While Hollywoodbets-sponsored trainer Gavin Smith’s Vision Of Wonder caught the eye with an emphatic victory in Friday’s R175 000 Listed East Cape Nursery, it wasn’t a memorable day behind the starting stalls for the Gqeberha team.
Inexperienced and uptight 2yo’s are a challenge for any team of handlers, and with a fractious Bridgerton digging his heels in, then kicking a handler and bolting, the East Cape Nursery field was reduced to just six with Summer Odyssey also withdrawn after playing up and injuring herself in the pens.
JP van der Merwe guides Vision Of Wonder to an eyecatching victory (Pic- Pauline Herman)
A runaway maiden victor at his previous start, Vision Of Wonder (33-20) showed a remarkable turn of foot under JP van der Merwe and was too strong as he drew away to win by 3,25 lengths in a time of 69,01 secs.
Global View’s son Fairy Night (33-20) loomed dangerously but had no answers and was well beaten in second.
The winner’s first timer stablemate Aadehya (20-1) was a further 5,25 lengths back in third.
Vision Of Wonder, a R160 000 National 2yo Sale purchase, was the second winner on the day bred by Sandown Stud’s James Armitage and is a son of Visionaire (Grand Slam) out of the twice-winning Silvano mare, Red Ridge.
A winner of 2 races with 2 places from 4 starts, the winner took his earnings to R169 500.
The winner’s now Gelykfontein-based sire Visionaire has only one lot (#351) on the BSA National Yearling Sale. She is a full sister to Gr1 SA Fillies Classic winner, Takingthepeace.
