Milk And Honey (USA) has often been the bridesmaid but the US-bred mare put it all together at Turffontein's inside track today as she ran on well to win the Gr 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m. Prestic (SAF) was a close second ahead of Golden Scold (BRZ) and Candy Singer (ARG).
The early running was made by Muamba who ensured a decent gallop from Qui Duel, Kiribati, Laverna and Prestic. Lisa Anne was next best with Milk And Honey giving some eight lengths' start and Candy Singer among the backmarkers.
Muamba kept going until about the 300m mark when she was finally swallowed up by the chasing pack. Milk And Honey had made up ground readily in the straight and she forged ahead with Lisa Anne and Prestic looking the main dangers. It looked as if Milk And Honey might win going away at one stage but Prestic challenged stoutly and ensured that the winner had to work for her victory.
Milk And Honey went off 2/1 favourite and was an obvious choice if she could reproduce some of her previous top efforts against the likes of Dancer's Daughter and Mother Russia. However, her supporters have had their fingers burned a few times as she has often failed to replicate her best form when racing away from Turffontein's standside track. There were no such concerns today as she travelled well throughout, was produced at the right time by Anton Marcus and ran on resolutely in the closing stages..
Prestic ran a blinder, given that she was lugging 60.5kg, conceding 3.5kg to the winner and was having her first start since the beginning of July. The Empress Club Stakes looks the obvious target for her and she will no doubt renew her rivalry with Milk And Honey there.
Both Golden Scold and Candy Singer looked to have an uphill battle in this field but, having raced off the pace early on, they plugged away in the straight to make up a fair bit of ground.
Milk And Honey (USA) is a 5-y-o mare by Belong To Me (USA) out of Perfect Valley (BRZ) by Clackson (BRZ). She is owned by Haras De Gabba Syndicate (Nom: Miss J B Slack) and was bred by Equine Group.
Winning trainer: Mike de Kock
Race 5 - R165K - ACACIA HANDICAP (Grade 3)
For winners Fillies and Mares - 1600m |
| No |
Horse |
Jockey |
Al/Bl |
Kg |
Dr |
Fin |
Dist |
Time |
OP |
SP |
| 2 |
MILK AND HONEY (USA) |
Anton Marcus |
A |
57.0 |
3 |
1 |
0.00 |
96.59 |
16/10 |
2/1F |
| 1 |
PRESTIC |
M J Odendaal |
A |
60.5 |
6 |
2 |
0.25 |
96.64 |
7/1 |
6/1 |
| 8 |
GOLDEN SCOLD (BRZ) |
Donovan Habib |
A |
52.0 |
4 |
3 |
0.75 |
96.73 |
20/1 |
33/1 |
| 10 |
CANDY SINGER (ARG) |
Francois Herholdt |
A |
52.0 |
13 |
4 |
1.75 |
96.91 |
8/1 |
14/1 |
| 5 |
LISA ANNE |
Derreck David |
A |
55.5 |
1 |
5 |
2.50 |
97.05 |
7/1 |
14/1 |
| 3 |
KIRIBATI |
Piere Strydom |
A |
56.0 |
5 |
6 |
3.50 |
97.24 |
4/1 |
9/2 |
| 7 |
RUN ANGEL RUN |
Marco V'Rensburg |
A |
52.5 |
12 |
7 |
4.00 |
97.33 |
33/1 |
40/1 |
| 6 |
LAVERNA |
Anthony Delpech |
A B |
53.0 |
9 |
8 |
4.75 |
97.47 |
7/1 |
14/1 |
| 11 |
JET FLYER |
Guillermo Figueroa |
A B |
52.0 |
11 |
9 |
5.00 |
97.52 |
25/1 |
16/1 |
| 13 |
GUNNER GIRL (BRZ) |
Donavan Mansour *0.0 |
A |
52.0 |
2 |
10 |
5.50 |
97.61 |
40/1 |
40/1 |
| 12 |
MUAMBA (ARG) |
Brett Smith |
A |
52.0 |
8 |
11 |
6.75 |
97.85 |
25/1 |
16/1 |
| 9 |
AUTUMN GOLD |
Corne Orffer |
A |
52.0 |
14 |
12 |
7.50 |
97.99 |
8/1 |
9/1 |
| 4 |
BEDLOE'S ISLAND |
Gavin Lerena |
A |
55.5 |
10 |
13 |
18.75 |
100.17 |
25/1 |
33/1 |
| 14 |
QUI DUEL |
Nicola Welch |
A B |
52.0 |
7 |
14 |
23.00 |
101.02 |
100/1 |
100/1 |
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