Gold Onyx (NZ) delivered on his early promise with a scintillating win in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville today, coming from last to mow down favourite Kavanagh (SAF) as Zanzamar (SAF) and The Assayer (SAF) filled the minor placings.
Trojan River went out to make the running from The Assayer and Wonderlaine with Copper Parade handy but battling to get across from a dreadful draw. Kavanagh travelled comfortably on the rails ahead of English Garden, Not Liable and Perana while Zanzamar and Gold Onlyx, both of whom has also jumped from hopeless draws, sat at the rear.
Kavanagh made his move soon after entering the straight with The Assayer staying with him and looking a contender up the centre. Kavanagh eventually shook him off and looked a likely winner 200m out but Gold Onyx had started to motor up the outside and he produced a telling burst of acceleration to run down Kavanagh and win going away by nearly a length.
Although Gold Onyx went off at 33/1, those odds were by no means a true reflection of his chances. He had signalled his potential with an impressive win on debut in feature race company and although beaten in three subsequent efforts, had given clear signs that he was crying out for this distance. The draw was always going to pose a challenge, but he was superbly handled by Felix Coetzee and he looks to be a horse with a future.
Kavanagh had also won on debut in feature race company and had in fact finished well ahead of Gold Onyx in both their previous meetings. He has failed to reproduce the brilliance of that first victory in the SA Nursery in three runs since then, but he did have the rest of this field well beaten and should go on to make his mark.
Zanzamar and The Assayer once again found themselves fighting out the minor placings, just as they had done in the Golden Horseshoe at the beginning of July. Zanzamar came out on top this time and this was a top effort from draw 18. They're not quite as good as the pair that beat them - at this stage, anyway - but they will both find much easier opportunities than this to get back on the winning trail.
2 br c Black Minnaloushe (USA) - Egoli Lass (NZ) by Kaapstad (NZ)
Owner: Mr C J H van Niekerk
Bred by P A Newman & Windsor Park Stud Ltd
Winning trainer: Sean Tarry
Race 6 - R500K - PREMIER'S CHAMPION STAKES (Grade 1)
For 2 year olds - 1600m |
| No |
Horse |
Jockey |
Al/Bl |
Kg |
Dr |
Fin |
Dist |
Time |
OP |
SP |
| 7 |
GOLD ONYX (NZ) |
Felix Coetzee |
A |
58.0 |
16 |
1 |
0.00 |
96.18 |
20/1 |
33/1 |
| 2 |
KAVANAGH |
Kevin Shea |
A |
58.0 |
2 |
2 |
0.75 |
96.32 |
13/20 |
8/10 |
| 3 |
ZANZAMAR |
Karl Neisius |
A |
58.0 |
18 |
3 |
3.00 |
96.73 |
16/1 |
25/1 |
| 4 |
THE ASSAYER |
Anton Marcus |
A |
58.0 |
10 |
4 |
3.75 |
96.87 |
8/1 |
15/1 |
| 5 |
PERANA (AUS) |
Anthony Delpech |
A |
58.0 |
5 |
5 |
4.50 |
97.01 |
7/1 |
28/10 |
| 15 |
NOT LIABLE |
Glen Hatt |
A |
58.0 |
1 |
6 |
4.75 |
97.06 |
20/1 |
40/1 |
| 12 |
ENGLISH GARDEN |
Bernard Fayd'Herbe |
A |
58.0 |
9 |
7 |
6.00 |
97.29 |
20/1 |
15/1 |
| 11 |
WONDERLAINE |
Raymond Danielson |
A |
58.0 |
3 |
8 |
6.10 |
97.31 |
25/1 |
33/1 |
| 10 |
FIDELIS |
Aldo Domeyer *0.0 |
A |
58.0 |
7 |
9 |
6.20 |
97.33 |
33/1 |
50/1 |
| 14 |
APPROACHABLE |
Gavin Lerena |
A |
58.0 |
12 |
10 |
6.30 |
97.35 |
33/1 |
33/1 |
| 9 |
SKY LINK (AUS) |
Johnny Geroudis |
A |
58.0 |
8 |
11 |
6.35 |
97.36 |
12/1 |
20/1 |
| 8 |
SHERE KHAN |
Muzi Yeni |
A |
58.0 |
6 |
12 |
9.60 |
97.97 |
50/1 |
66/1 |
| 6 |
DOMINO PLAYER |
Hennie Greyling *2.5 |
A |
58.0 |
17 |
13 |
9.85 |
98.02 |
33/1 |
66/1 |
| 1 |
COPPER PARADE |
Piere Strydom |
A B |
58.0 |
15 |
14 |
11.10 |
98.26 |
11/2 |
9/1 |
| 16 |
IRISH EMINENCE |
Richard Fourie |
A |
58.0 |
11 |
15 |
12.85 |
98.59 |
50/1 |
66/1 |
| 13 |
TROJAN RIVER |
Marthinus Mienie |
A |
58.0 |
4 |
16 |
16.60 |
99.32 |
50/1 |
50/1 |
| 17 |
HOW MANY TO WON |
Scratched |
| 18 |
MAJOR VICTORY |
Scratched |
|
