Sunday, 19 April 2009: Trainer Charles Laird holds a strong hand in the Grade 1 Champions Challenge to be run over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday, 25 April.
The R2 million race is one of eight Graded races to be run on Champions Day at Turffontein. The two other Grade 1 races are the R1.5 million SA Derby and the R1 million Computaform Sprint over 1000m.
Also run on the day are the SA Oaks over 2450m, the Gold Bowl over 2850m, the Nursery and Fillies Nursery over 1160m, and the Camellia Stakes over 1160m, all Grade 2 races.
Laird has four runners in the Champions Challenge, headed up by HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes winner Smart Banker, to be ridden by stable jockey Anton Marcus. Also in the race are Likeithot (Sean Cormack), Senor Versace (Andrew Fortune) and Crown Of Power (Gavin Lerena).
Mike de Kock withdrew Steinhoff Summer Cup winner Rudra but the champion trainer will still be a force with SA Classic winner Forest Path and Gauteng Fillies Guineas champion Zirconeum. Johnny Geroudis, who rode him when second to Mentor in a Pinnacle Plate, gets the ride on Forest Path while Anthony Delpech is up on Zirconeum.
Sean Tarry's Buy And Sell together with the Ormond Ferraris-trained She's On Fire, are the two best-weighted runners under the race conditions.
Buy And Sell had an excellent warm-up run when narrowly beaten by Therealslimshady at Turffontein last week and should be in top form next Saturday. Piere Strydom gets the ride.
Paul Matchett's pairing of Cerise Cherry and Mount Hood will be looking to earn the R250 000 bonus for topping the Triple Crown log when they contest the SA Derby over 2450m. No runner can win all three events but Cerise Cherry has already accumulated the minimum 13 points needed to claim the bonus and will do so as long neither Mount Hood nor Royal Rez wins the race and Cerise Cherry finishes unplaced.
The Computaform Sprint sees a rematch of the recent clash between two up-and-coming sprint stars in Warm White Night and Private Jet. Laird's Warm White Night came up trumps last time but over this 1000m, Private Jet may have the edge.
However, they both could be under pressure from Cape Flying Championship winner Rebel King. Marcus rides Warm White Night, Strydom is on Private Jet and Fortune is aboard Rebel King.
The final fields for the Graded races to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 25 April.
CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (G1) R2 million 2000m
1 - 6 BUY AND SELL (S G Tarry) P Strydom 58.0 - 111
2 - 9 SMART BANKER (C Laird) A Marcus 58.0 - 110
3 - 2 SURFIN' USA (M Dixon) M Byleveld 56.5 - 107
4 - 14 LIKEITHOT (C Laird) S Cormack 56.5 - 105
5 - 15 SENOR VERSACE (C Laird) A Fortune 56.5 - 105
