Oxalis Gold is 'blooming' good

WHEN Mike de Kock and son Mathew decided to give the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes a miss with their filly Oxalis Gold in favour of taking on some useful males in the Gr3 Byerley Turk, it must have sent some warning bells with the opposition and indeed punters alike.

- ANDREW HARRISON

Speaking in his post-race interview, Mathew said a wide barrier draw in the Umzimkhulu had influenced their decision to take their chances in open sight. I think he perhaps let slip given that Oxalis Gold would have been up against Jimmy’s Countess and Green Sapphire in the Umzimkhulu.

Whatever the thinking, it was a master stroke as Oxalis Gold made short work of her male opposition and in making a G2 Fillies Guineas claim in emphatic fashion.

Cats Pajamas

At no stage in the race did she look under pressure and went to the line under hands and heels from Kabelo Matsunyane with Cats Pajamas running on stoutly under replacement rider Rachel Venniker with O’Tonikawa a gallant third.

Serino Moodley was never able to get Candice Dawson’s head down and settled as Andre Nel’s runner raced head-up and barely under control in the early exchanges so it was a run best ignored.

Sean Tarry has had a relatively quiet start to the season but things are looking up as the former champion trainer as Legend Of Arthur was given a masterful ride by Richard Fourie to win the Gr1 SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday and Gavin Lerena was pencilled in to ride Green Sapphire in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes yesterday.