Candice Bass-Robinson turned an afternoon of mixed fortunes on Cape Guineas Saturday around in festive style with three good winners in front of a small holiday crowd in bright sunny conditions at Kenilworth on Christmas Eve.
Anton Marcus has Tevez flying out front as Donovan Dillon (blue cap) chases him on longshot Asstar (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The Milnerton based family operation had a Gr2 winner a week earlier, but frustrating seconds and thirds have bedevilled their stats in recent months.
It seems though that they have kicked into some good form in advance of very important dates on the Cape Summer Of Champions calendar in the first month of 2017, and things have turned sweetly.
Their big winner of the day was the athletic black 7yo gelding Tevez, a dual past winner of the Gr2 Cape Merchants, who proved too classy in the R150 000 Listed Southeaster Sprint.
With Anton Marcus in town to do duty for Mayfair Speculators, MBR stable jockey Grant van Niekerk was relegated to ride Line Break (who didn’t go down to the start very well), while Aldo Domeyer got the commission to ride the third of their runners, in the Elusive Fort gelding, Ernie.
Tevez likes to be given a chance early and it was a surprise to see him jump keenly, before being eased back as Tar Heel and then Olympian led the charge.
Anton Marcus – rode a finely judged race on Tevez
Greg Cheyne showed his hand at the 450m as he grabbed a two length break on Captain Swarovski, with Marcus riding a patient race, angling Tevez across from the inside to the outside rail.
With a bit of crowding and hard-luck stories going on behind him, Marcus gave Tevez his head at the 200m and the enthusiastic gelding was in the clear and in the words of a local commentator, ‘not for the catching’, as he stretched clear.
Tevez ran on powerfully to hold off an eyecatching late challenge from the gallant long-priced Asstar by 0,75 lengths in a time of 65,49 secs.
The winner’s stablemate Ernie, who went down like a winner, showed improved form to get third 0,40 lengths back. He is one for the notebook.
The second favourite La Favourari was not disgraced in fourth.
Captain Swarovski looked dangerous late, but faded out to seventh and 3,35 lengths behind the winner.
The classy Gulf Storm never showed and finished a short head behind him.
Triptique went to the start scratchily and ran accordingly, finishing stone last and 11,80 lengths back.
Jockey Anton Marcus said that Tevez was a gutsy sprinter who always gave of his best.
The Bass’ have hit some good form
“He broke well and I left him where he was comfortable. I can never be accused of swinging on to many of them,” he laughed in a prompt from the interviewer that Tevez raced more prominent than usual.
Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson said that Tevez was ‘not the easiest of horses to ride’.
“”When Anton popped him out the gates first, I thought..mmm! But things worked out well and he ran on really welly to win,” she said.
An evergreen presence in the local speed ranks, Tevez was having his 36th start. He has won 7 races with 16 places for stakes of R1 208 800.
A R700 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, the Avontuur bred Tevez is a 7yo gelded son of Caesour out of the four-time winning Elliodor mare, Minelli – that makes him a half-brother to champion sprinter Val De Ra.
