187
1st R281250, 2nd R90000, 3rd R45000, 4th R22500, 5th R11250
BETWAY JOBURG SPRING F & M CHALLENGE (Grade 2)
For Fillies and Mares at Weight for age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-8kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
1 8 Gimme A Shot 60 110 A Craig Zackey M G Azzie/A A Azzie
2 7 Celtic Rumours 60 106 A Gavin Lerena Sean Tarry
3 3 Captain Peg 60 104 BA Calvin Habib Stuart Pettigrew
4 13 Let’s Go Now 59.5 114 BA Sean Veale Sean Tarry
5 4 My Soul Mate 59.5 111 BA Raymond Danielson Candice Dawson
6 5 White Pearl 59.5 109 A Piere Strydom Mike de Kock
7 10 Key Element 59.5 101 A Philasande Mxoli Paul Matchett
8 1 Miss Hannigan 59.5 97 A Denis Schwarz Fabian Habib
9 14 Soldier’s Eye 59.5 97 BA Kaidan Brewer Weiho Marwing
10 2 Blue Horizon 59.5 89 A *Kobeli Lihaba Weiho Marwing
11 15 Vj’s Angel 54 111 A Kabelo Matsunyane Tony Peter
12 12 Little Ballerina 53 104 A Serino Moodley Candice Dawson
13 11 Fiery Pegasus 52 104 T A Malesela Katjedi Joe Soma
14 9 Frozen Fantasy 52 102 A #Rachel Venniker Robyn Klaasen
15 6 Sea Anemone 60 89 BA Reserve 1 Mike de Kock
Same Trainer
(2,4) (5,12) (6,15) (9,10)

The highest rated in the fillies and mares contest is Sean Tarry’s Let’s Go Now (114), whose form tapered negatively last term when tried over further.,

She comes in off a four month’s rest and is likely to need it. Her wide draw won’t be an asset either.

It is interesting to see that Sean Veale, who rides Stuart Ferrie’s KZN raider Gladatorian in the boys’ race, gets the chance here. How his prospects have improved this term!

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