Backworth Stud Achieve Double Including Gardenia Listed

Backworth Stud Achieve Double Including Gardenia Listed

Backworth Stud had a double on Friday night at Turffontein with Stamford Bridge winning the first race, and Variometer winning the Gardenia Listed.

There was no hanging about in Friday evening’s R135,000 Listed Gardenia Handicap run over 1000m at Turffontein. The speed queens were at full throttle from the jump.

The gallant speed mare Mannequin came out carrying top-weight of 62,5kgs, and while she failed to register her thirteenth victory, she was hardly disgraced when finishing in third; just under a length behind the year younger Variometer.

Anton Marcus rode a top-class race when producing the Louis Goosen-trained flyer at the right moment inside the final 200m to register a heartstopping win.

The race panned out perfectly for the champion jockey as the Mike Azzie-trained super-quick La Volta dashed off to lead the enthusiastic mare Mannequin, with Three Nations and Miss Cantona in hot pursuit.

Marcus worked Variometer through as Mannequin challenged La Volta late, and in a nailbiting drive to the wire Variometer edged ahead to win by a short head in a time of 56,72secs.

Goosen’s shrewd move in fitting the blinkers to a filly endowed with plenty of natural speed was just the tonic required to change the place cheque scenario into something far more rewarding. She is also a far better filly on the turf.

The Backworth Stud product Variometer, is out of the Australian-bred Hennessy mare, Lady Electric, who won once over 1000m from just 2 starts. She was recently nominated for two categories for the KZN Breeders Awards.

Variometer is now a winner of 5 of her 17 starts, with 7 places for stake earnings of R469,675. She cost R140,000 at the KZN Yearling Sale.

All her victories have been recorded over 1000m and this was her third Listed win after the Ruffian Stakes as a 2-year-old, and the Bauhinia Handicap in her 3-year-old season.

Variometer is always worth following over the minimum chop and should make a lovely broodmare in time to come.

Our 3-year-old Solskjaer filly, Stamford Bridge, opened up the weekend’s racing with a ‘bang’ when she broke her maiden winning the opening race at Turffontein Friday, in an impressive fashion.

Trained by Mike Azzie, with Robbie Fradd up, this improver now takes her career record to a third, 2 seconds and a win from just 4 starts.

Stamford Bridge was bred by Koos and Lorraine de Klerk at Yellow Star Stud.

Information source courtesy of Backworth Stud. View their blog and website at www.backworth.co.za and join their Facebook page, Backworth Stud.