Impressive! Arria wins the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes (Equine Edge)
Trainer Justin Snaith overcame his uncharacteristically nervous start to the J&B Met day programme when his smart Antonius Pius filly Arria produced the goods to win the R150 000 Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes in great style. The Drakestein Stud owned and bred 2yo got investors in the record breaking Pick 6 pool of R8 621 000 off to a good start.
A new South African benchmark was set by the exotic bet and Phumelela’s Vee Moodley had his prayers answered as Arria led all the way to win well. It is so much easier to market a dream with happy stories, and the 9 to 10 shot never gave her supporters a moment for concern.
Justin Snaith had a quartet of runners in a race that he loves to win. Richard Fourie jumped Arria very smartly and she was never headed by her eleven opponents.
It is exciting that Arria is not just pure speed and it is encouraging the way she accelerated and asserted herself at the 300m marker to draw clear and win very readily.
Arria powered on to win by 1,50 lengths in a time of 58, 82 secs.
After a slow start, Mike Bass’ Seven Grand ran on well for second, holding the winner’s stablemate Azarenka.
The fancied Vaughan Marshall trained first timer River God never showed but ran a fair fourth on debut, while PE visitor Seattle Joe showed some pace but had no answers.
Arria is now unbeaten in her two career starts and took her earnings to R134 375.
The Drakenstein Stud bred Arria is by the exciting Antonius Pius out of the Pursuit Of Love mare, Issa. The dam is a full sister to Gr1 winner, Catchascatchcan.
Arria is named after a woman in ancient Rome. Her husband Caecina Paetus was ordered by the emperor Claudius to commit suicide for his part in a rebellion but was not capable of forcing himself to do so.
Arria wrenched the dagger from him and stabbed herself, then returned it to her husband, telling him that it didn’t hurt.
