It has taken some years to achieve, but multiple East Cape Champion jockey Greg Cheyne finally won SA’s longest race in his home-from-home province for the first time at Fairview on Friday.
Greg Cheyne with the historic trophy (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
The R150 000 Listed PE Gold Cup is the only race in the country contested over 3600m and local specialist stamina trainer Jacques Strydom has been a master at turning out winners of the long slog since he took out his licence 18 years ago.
The Ideal World mare Onesie hadn’t won a race since New Year’s Day 2017 until she started her streak on 19 April when slamming the boys in the Glenlair Trophy.
On Friday she made it a hat-trick with a sustained late surge as she powered home to beat Evolver, who looked all over a winner at the 150m, by a half length in a time of 234.53 secs to give Greg Cheyne his first Gold Cup.
Cheyne rode the Jackpot at the same venue last month.
Greg Cheyne times it right on Onesie to catch Muzi Yeni and Evolver (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
The winner’s stablemate Frikkie charged through from way back to grab third.
Early pacesetter Data Link took an awkward step at about the halfway mark and dislodged Diego De Gouveia. The young rider appeared to be badly shaken up.
A winner of 5 races with 13 places from 36 starts for stakes of R511 400, Onesie was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein from Ideal World (Kingmambo) out of the four-time winning Rich Man’s Gold mare, Treaj Pots.
Onesie was purchased by former owner Brian Burnard for R130 000 off the 2015 Val De Vie Yearling Sale.
