JP van der Merwe drives La Salle clear to win the Wedgewood Handicap (Coastal Photos)
The Dorrie Sham-trained Doowaley mare La Salle is a model of consistency and she was rewarded with a long overdue fifth win when scoring an impressive victory in the R100 000 Wedgewood Handicap run over 2400m at Fairview on Friday.
La Salle had run four seconds at her previous five starts when starting in this little non black-type feature and if she is on her way to the breeding paddocks it won’t be for a lack of trying as a non stakes winner.
She took to her first race beyond 2000m like the proverbial fish to water and slammed a fair field. Jp van der Merwe has been aboard at four of her five victories.
Rushing Elf and Sunningdale were slow away and it was Mitch Wiese’s Titleee who went up to set a modest pace from National Forest and La Salle, with Born For Ballet and Social Climber further back.
Titlee brought them for home but was a tired horse as Born For Ballet tackled her with National Forest and Rushing Elf moving up strongly.
Just when Born For Ballet looked to be a serious contender, JP van der Merwe produced La Salle with a powerful burst on the outside and she catapulted clear to win going away at a generous 5 to 1 by 1,25 lengths in a time of 157.76 secs.
Rushing Elf stayed on without threatening for second, ahead of the omnipresent National Forest on who young apprentice Jonathan Tai rode a nice race.
George Uren has a trojan in the Badger’s Drift filly Born For Ballet, and she must be seriously considered over slightly shorter next time.
Joey Ramsden’s Careful Hiker started a 3 to 1 favourite but despite staying on could do no better than a 2,85 length fifth.
La Salle has now won 5 races with 14 places from 41 starts for stakes of R319 075.
She was bred by D Cohen & Sons and is a daughter of Doowaley out of the Australian bred Marscay mare, Jenigil, who never won.
