By Daithi Harvey
South African racing could have its own version of Winx (Aus) on its hands as the Street Cry (Ire) filly Oh Susanna (Aus) struck a blow for the fairer sex when winning the G1 Sun Met at Kenilworth on Saturday. The only 3-year-old filly in the line-up also benefitted from the first running of the race as a weight-for-age contest, and she put her weight allowance to good use when gaining a narrow success in the R5-million ($421,497/£297,766/€339,185) 2000m contest over the fast- finishing Last Winter (SAf) (Western Winter) with Marinaresco (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) in third. The favourite Legal Eagle (SAf) (Greys Inn) looked a possible winner when hitting the front well over a furlong out but his stamina gave out in the last 100m and he eventually finished fourth. It was a bold call by trainer Justin Snaith to run the Drakenstein Stud owned/bred Oh Susanna on just her eighth lifetime start, moreso given no 3-year-old filly had won the race in the last 100 years, and turning into the straight it looked like the race was a bridge too far. Having been settled in around sixth place off a slowish early pace, Oh Susanna was perfectly placed throughout but looked a bit tapped for toe as the field rounded the home turn 600m from home, with rider Grant van Niekerk rowing away on the filly. At this stage Legal Eagle looked poised to make it third time lucky as jockey Anton Marcus went for home, but no sooner had he built up an advantage than he started to paddle as Oh Susannah kicked into overdrive. She got to the front inside the last furlong and there was a worrying moment as van Niekerk began an early celebration as Last Winter came from the clouds to mount a late challenge. The line came in time for the filly and with the runner-up's wide draw probably costing him the race, Dean Kannemeyer's colt remains a horse of great potential.
Saturday, Kenilworth, South Africa
SUN MET CELEBRATED WITH G.H. MUMM-G1, R5,000,000, KEN, 1-27, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:03.50, gd.
1–OH SUSANNA (AUS), 114, f, 3, by Street Cry (Ire)
1st Dam: Sharp Susan (MGSW-US, $478,326), by Touch Gold
2nd Dam: Winter's Gone, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Stark Winter, by Graustark
O-Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert); B-Drakenstein
Stud (AUS); T-Justin Snaith; J-Grant Van Niekerk. R2,850,000.
Lifetime Record: 8 starts, 3 wins, 3 places, R3,773,375. *1/2 to
Indiano Jones (A.P. Indy), MGSP-Can. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Last Winter (SAf), 131, c, 4, Western Winter–Field Flower
(SAf), by Silvano (Ger). (R3,700,000 yrl '15 CAPJAN) O-Khaya
Stables (Pty) Ltd; B-Mr P G de Beyer (SAF); T-Dean
Kannemeyer. R1,000,000.
3–Marinaresco (SAf), 131, g, 5, Silvano (Ger)–Gay Fortuna (Saf),
by Fort Wood. (R1,300,000 yrl '14 SADAPR) O-Messrs M W
Bass, F Green, Bryn Ressell & N M Shirtliff; B-Mauritzfontein
Stud (SAF); T-Candice Bass-Robinson. R500,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, NK. Odds: 6.00, 7.75, 5.00.
Also Ran: Legal Eagle (SAf), Captain America (SAf), African Night Sky (SAf), Safe Harbour (SAf), Krambambuli (SAf), Gold Standard (SAf), Nother Russia (SAf), Sail South (SAf), Coral Fever (SAf), Copper Force (SAf), Horizon (SAf), Nightingale (SAf), Silicone Valley (SAf), Elusive Silva (SAf), Nebula (SAf).
Scratched: Cascapedia (Ire), Heavenly Blue (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
“This is the moment you work for and I'm so blessed to be in the position I am in,” van Niekerk said post-race. “It was a bit rough early on but when I got her switched off early I knew she would have a good kick late on. I'm just glad she got the job done.”
“It's taken my family over 40 years to win this race and it hasn't sunk in yet that we've done it,” trainer Justin Snaith said after the race. “When I heard Sun's international spokesman Usain Bolt was going to be here this year I thought I'm going to win this race to meet him as he's one of my lifetime heroes so it's a double win for me. Also to win this race for Gaynor [Rupert] and Drakenstein Stud is an honour and it's a great result. I have to thank my family and my team at home too, they work so hard and make this possible.”
Although not the least experienced runner in the field–that claim rests with the runner up Last Winter–Oh Susanna has been slightly overshadowed to date by her brilliant stablemate Snowdance (SAf) (Captain Al {SAf}), including when second to that filly in the G1 Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Dec. 7. However, she did prove up to Grade 1 company when winning the Cartier Paddock S. on her next start on Jan. 6 over a furlong shorter, and has improved again for another step up in trip.
Pedigree Notes…
Oh Susanna is out of the high-class race mare Sharp Susan (Touch Gold), who numbers the GII Lake Placid S. and the GIII Herecomesthebride S. among her victories. At stud she has produced six foals with three winners from as many runners, including Oh Susanna's stakes-placed half-brother Indiano Jones (A.P. Indy). Sharp Susan is a half-sister to a pair of U.S. Grade I winners in Spring At Last (Silver Deputy) and Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band), the latter subsequently becoming the dam of Australian Group 1 winner Foundry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and his Irish-trained stakes winning full-brother Housesofparliament (Ire). Since delivering Oh Susanna, Sharp Susan has produced an unraced 2-year-old colt by Exceed And Excel (Aus) that was bought by Snowden Racing for A$300,000 at last year's Inglis Easter sale, and a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock (Aus). She is currently carrying to Galileo (Ire) and is due to foal late next month. Sharp Susan was a $2-million buy by Freyer Bloodstock at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, and her most recent trip through the sales ring was when she was bought by Badgers Bloodstock for A$1.05-million at Inglis's Australian Broodmare sale in 2012.
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