The shortest-priced favourite on the opening day of the 2021 SA Champions Season, Justin Snaith’s dual Gr1 winner Captain’s Ransom opened her campaign on the East Coast in impressive style as she coasted to victory in the R250 000 World Sports Betting Gr2 Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
After his breathtaking Gr1 score with Rio Querari at Turffontein 24 hours earlier, Snaith buried the ordinary showing of the yard’s duo of Pinkerton and Wild Coast in the Independent On Saturday Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes a half hour earlier as Captain’s Ransom bounced back from her 13 week break post her Majorca Stakes victory on Met Day at Kenilworth, to win with ease.
Richard Fourie had Captain’s Ransom relaxed in midfield as Gauteng raider Only The Brave set the gallop.
Richard Fourie poses for our photographer as Captain’s Ransom coasts in (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
In the home straight Captain’s Ransom (3-10) was switched out and she swept forward with minimal fuss to beat off the late challenge from fellow Capetonian Princess Calla (5-1) to win by 1,60 lengths in a time of 98,59 secs.
Dennis Drier’s Freestate Star did little wrong and stayed on well for a third cheque, a half length back.
Bar the likes of War Of Athena and even Netta, who put her hand up in the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes on Saturday, Captain’s Ransom looks well set for the Woolavington 2000.
Viljoen celebration at Hollywoodbets Greyville (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
And in a lovely touch, Suzette and Basie Viljoen were on course to lead their champion in.
On a great weekend for her Piketberg birth-place Moutonshoek, after their sire The United States’ daughter Sheela maintained her unbeaten record in the SA Nursery at Turffontein, Captain’s Ransom looks set for plenty more.
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A daughter of deceased champion Captain Al (Al Mufti), she is out of the unraced Red Ransom mare Cinna’s Ransom. The latter, dam of multiple winners in Britain, is a half-sister to Gr3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner Black Rock Desert and multiple Japanese stakes winner Toyo Seattle. Cinna’s Ransom’s own dam, the Plankton Stakes winner, City Dance is a full-sister to multiple Gr1 winner, and successful sire, Slew City Slew.
Captain’s Ransom has won 6 of her 7 starts for 1 place and stakes of R929 125.
