Potent Power (SAF) caused a minor earthquake at Scottsville on Saturday as he scored a 40/1 victory in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m. Straight Set (SAF) emerged with plenty of credit in second, with My Jelly Bean (SAF) and Twitter (SAF) in the minor placings.
Well handled by Kevin Shea, Potent Power sat just off the early pace as Contador and Ziparana dominated the early exchanges. My Jelly Bean was also prominent early on with Twitter, Reign As Kings and Cape Royal giving a few lengths' start.
My Jelly Bean started to pour on the pressure as the early leaders wilted but even as he got into top gear, he was tackled by Potent Power. Shell-shocked punters must have cast about looking for something for something more fancied to catch him but he simply travelled better than anything else once he hit the front and won comfortably in the end. Straight Set, who was anonymous through the early stages, came through with a late effort but never looked like getting on terms with the winner.
Potent Power came into the race a two-time winner from four starts. His last win had come in a very small field, although the runner-up Indaba My Children had franked the form handsomely. Trainer Dennis Drier revealed after the race that a tongue-tie had done the trick with the son of National Emblem. He certainly kicked on in good style when asked and should get further than this.
Trainer Corne Spies had surprised many observers when swerving the Allan Robertson Championship and opting to pit Straight Set against the boys. She repaid his confidence with a creditable effort. She will surely be seen in action on Vodacom Durban July day and it will be interesting to see if she reverts to taking on her own sex in the Golden Slipper or once again takes her chances against male opposition in the Golden Horseshoe.
My Jelly Bean has now been placed in every feature race in the province that he has been eligible to run in and is now overdue to notch up another victory of his own. He is proving to be a model of consistency and tough as nails. It will be a surprise if he does not make the winner's box soon.
Twitter made some late progress and didn't run too badly here, without quite threatening the trio that beat him home.
2 b c National Emblem - Solar Galleon by Captain Al
Messrs E W Buhr, M A Currie, M Dally & BHF Syndicate (Nom : Mr D S Pitman)
Bred by Riverton Stud
Winning trainer: Dennis Drier
SV802 - Race 6 - R500K - TSOGO SUN MEDALLION (Grade 1)
For 2 year-olds - 1200m |
| No |
Horse |
Jockey |
Al/Bl |
Kg |
Dr |
Fin |
Dist |
Time |
OP |
SP |
| 12 |
POTENT POWER |
Kevin Shea |
A |
58.0 |
4 |
1 |
0.00 |
70.95 |
33/1 |
40/1 |
| 16 |
STRAIGHT SET |
Juan Paul V'D Merwe |
A |
55.5 |
15 |
2 |
1.25 |
71.18 |
16/1 |
11/1 |
| 9 |
MY JELLY BEAN |
Corne Orffer |
A |
58.0 |
3 |
3 |
1.75 |
71.27 |
16/1 |
22/1 |
| 14 |
TWITTER |
M J Byleveld |
A |
58.0 |
10 |
4 |
4.00 |
71.68 |
4/1 |
16/1 |
| 15 |
ZIPARANA |
Robbie Fradd |
A |
58.0 |
2 |
5 |
4.25 |
71.72 |
6/1 |
5/1 |
| 6 |
FLY ME OVER |
Sean Cormack |
A |
58.0 |
8 |
6 |
5.50 |
71.96 |
25/1 |
10/1 |
| 13 |
REIGN AS KINGS |
Anthony Delpech |
A |
58.0 |
5 |
7 |
5.75 |
72.00 |
3/1 |
33/10 |
| 10 |
OTTIMO (AUS) |
Stuart Randolph |
A C |
58.0 |
12 |
8 |
7.50 |
72.33 |
16/1 |
33/1 |
| 3 |
CONTADOR |
Anton Marcus |
A B |
58.0 |
1 |
9 |
7.55 |
72.34 |
12/1 |
9/1 |
| 2 |
CAPE ROYAL |
Karl Neisius |
A |
58.0 |
13 |
10 |
7.60 |
72.35 |
3/1 |
7/2 |
| 8 |
LOVE STRUCK |
Karis Teetan |
A |
58.0 |
11 |
11 |
8.60 |
72.53 |
33/1 |
45/1 |
| 1 |
BLIZZARD OF OZZ |
Alec Forbes |
A |
58.0 |
6 |
12 |
9.35 |
72.68 |
12/1 |
8/1 |
| 11 |
PEANUTS |
Derreck David |
A |
58.0 |
7 |
13 |
13.35 |
73.44 |
66/1 |
50/1 |
| 7 |
GO AGAIN |
Keagan Latham |
A |
58.0 |
14 |
14 |
21.10 |
74.97 |
50/1 |
75/1 |
| 4 |
DANESCO |
Piere Strydom |
A |
58.0 |
9 |
15 |
32.60 |
77.36 |
16/1 |
25/1 |
| 5 |
DONNIE BRASCO |
Scratched |
|