Guest Column: Flying To Victory

4 February, 2013
– Lisa Barrett

Kenilworth racecourse was witness on Saturday to one of the biggest upsets in racing history, when the overlooked and rank outsider Martial Eagle swooped down to grab the laurels in the Grade One R2.5 million J&B Met.

Sent off at odds of 80-1, the son of Silvano was completely ignored by racing pundits, who were consumed with trying to work out possible winners out of a top class field. Expertly ridden by jockey Aldo Domeyer, who celebrated his first Grade One win, Martial Eagle was kept handily near the middle of the field up into the home straight.

As expected, Vodacom July winner Pomodoro, started to accelerate, and it looked all but over as they approached the final 200m, but it seems as if Hill Fifty Four and Martial Eagle began a ding dong battle for the post. The only other horse in the field able to mount any sort of challenge was the filly Beach Beauty, but it wasn’t enough, as the two protagonists lunged for the line. In the end, the margin of victory was a narrow 0.3 lengths, showing just what a battle had just been fought.

Popular trainer Yogas Govender could hardly contain his sheer joy at Martial Eagle’s win, and paid generous tribute not only to Domeyer for his superb effort, but to his patron, Mrs Sabine Plattner and her daughter Tina for their continued support and loyalty over the years. It was a second win for Sabine Plattner, who first won the Met back in 2003 with Angus.

Out of Seeking The Wind, a five time winning daughter of Jallad, Martial Eagle’s victory today takes his tally to eight wins from 31 places, and earnings of over R2 million.

The only filly in the race Beach Beauty, ran a superb third, and all credit must be given to KZN trainer Dennis Drier for his expert skills and conditioning of the 5 YO daughter of Dynasty.

Govender preferred to remain silent on what plans were for the 7YO, but if Saturday’s performance is anything to go by, it seems that age is no barrier to winning.