Clifton Stud-bred Bezanova, the 2014 Charity Mile and 2015 KZN Breeders Million Mile winner and his connections had the last laugh when the gelding got the better of the younger Liege in the final strides of the rain delayed Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes, to register his first win in close on seventeen months of knocking about between KZN and Gauteng.
His win brought back memories of that lovely story dating back to the National 2yo Sale of 2012 where, after buying him for R150 000, owner Chris Gerber was told by a sales official that things were ‘going so well – there were even clowns paying R150 000 for the Bezrins!’
Close to R2 million in stakes earned later, Gerber doesn’t have any issues with the clown tag, and he and trainer Alec Laird must have been motivated by the maxim that horses only lose form – they don’t lose ability.
Between that and the fact that the soldier owes them nothing, they have persevered with Bezanova racing off an MR of 96 on Sunday, having achieved a career high of 107 once.
In the run for home the gutsy chestnut gelding was angled out for a run as Liege challenged Arctica, with Amsterdam and Bankable Teddy also looking dangerous.
Despite all the action down the centre, the 9-1 shot Bezanova was the one finishing best as he came home on the wide outside to grab Liege and win by 0,50 lengths in a time of 112,06 secs.
Simons celebrated a feature double on the afternoon and had time to do a quiet ‘pump salute’ two strides before the line.
A R150 000 National Two Year Old Sale graduate, Bezanova has won six races with 10 places from 34 starts and took his career bank to R1 966 775.
The winner was bred by Clifton Stud and is by the recently relocated Bezrin out of the thrice winning London News mare, Ananova. Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud has always been a fan of Danzig (the sire of his previous Durban July producer, Allied Flag), the sire of Bezrin.
Bezrin, the versatile and consistent sire of a multitude of Graded Stakes winner from sprinters to stayers is now standing at Hadlow Stud in KZN.
Ananova’s last recorded foal is a 2014 Toreador filly named Anador, again from the paternal line of Danzig through Danehill. This is the damline of the brilliant Wendywood and Vodacom Durban July winner, Power King.