The Sebastien D' Aquino Argentina bred horse a 5/1 favourite before the start of the race gave his owners $24 000 which will also be shared by the D'Aquino, jockey Francois Herholdt, and groomer Anywhere Biswa.
Ginepri who was running his eleventh race took his record to four wins and two places after coming ahead of Madigan, Castle Tankard winner A King Is Born, and Choirir. Madigan for his effort took home $8 000 while A king Is Born and Choisir won $4 800 and $2 400 respectively.
Coincidentally, Choisiir was also bred in Argentina and also comes from the Sebstien D'Aquino yard giving the trainer a 1 and 4 positions in one race.
That achievement could have done well to push D'Aquino up the ladder in the trainer's standing as prior to the race he was lying fourth behind leader Lisa Harris, Kirk Swanson, Gokhan Terzi, and Gail Odendaal.
None of the top four placed horses was bred in Zimbabwe as Madigan sired by Joshua Dancer was bred in South Africa, the same going for A king Is Born which is also trained by South Africa based Zimbabwean trainer Alyson Wright.
The race had to be reduced to 16 horses after Candymancan from the Lisa Harris yard was scratched on the eve of the race. Madigan and Directorate changed leadership and with 300 metres left, it appeared Madigan would take the lead. That was before Ginepri came from the middle of the pack to take over the leadership.
The disappointment of the race was the much heralded Kenyan horse Approval Rating from the Nuno Nur yard. Approval Rating was nowhere in the top four as the three year old gelden found the going tough in a race that attracted much older and experienced horses including three seven year olds, three six olds and three five year olds.
The other horses that took place in the race were Captain's Tiger, Alula Borealis, Super Trouper, Orbit War, Royal Arrow, Burmese Cat, Platinum Moon, Final Fling, Pleasant Valley, Directorrate, and Charro Negro.
Attention shifts from the OK Grand Challenge to the Champion Juvenile Stakes and the Zimbabwe Oaks this week before the Sprint Challenge on June 30 and later the grade three race, the Republic Cup on June 30.
Post published in: Sport