Impressive filly Via Afrika recorded a stunning win in Saturday’s G2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Kenilworth, first race of the three-legged Fillies and Mares Sprint series.
Via Africa was winning her fourth race from five starts and alongside Mike De Kock’s Rumya ranks as one of the most exciting young prospects.
It was the second year in succession that a KZN-trained and Alec Forbes-ridden daughter of Var had won the race as Dennis Drier’s superstar sprinter Val De Ra was victorious under Forbes last year.
Via Afrika streaked to the lead and the 1000m race became a procession as she cruised home by 1.75 lengths in a winning time of 58.31.
Forbes said it was a pleasure to find another good filly like Val De Ra.
Forbes said that she had confirmed in her work that she was good and added that she had the runners on her outside off the bit at the 400m mark and he never felt that they would catch him.
Trainer Duncan Howells said that it was not easy for a small yard to win the Group races and praised a great team effort including his son Alex who had travelled with the speed queen as well as local trainer Eric Sands who had accommodated them.
There was high drama before the race with the late and contentious withdrawal of the fancied Welwitschia as well as Justin Snaith’s Varikate just prior to the start reducing the field to nine.
Welwitschia was concussed when rearing in the stalls when apparently reacting to a blast of music from an on-course jumping castle.
Her connections were understandably angry and the raceday management of side-shows on race days will no doubt be brought into the spotlight.
Cape Nursery winner The West Is Wide signalled his serious Sizzling Summer Season sprint aspirations winning Saturday’s Listed Southeaster Sprint over 1100m at Kenilworth.
The Vaughan Marshall-trained 3YO showed that he has trained on nicely from last winter and is now a winner of four of his nine starts.