6 - 3 FOREST PATH (M F De Kock) J Geroudis 55.5 - 107
7 - 16 SINGING SWORD (T Zackey) S Khumalo 55.5 - 105
8 - 5 ALUMINIUM (G V Woodruff) J Sampson 55.5 - 103
9 - 1 CATMANDU (A Kirsten) G Wrogemann 55.5 - 103
10 - 4 THANDOLWAMI (C Eudey) R Danielson 55.5 - 102
11 - 10 EL PADRINO (D C Goss) R Hill 55.5 - 100
12 - 12 CROWN OF POWER (C Laird) G Lerena 55.5 - 97
13 - 7 HORATIO (P F Matchett) R Simons 55.5 - 95
14 - 13 SHE'S ON FIRE (O A Ferraris) K Teetan 54.0 - 103
15 - 8 SPRING GARLAND (G M Alexander) D David 54.0 - 99
16 - 11 ZIRCONEUM (M F De Kock) A Delpech 51.5 - 101
Same Trainer: (2,4,5,12) (6,16)
SA DERBY (G1) R1.5 million 2450m
1 - 5 CERISE CHERRY (P F Matchett) M Mienie 57.0 - 105
2 - 2 MOUNT HOOD (P F Matchett) R Hill 57.0 - 104
3 - 1 SPORTING BOY (A G Laird) G Wrogemann 57.0 - 104
4 - 9 ROYAL REZ (T Zackey) S Khumalo 57.0 - 101
5 - 6 BOUQUET-GARNI (M F De Kock) A Delpech 57.0 - 99
6 - 8 FENERBAHCE (G M Alexander) A Fortune 57.0 - 99
7 - 14 BROADSWORD (P F Matchett) P Strydom 57.0 - 96
8 - 11 ALWAYS (C Laird) A Marcus 57.0 - 94
9 - 7 MAGICAL (O A Ferraris) B Fayd'Herbe 57.0 - 91
10 - 15 GOLDEN IDOL (G V Woodruff) A Hoffmann 57.0 - 89
11 - 3 POTCHEFSTROOM (G V Woodruff) R Danielson 57.0 - 87
12 - 12 LOVESGOTAHOLDOFME (G V Woodruff) D David 57.0 - 82
13 - 4 MISTER SOFTEE (T Zackey) S Cormack 57.0 - 79
14 - 10 MASS DESTRUCTION (C Laird) G Lerena 57.0 - 77
Reserve Runners
15 - 13 SEE THE LIGHT (A G Laird) Reserve 1 57.0 - 78
Same Trainer: (1,2,7) (3,15) (4,13) (8,14) (10,11,12)
COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (G1) R1 million 1000m
1 - 12 REBEL KING (C Laird) A Fortune 60.0 - 111
2 - 8 BATTLESTAR EXPRESS (G/K Anthony) D Habib 60.0 - 106
3 - 10 FLINTLOCK (G M Alexander) G Lerena 60.0 - 104
4 - 7 LIGHTNING LECTURE (G M Alexander) J Geroudis 60.0 - 101
5 - 4 RENEGADE (J Breedt) J Sampson 60.0 - 96
6 - 3 RIOT COMMANDER (J Vos) R Fourie 60.0 - 93
7 - 11 ROYAL EXIT (P F Matchett) R Simons 60.0 - 92
8 - 5 BEAT PATROL (P F Matchett) M Mienie 60.0 - 88
9 - 1 WARM WHITE NIGHT (C Laird) A Marcus 58.0 - 111
10 - 6 PRIVATE JET (G V Woodruff) P Strydom 58.0 - 107
11 - 9 SOUTH COUNTRY (G M Alexander) A Delpech 58.0 - 93
12 - 2 ETHEREAL LADY (S G Tarry) S Cormack 57.5 - 105
Same Trainer: (1,9) (3,4,11) (7,8)
SA OAKS (G2) R750 000 2450m
1 - 2 SWEET THERESA (O A Ferraris) B Fayd'Herbe 57.0 - 96
2 - 1 GOLDEN SCOLD (P F Matchett) R Hill 57.0 - 92
3 - 3 GILMORE GIRL (D Cunha) D Mansour 57.0 - 87
4 - 8 BEDLOE'S ISLAND (S G Tarry) P Strydom 57.0 - 86
5 - 6 OPERA CLOAK (O A Ferraris) K Teetan 57.0 - 86
6 - 4 STAR SAFARI (W H Marwing) M Mienie 57.0 - 86
7 - 7 BASTILLE BELLE (B Webber) G Lerena 57.0 - 81
8 - 5 WINDWARD (G V Woodruff) J Geroudis 57.0 - 78
9 - 9 HAB ACHT (B D Botes) D Habib 57.0 - 67
Same Trainer: (1,5)
THE NURSERY (G2) R500 000 1160m
