Snaith Changes Lanes

Fast Filly! In The Fast Lane flashes through down the inside to beat Highly Decorated and Alascan Maiden (Equine Edge)

Cape champion trainer Justin Snaith stepped into the summer season fast lane when he saddled the first two home in Saturday’s R200 000 Choice Carriers Gr2 Championship run at a sunny Kenilworth. The jockey engagements may have flummoxed punters, with stable rider Richard Fourie agonisingly pipped on the line by KZN star, Sean Cormack.

Snaith had three runners in this high quality 3yo fillies contest, and with Equus champion Along Came Polly adding lustre to proceedings, the locals were keen to utilise the visitor barometer to measure the current strength.

The Capetonians came up smiling all round, with the highly vaunted visitor in desperate need of the run

Highly Decorated led early,   but Alascan Maiden was keen as she then also led briefly with Pure Power eventually taking command after being brought across from her wide draw by Karl Neisius.

Pure Power, who races in the Pocket Power silks, led Alascan Maiden  for home with the field fanning out.

While there was plenty of exertion just behind the leaders, Pure Power hung on tenaciously inside  the 300m, as Alascan Maiden tried desperately to get on terms.

But Richard Fourie had been looming large and he sliced between the Bass runners inside the final 200m, with Highly Decorated appearing to have her opponents measure. But unseen to most of the riders up front,   In The Fast Lane streaked down the inside rail in great style to catch and beat her stablemate by a head in a time of 87,76 secs.

The Mike Bass trained runners Alascan Maiden and Pure Power filled the third and fourth places, respectively.

It was a particularly solid effort by Pure Power,  and veteran jockey Karl Neisius excelled in overcoming her wide draw.

The Equus Award victor and Gr1 winner Along Came Polly blew in the betting and ran ninth 2,75 lengths behind the winner.

Jockey Sean Cormack registered  a hat trick with this winner, after scoring earlier on Jet Aglow, and the impressive Master Of My Fate, both  for Dennis Drier. The combination look set for a wonderful summer.

But the feature was Snaith’s moment in the sun.

In The Fast Lane was bred by Hallmark Thoroughbreds and is by Jet Master, out of the prolific winner producing six time winner, First Arrival (by Northern Guest).

She has earned at every time of asking, and took her win tally to 3 from 5 starts.

Her stake earnings of R205 275 are still some way off her Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase price of R650 000, but that situation  will surely be remedied in the near future on today’s performance.

She looks most promising, and all of the placed runners should pay to follow.