There was a dramatic finish to the Gr 3 Schweppes 2200 at Greyville on Saturday as Saluki (GB) flew up from nowhere to tag Super Storm (SAF) on the line with Airwolf (SAF)and Danish Silver (SAF) staying on for the minor placings.
Drawn wide at 15, jockey Felix Coetzee dropped Saluki right out to the tail end of the field, just behind Airwolf, as Forest Path went out to show the way from La Foce, Grafton Street, Predestination, Winter's Night and Sports Factor with Super Storm next best, a few places ahead of Danish Silver.
Forest Path was soon under pressure as they turned for home and Predestination moved in quickly to challenge for the lead. Super Storm had travelled particularly well throughout the race and he moved through smoothly to hit the front 300m out. At this stage, he looked well set for victory as nothing else was really making an impression on him. Saluki, though, had other ideas and he produced an electrifying late burst getting up in the very last stride for the narrowest of victories.
Saluki had been holding form reasonably well coming into the race, but he still looked to have a bit to do in a very competitive field. He clearly enjoyed the step up in trip here and if he can reproduce the turn of foot he showed here, he'll be winning more races.
Super Storm likes this track and had taken the notable scalps of Galileo's Galaxy and Aslan here two runs back. He did everything but win here and there should be even more to come from him in the new season.
Airwolf had cAUSed an upset when winning his previous race but showed that was no fluke with a good run from off the pace while Danish Silver goes particularly well at this track and may just have been found out for stamina in the closing stages.
4 b g Dubai Destination (USA) - Dog Rose by Fort Wood (USA)
Owner: Mrs B D Oppenheimer
Bred by Mrs B D Oppenheimer
Winning trainer: Michael de Beer
Race 3 - R200K - SCHWEPPES 2200 (Grade 3)
For all Horses - 2200m |
| No |
Horse |
Jockey |
Al/Bl |
Kg |
Dr |
Fin |
Dist |
Time |
OP |
SP |
Prev |
| 13 |
SALUKI (GB) |
Felix Coetzee |
A B |
52.5 |
15 |
1 |
0.00 |
135.06 |
7/1 |
15/2 |
CD980 |
| 12 |
SUPER STORM |
Jeff Lloyd |
A |
53.0 |
8 |
2 |
0.05 |
135.07 |
11/2 |
15/2 |
CD956 |
| 17 |
AIRWOLF |
Corne Orffer |
A |
52.0 |
12 |
3 |
1.80 |
135.40 |
25/1 |
28/1 |
GE972 |
| 11 |
DANISH SILVER |
Piere Strydom |
A |
54.5 |
10 |
4 |
2.30 |
135.49 |
8/1 |
13/1 |
GE816 |
| 16 |
PREDESTINATION (AUS) |
Karis Teetan |
A |
52.0 |
4 |
5 |
2.55 |
135.54 |
11/2 |
15/2 |
GE929 |
| 6 |
RUDI ROCKS |
Anton Marcus |
A |
56.5 |
5 |
6 |
2.65 |
135.56 |
11/2 |
15/2 |
GE928 |
| 14 |
SIR LOWRY |
Glen Hatt |
A B |
52.5 |
18 |
7 |
3.90 |
135.79 |
20/1 |
55/1 |
CD983 |
| 10 |
WINTER'S NIGHT |
Anthony Delpech |
A |
55.0 |
6 |
8 |
5.65 |
136.13 |
12/1 |
6/1 |
ZE172 |
| 20 |
HAWK'S EYE (GB) |
M J Byleveld |
A |
52.0 |
2 |
9 |
6.15 |
136.22 |
12/1 |
22/1 |
SV1006 |
| 4 |
STRATEGIC NEWS (AUS) |
Raymond Danielson |
A B |
57.0 |
14 |
10 |
6.40 |
136.27 |
50/1 |
75/1 |
GE929 |
| 9 |
THANKS JOHN |
Karl Neisius |
A |
56.0 |
7 |
11 |
6.55 |
136.30 |
11/2 |
3/1 |
GE929 |
| 8 |
BOUQUET-GARNI |
Aldo Domeyer *0.0 |
A |
56.0 |
13 |
12 |
6.60 |
136.31 |
20/1 |
10/1 |
GE928 |
| 5 |
ROBINSON CRUSOE |
Stuart Randolph |
A |
56.5 |
1 |
13 |
7.85 |
136.55 |
14/1 |
22/1 |
GE929 |
| 7 |
AL'S DEPUTY |
Muzi Yeni |
A B |
56.0 |
9 |
14 |
9.60 |
136.88 |
33/1 |
60/1 |
CD982 |
| 1 |
FOREST PATH |
Warren Kennedy |
A |
60.0 |
16 |
15 |
11.10 |
137.17 |
25/1 |
28/1 |
CD884 |
| 19 |
SPORTS FACTOR |
Hennie Greyling *2.5 |
A B |
52.0 |
11 |
16 |
11.35 |
137.22 |
33/1 |
75/1 |
CD981 |
| 2 |
GRAFTON STREET |
Richard Fourie |
A |
59.0 |
17 |
17 |
12.10 |
137.36 |
25/1 |
30/1 |
KW639 |
| 15 |
LA FOCE |
Jassurick Jordaan *1.5 |
A B |
52.0 |
3 |
18 |
20.35 |
138.98 |
33/1 |
55/1 |
CD981 |
| 3 |
KILLARIDGE (ZIM) |
Scratched |
CD981 |
| 18 |
RICH STRIKE |
Scratched |
SV1006 |
|
FELIX SHOWED WHAT A CLASS JOCK HE IS, DESPITE GETTING ON A BIT IN AGE. HIS TIMING WAS SPOT-ON!