KZN Pedigree Wins The Gr 1 Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas
| KZN Pedigree Wins The Gr 1 Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas |
Cape champion trainer Justin Snaith secured top honours in the first Gr1 race of the Summer Of Champions Season when the smart Jet Master filly In The Fast Lane made short work of her classy opposition to win the R1 million Avontuur Estate Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas run at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Snaith has an excellent record in the fillies features and In The Fast Lane confirmed her smooth Gr 2 Choice Carriers Championship win at the end of November.
In The Fast Lane was bred by registered KZN Breeders’ Hallmark Thoroughbreds and is by KZN-bred Jet Master, out of the prolific winner producing six-time winner, First Arrival by Northern Guest – the latter who stood a successful career at Summerhill Stud and proving himself to be an outstanding broodmare sire.
The young trainer dedicated the victory to the memory of Nelson Mandela, who passed away just under 48 hours earlier. A moment’s silence was also acknowledged and the jockeys wore black armbands to mark a sad time in South Africa’s history.
But little could dampen the celebrations of the Snaith Team and they once again showed the strategic value of a multi skilled support team in the professional modern horseracing environment. This was illustrated, with the winning trainer and the thrilled UK based owners heaping praise on leading Bloodstock Consultant John Freeman, for the role he had played in securing the winner.
The Jet Master filly had them all flatfooted and In The Fast Lane went away to win by a length in a time of 99,42 secs.
Winning jockey Richard Fourie said he was given a licence to ride In The Fast Lane “as I found her”. “I was confident that she would win when we turned for home. She is going to get even better,” he said.
Snaith said that In The Fast Lane was a very hard horse to assess. Full of smiles, he explained what he meant. “She is so laid back, she is unconscious. She just stands there. I had no idea how she would perform today. But this was oh so super impressive. She just has so much scope, which makes her really exciting. I must thank our owners and John Freeman,” he said.
The winner is owned by Tony Phillips and Wood Hall Stud Limited (Nom: Andrew L Cohen). Tony and Judy Phillips were on course to enjoy the win, together with UK breeder, Andrew Cohen.
The Phillips’ were obviously elated: “John Freeman suggested we buy a few horses. This filly has exceeded our expectations and we have had a superb day,” the elegant couple explained. Andrew Cohen said that In The Fast Lane would be a great foundation mare for the ‘South African experiment’, in a reference to the partnership’s future plans for expansion.
She has earned at every time of asking, and took her win tally to four victories from six starts.
Her stake earnings soared to R830 275 and pushed her into a nice credit over her Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase price of R650 000. In The Fast Lane looks to have a very bright future and will be a serious runner in the Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes on Met day.
– extract sportingpost.co.za
