Candice Bass-Robinson’s 6yo Sugar Mountain is enjoying a new lease on life and became our latest equine millionaire with a courageous win in Thursday’s weather-delayed R200 000 Winter Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Aldo Domeyer drives 6yo Sugar Mountain to his tenth victory, ahead of JP van der Merwe and fast-finishing July entry Magic Verse (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The non black-type feature included two Hollywoodbets Durban July entries in the starting line-up of eight, but Sugar Mountain wasn’t standing back and went off a 9-4 favourite as he swept up the centre under Aldo Domeyer late in the race to beat big-race entry Magic Verse (9-2) by half a length in a time of 98,29 secs. It was the gelding’s second consecutive win on the trot.
The 7yo Seeking The Stars (6-1) raced prominently behind The Futurist, and was relegated to third and three lengths off the runner-up, in a game effort.
While Magic Verse, who is amongst the second ten below the Hollywoodbets Durban July top 20 log, showed he is well, his stablemate Mucho Dinero never looked comfortable and ran 6,25 lengths off, effectively ending his July dream.
The winner was bred by Moutonshoek and is a 6yo gelded son of ill-fated champion Silvano (Lomitas) put of the Var mare, Gettna.
Raced by ASSM Racing Syndicate, Sugar Mountain was a R425 000 Cape Ready To Run graduate of his year.
Now a winner of 10 races with 13 places from 40 starts, Sugar Mountain has banked R1 027 095 and in current form can add to that.
Riding and training honours were evenly spread up to the seventh race, with Gavin Lerena the standout, grabbing a double.
