Master Josh was not for the catching

MASTER JOSH proved to be the bookmakers friend in the B Stakes that headed the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

- ANDREW HARRISON

Paying R17 a win on the tote, Yadav Singh’s gelding held on just long enough under leading Mauritian apprentice Girish Samo-Burthia to hold off a late-charging Major Tommie, Garth Puller’s runner a touch unlucky as Calvin Habib had to delay vital seconds for a gap to open as he took the inside line.

Samo-Burthia

Samo-Burthia is leading the national apprentice standings and had no hesitation in sending Master Josh to the front. The gelding kicked smartly at the top of the straight and went a long way clear.

However, he was treading water the last furlong with the pack closing fast, but not fast enough as Major Tommie ran out of runway, a winner two jumps past the post.

Finishes don’t come much tighter than the first where Austrian Beauty and Queen Fenn were separated by little more than the width of a piece of paper.

In a tough stretch duel, Austrian Beauty finally wore down pacemaker Captain Ventura and just when it looked to be all over, Queen Fenn arrived with a telling late run and had the race in the bag one stride past the post.