Hatts Off. Glen Hatt drives Sarasota up late to win the Gr3 Starling Stakes (JC Photos)
Jockey Glen Hatt is fast becoming South African horseracing’s new poster boy for Salusa 45. At an age when most sportsmen are slowing down, Hatt has upped his game and is riding with fire. His win on Sarasota in the R175 000 Gr3 Starling Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday put the cherry on the top of a great weekend.
Glen Hatt turns 50 next year and currently holds a comfortable non pressured top ten spot on the national jockey’s table.
While he playfully moaned a few days ago about his increased mileage and his petrol bills as he travels from Atlantic Beach on the Cape West Coast these days across the Peninsula to Phillipi where his new yard is located, the whispers are out that he has invested in a motorcycle.
Most guys of his age do that sort of thing when they are facing a middle age crisis.
In Hatt’s case, it’s definitely no crisis! He picked up a beautiful feature winning double on a profitable flit to Johannesburg.
St Angelique was out early from her 1 draw and led the favourite Copiapo and Lady Of The Lords.
Turning for home Belle Coco took it up from Copiapo and Virgo’s Babe, with Sarasota making up ground quickly.
In a stampede for the line, Sarasota finished best and stayed on strongly to beat the favourite Copiapo by a head in a time of 84,26 secs.
Winning trainer Lucky Houdalakis said that he had phoned Hatt about the ride. The Cape based jockey accepted but then rang back to get off. He then phoned again to get back on, apparently after picking up the ride on Winter Star in the Ready To Run Cup.
Houdalakis said his filly ‘hasn’t stopped improving and only needed a reliable jockey to stand a winning chance.’
Hatt said afterwards that he was enjoying his racing and confidence was a basic necessity in his profession. “ She gave me a good feel on the way down. She is a leggy filly and I felt it best to give her a chance. It worked out well,” he said.
The winner was bred by the Clarkins and is by Kahal out of the Aristis mare, Downtown Street.
Sarasota, a R75 000 National Two Year Old Sale graduate has now won 2 races with 1 place from 3 starts for total stakes of R163 375.
Gr3 Starling Stakes (SAf-Gr3) Turffontein, South Africa, November 2, R175k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.24.26 SARASOTA (SAF), 53.0, b f 3, Kahal (GB) – Downtown Street (SAF) by Aristis (USA). Owner Messrs Bryn Ressell & Lucky Houdalakis; breeder RJ & Mrs Clarkin; trainer M Houdalakis; jockey G Hatt Copiapo (SAF), 55.0, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Urabamba (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA) Virgo’s Babe (SAF), 56.5, ch f 3, Malhub (USA) – Linzertorte (SAF) by Special Preview (SAF) Margins: hd, 1 ¾, nk