1 - 5 BLUE NILE (L J Erasmus) R Hill 57.0 - 87
2 - 12 CHEERFUL NEWS (L J Erasmus) D David 57.0 - 82
3 - 8 COLOUR SUPPLEMENT (S G Tarry) A Fortune 57.0 - 86
4 - 10 DEIGO (P F Matchett) M Mienie 57.0 - 97
5 - 13 EXHILARATION (D Zaki) D Habib 57.0 - 88
6 - 2 HIDDEN RAVE (G M Alexander) P Strydom 57.0 - 85
7 - 7 LOCHLORIEN (M G Azzie) G Lerena 57.0 - 87
8 - 11 MATCH PLAY (R R Sage) F Naude 57.0 - 90
9 - 4 SECOND WORLD (L J Erasmus) L Nhlapo 57.0 - 86
10 - 1 SOUTH RANGER (M F De Kock) A Delpech 57.0 - 91
11 - 6 THREE CAPTAINS (P F Matchett) R Simons 57.0 - 84
12 - 3 VACHERIN (M G Azzie) A Marcus 57.0 - 93
13 - 9 WAITANGI (G V Woodruff) R Danielson 57.0 - 90
Same Trainer: (1,2,9) (4,11) (7,12)
GOLD BOWL (G2) R500 000 3200m
1 - 7 SANTA (O A Ferraris) B Fayd'Herbe 60.0 - 100
2 - 12 LONG DOLLAR (W H Marwing) M Mienie 58.5 - 97
3 - 11 ALPE D'HEUZ (G M Alexander) J Geroudis 57.0 - 94
4 - 14 BAYETE (S G Tarry) P Strydom 57.0 - 94
5 - 1 MEMBRADO (S G Tarry) A Fortune 57.0 - 94
6 - 10 GOLD ON GOLD (O A Ferraris) A Delpech 56.0 - 94
7 - 6 FULL POWER (G V Woodruff) R Danielson 55.5 - 93
8 - 2 PACIFIC WARRIOR (M N Houdalakis) W Uys 55.0 - 90
9 - 5 WESTERN WALK (J Vos) G Lerena 55.0 - 90
10 - 9 CAMERON'SKINGMAKER (D Cunha) D Mansour 52.5 - 87
11 - 13 JUDGE JUPITER (M F De Kock) R Simons 52.0 - 83
12 - 4 SWARMING (S J Gray) J Sampson 52.0 - 81
13 - 8 BURKE'S LUCK (D Zaki) D David 52.0 - 76
14 - 3 THERES THE LIGHT (B Webber) D Habib 52.0 - 76
Same Trainer: (1,6) (4,5)
THE FILLIES NURSERY (G2) R400 000 1160m
1 - 1 ALL AFIRE (A G Laird) J Geroudis 57.0 - 82
2 - 6 ASHJAAN (P F Matchett) M Mienie 57.0 - 81
3 - 8 CHICA BONITA (P F Matchett) R Simons 57.0 - 89
4 - 3 CORPES DA ELITE (S G Tarry) P Strydom 57.0 - 86
5 - 4 ESTEREL (D N Stenger) F Naude 57.0 - 84
6 - 5 FUN TO FLY (C Spies) N Welch 57.0 - 88
7 - 10 GENEROUS ANNA (C Laird) A Marcus 57.0 - 90
8 - 9 MOON SONG (J Breedt) J Sampson 57.0 - 86
9 - 7 SPRING CLOVER (J Vos) G Lerena 57.0 - 91
10 - 2 VELVET HUE (O A Ferraris) B Fayd'Herbe 57.0 - 87
Same Trainer: (2,3)
CAMELLIA STAKES (G2) R220 000 1160m
1 - 10 MERLENE DE LAGO (C Laird) A Marcus 58.0 - 103
2 - 9 MAGGIE KAY (G J Maroun) M V'Rensburg 57.5 - 86
3 - 3 LADY PEREZ (B Webber) S Cormack 56.5 - 96
4 - 12 LADY BEQUICK (S G Tarry) P Strydom 56.5 - 95
5 - 1 MOCHACHINO (M G Azzie) G Lerena 56.5 - 95
6 - 6 PICADILLY MISS (G J Maroun) B Nyawo 56.5 - 92
7 - 11 LISA ANNE (G M Alexander) J Geroudis 56.5 - 91
8 - 8 PAM'S FOXY LADY (B D Botes) D Habib 56.5 - 90
9 - 4 COPPER JET (P F Matchett) M Mienie 56.5 - 84
10 - 13 BELLOTTO FLASH (L W Goosen) J Sampson 56.5 - 77
11 - 5 RESOLUTIVA (L W Goosen) ............... 56.5 - 67
12 - 2 SWEET SANETTE (R R Magner) D L Habib 56.0 - 94
13 - 7 NOBLE HEIR (D S Bosch) A Delpech 55.0 - 98
Same Trainer: (2,6) (10,11)
