Effortless! Blueridge Mountain is all power under Anton Marcus
The Argentinian bred Gr1 winner Blueridge Mountain lived up to her big reputation and prohibitive starting price when cruising in to win the R125 000 Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes run over 1400m at Kenilworth on Sunday. The 3yo chestnut flyer looks a worldbeater, and left her opposition for dead.
Export red tape has stymied the planned efforts of the Jooste team to continue Blueridge Mountain’s racing career in the United States, and she is part of the seemingly never never travelling party that includes het stablemate and SA Horse Of The Year, Variety Club, and the Kotzen’s star filly Princess Victoria.
The Yanks loss is our gain for now though, and the manner of her win on Sunday spoke of plenty more to come.
On the level weight terms of this first leg of the female Cape Winter Series, Blueridge Mountain should have won,and she duly confirmed everything we imagined and already knew by leading from the jump and extending clear in the home run, to win as she liked.
Anton Marcus rode the first leg of his Cape feature double, but frankly the worst jockey on earth would have struggled to lose this on a filly that is patently superior to most of her age group over the trip.
Blueridge Mountain won by 3,50 lengths in a time of 87,50 secs.
She beat Justin Snaith’s Captain Al filly Captainofmysoul, while the Bass’ Fly By Night ran a promising third at her first try beyond 1200m.
The winner’s stablemate Trip Poker appeared to flyjump at the break and ruined her chances as she was always last thereafter.
Winning trainer Joey Ramsden admitted a measure of tongue in cheek greed by running his charge in this event. “She is a top filly and this was just too good an opportunity to pass by,” he said.
Blueridge Mountain was bred by Phalaris Breeding Ltd and is by the Coolmore Storm Cat stallion, Giant’s Causeway.
He was champion sire in USA in 2012, 2010 & 2009.Regarded as the best son of Storm Cat and one of the best sires in the world. He was champion freshman sire in Europe in 2004, and champion 2yo sire in USA in 2005.
Giant’s Causeway has already sired champion 2-y-o’s, Classic winning 3-y-o’s, record breaking older horses, and exceptional colts and fillies on both dirt and turf. He is the sire of 22 Gr1 winners and 16 Gr2 winners.
Blueridge Mountain has now won 5 races with 2 places from her 8 starts.
Her sole blank effort was an unplaced run behind Rumya in the 2012 Cape Fillies Guineas.
She has earned R656 550 and will hopefully get the opportunity to boost that figure with some foreign currency in time to come.
