A combination of a master trainer and an ice cool jockey saw the Vaughan Marshall trained Hill Fifty Four produce a hat-trick of wins in the R300 000, Group 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m at Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Marshall had mapped out a path for Hill Fifty Four that included four victories and a Group 3, all the while keeping the gelding under the radar. All that remained was for jockey M J Byleveld to win the Peninsula Handicap from barrier 13, to give Hill Fifty Four a fighting chance in the Group 1 J & B Met, the highlight of the Cape season.
Byleveld is no stranger to front running tactics and he bounced Hill Fifty Four extremely smartly out of the outside barrier and set sail for the lead. Passing wide around most of the field, he settled the gelding in third three wide, behind rail running Queen’s Command (AUS) and Hammie’s Dynasty. In a change of tactics, second favourite Taipan raced up with the speed, with his old enemy Punta Arenas on his tail.
With Queen’s Command leading the field into the home straight, Byleveld sent Hill Fifty Four even wider, before launching an attack up the centre of the track. Challenges came from favourite Jet Explorer and Punta Arenas, while Karis Teetan set Black Wing alight at the back of the field.
Byleveld however had the gap and the horse to maintain it and despite Punta Arenas making up ground on the leader in the closing stages, catching him was out of the question. Hill Fifty Four crossed the line 1.25L clear, in a time of 1.50.44. Aldo Domeyer and the luckless Punta Arenas(Silvano) completed a hat-trick of second placings, with a flying Black Wing(Kahal) just getting the better of Jet Explorer(Jet Master) to snatch third, a further 1.75 L back.
Marshall now has to wait and see whether Hill Fifty Four gets a starting berth in the showpiece of the Cape Sizzling Summer Season, the Group 1 J & B Met over 2000m on February 2nd, but so far the plan has been executed to perfection.
Hill Fifty Four, by Captain Al out of the Sportsworld(USA) mare Sports Dance, recorded his sixth victory for owners Mrs I Jooste and Mr M J Jooste, taking his earnings to R624 310.
ENDS
