Easy does it for Andrew Fortune and Pontedera (Pic:JC Photos)
The Tienie Prinlsoo trained Judpot gelding Pontedera turned the R100 000 RA Diamond Stayers run at Flamingo Park on Saturday into a procession when leading all the way in the expert hands of top jockey Andrew Fortune. The Milkwood Stud-bred gelding went off favourite and never gave his supporters a moment’s anxiety as he won in a canter.
Carrying topweight of 60kgs in the nine-horse field, the 5yo Pontedera looked the real deal after his recent decent local form. He was confidently backed into 16 to 10.
Andrew Fortune – peach of a frontrunning ride on Pontedera
Fortune was in top form with a win in the third race aboard Cape Siskin, and the senior jockey never gave a hint of his age as he went all the way over the testing 2200m – saluting and waving at the finish line to entertain the larger than usual Flamingo crowd.
After Pontedera had led the whole way around, the whips were cracking at the 300m marker as he looked ready for the taking. But there were no takers or challengers, and with Fortune sitting dead still, the gelding galloped on powerfully to beat Steady As A Rock by 2,25 lengths in a time of 148,65 secs.
The 3 to 1 shot Wimoweh was a further 4,25 lengths back in third, with Sartorius fading out to fourth.
African Gladiator, who usually runs handily, was placed off them this time and he ran accordingly.
Pontedera was originally based in PE with Yvette Bremner, where he won one race (interestingly over 1200m) from eight starts.
Pontedera, a R70 000 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale graduate, has won 8 races with 6 places from 24 starts for stakes of R321 225.
Bred by Milkwood Stud, he is by Judpot out of the five –time winning London News mare, Sashay.
