Dead Or Alive? Casa Nostra (orange) gets up on the line to share the spoils (JC Photos)
The R125 000 Woodland Sprint run over the Vaal sand 1200m last Thursday produced a thrilling tied finish with Casa Nostra getting up to share with Shiver ‘N Shake. Certain punters were not convinced about the judge’s decision and it may be time that Phumelela publish the photo finishes in these circumstances.
In this day and age of high technology, photographs can be sent across the world in the flash of an eye from a mobile phone device. There can thus be no excuse for the operators keeping these photo finishes in private albums and the sooner Phumelela come to the party in the interests of transparency, the better for customer relations and the quicker we end speculation by the conspiracy theorists.
The non black type race attracted a field of nine speedy sand fillies and mares.
Control Tower and Secret Magok led shive and she a tiger
At the 400m Secret Magok shot clear with She’s A Tiger and Shiver ‘N Shake in pursuit.
In the final 300m Shiver ‘N Shake went for broke down the inside rail as Casa Nostra started making ground down the outside.
The two went to the wire with Shiver ‘N Shake appearing to hold the advantage and being called a winner by seasoned commentator Nico Kritsiotis.
Francois Herholdt rode Casa Nostra
The judge had no hesitation in making a snappy decision though, and a dead heat was called.
The winning time was set at 73 seconds, with the favourite Secret Magok hanging on for third and 2,25 lengths behind.
Apprentice Akash Aucharuz was charged by the stipes with a contravention of rule 62.2.3 in that he failed to ride Control Tower out to the end of the race. The youngster signed an Admission of Guilt and was fined R1000.
Jockey Chase Maujean was also charged by the stipes with a contravention of rule 62.2.3 in that he failed to ride She’s A Tiger out to the end of the race. Jockey Maujean signed an Admission of Guilt and was fined R1000.
The Wallace Tolmay trained Approximate was hanging in badly from the 400 metre mark and proved difficult to assist.
Trained by Alec Laird and ridden by Francois Herholdt , Casa Nostra was bred by Yellow Star Stud.
She is by Strike Smartly out of the four time winning Kentucky Slew mare, Kentucky Home.
She sold for R105 000 on the KZN Yearling Sale.
Casa Nostra has won 5 of her 22 starts with 7 places and R328 587 in stakes.
Trained by Roy Magner and ridden by S’manga Khumalo, Shiver ‘n Shake was bred by the late Wally Brits.
She is by local stallion Damage Is Done (who the late Wally Brits raced with Roy Magner) out of the one time winning Almushtarak mare, On Shaky Ground.
Shiver ‘N Shake has won 4 of her 17 races with 10 places and R352 810 in stakes.
