Glen Hatt. Superb feature double
Some creative race riding characterised the R250 000 Gr3 London News Stakes run over 1800m at Turffontein on Sunday. Glen Hatt came out on top with another bravely brilliant ride, but there must be question marks against S’manga Khumalo’s bold barge halfway up the straight on SA Derby winner, Wylie Hall.
Cape star Hatt can do little wrong at the present time, with his confidence at an all time high as he boasts a 17 percent win strike rate and a handy ninth position on the SA log. That is not bad seen they only race twice a week on average in the Cape.
Hatt brought the Gauteng Guineas winner Tellina with a storming late effort in the London News Stakes to make it a sweet feature double on the afternoon, as he nabbed and beat the free running Wylie Hall, on whom Khumalo had gone for broke at the 400m marker.
Royal Bencher was slow away as Spitfire Run led Tiger Play and Wylie Hall, with Tiger’s Retreat and Knock On Wood further back. The Woodruff pair of Tellina and Killua Castle were well back early on.
Into the home run Spitfire Run continued to lead as Khumalo went for broke and barged through a ‘gap’ between Spitfire Run and Tiger Play, with Knock On Wood keeping them honest further out.
Khumalo may not be guilty of dangerous riding and Ian Sturgeon’s assertive attempt to block his path may in itself be seen as antagonistic race riding . But then again Sturgeon was following a straight path, whereas Khumalo actually switched his mount out behind a one paced Spitfire Run.
S’Manga Khumalo
In fact that was not the end of Tiger Play’s problems as he landed up falling back at the 200m and being hemmed in at the rail.
The Stipe’s analysis will make for very interesting reading.
With his hand shown, Khumalo had little choice but to go all the way and Wylie Hall burst clear at the 300m marker.
Inside the 200m the 18 to 10 favourite Wylie Hall started to stagger and the Woodruff pair flew up.
In a brave display of fearless riding Hatt pushed Tellina through a gap between Wylie Hall and Killua Castle and he forced his mount’s head down to score an exciting win by a head in a time of 109,62 secs.
Killua Castle edged Wylie Hall for second, with Glorious Jet some way back in fourth.
Tellina was bred by Maine Chance Farms and is by Silvano out of the unraced Spectrum mare, Tachina.
He cost R210 000 at the National Yearling Sale and took his earnings to R1 575 775 with 4 wins and 6 places from 12 starts.
