It took Hollywoodbets-sponsored trainer Clinton Binda sixteen years to saddle his first feature winner.
And he would probably have chosen to not have it come by way of the Stipes boardroom either. But whichever way one looks at it, the often maligned men in the NHRA grey suits would appear to have got the Listed Gardenia Stakes outcome spot-on.
A veteran horseman, the 54 year old Clinton Binda had to sweat for this feature icebreaker. But it was well-deserved.
The well-backed Corne Spies speedster Singforafa is lethal over the 1000m at the Vaal and the daughter of Potala Palace cut throats early with Louis Goosen’s equally speedy mare, Captain’s Girl.
Singforafa (Craig Zackey) and Nicky Noo (Denis Schwarz0 slog it out (Pic – JC Photos)
When the talented Denis Schwarz produced the Binda ace in the shape of the longstanding owner Mike Mort’s Nicky Noo at about the 300m, Singforafa started showing signs of her early exertions and drifted out on to her challenger and away from the Craig Zackey whip – with a few bumps into the bargain.
Nicky Noo was finishing strongly and her narrow demise attracted the attention of the Stipes who objected.
The result was duly reversed and, either way given their recent publicity, it was a brave decision to award the unfancied 25-1 shot the race against the popular backed horse.
The official time was 58,04 secs with the winning margin of 0,20 lengths.
Nicky Noo raced with her right eye blinkered – another Binda dash of ingenuity.
Nawaasi (25-1) pipped the flying Ulla out of third.
Stakes were paid all the way down to tenth finisher, with Montreal Mist (2,60 lengths) the last horse to bank a cheque – of R1500.
A veteran dating back to the Robin Smith in Zimbabwe and the colourful Mark Watters in those halcyon days at Milnerton, Binda boasts the distinction of being the only trainer in modern SA racing history to win two races in consecutive days with the same horse – that was the former Dean Kannemeyer galloper Saint Stephen in 2010.
The winner was bred by Beaumont Stud and is a 5yo daughter of Horse Chestnut (Fort Wood) out of the Western Winter mare, Burnt Sienna.
She has won 5 races with 7 places from 21 starts for stakes of R412 175.
