Summerveld-based Garth Puller, a lifelong Capetonian, broke the visitor’s stranglehold on the SA Champions Season features when the 6yo Ishnana finished with a sustained effort to win the R100 000 Listed In Full Flight Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
After last weekend’s rout by the Cape visitors on the opening day of the big season on the East Coast, Sunday hailed a leveller of sorts as retreaded KwaZulu-Natalian Puller pulled one back for the locals,
Athandiwe Mgudlwa produces Ishnana late to win going away – Calvin Habib plugs awat at Winter Smoke in third (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Starting at 25-1 in the opening leg of the Mother’s Day Pick 6, Athandiwe Mgudlwa produced the 6yo Ishnana with a perfectly timed run to beat the 7-1 Good Rhythm in a thriller by 0,80 lengths in a time of 63,46 secs.
Ishnana ran second in the same race in 2018.
Ashley Fortune visitor Winter Smoke (20-1) ran a game race a head back in third, with Cape raider No Laying Up (6-1) a neck further back in fourth.
Raced by Thabo Mhlongo and longstanding KZN Breeder Robert Smith, Ishnana was named after a combo of Mhlongo’s children’s names, Ishmael and Nana.
The gelding was bred by part-owner Smith and is a first stakes winner by Danehill sire Al Miqdaam out of a Gr1 winning Dont Say Halo(USA) mare, St Clemens Belle.
Ishnana has won 7 races with 14 places from 34 starts for stakes of R737 500.
Watch the replay here
The winner’s Al Miqdaam was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and began his racing career in Australia. He ran in seven Barrier Trials over five months, winning two, placing second twice and a third and fourth, and changing trainers in between.
Three months after being in a different yard, he placed twice more and was sent to South Africa, sent out for his first start a month short of two years later at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. Ridden by Keagan Latham, he finished second for trainer Mike De Kock over 1000m. He only raced four more times, twice finishing just short of the placings and preferring shorter trips over 1000 – 1200m, once finishing just behind Art Of War.
Over eight seasons, Al Miqdaam didn’t enjoy much support at Roy Moodley’s Stud. He had 52 registered foals for 34 runners and 7 winners.
