The Grade 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m), a weight for age race for fillies and mares at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town, was won in comfortable style by State Blue for trainer Justin Snaith.
Photo by Gold Circle
The track rating at the start of the meeting was soft with a penetrometer reading of 30,7. As the day progressed and the rain continued, the going progressively worsened, with jockeys reporting that the track on the outside rail was completely dead.
The field jumped well from the 1200m mark on the straight course and due to the going concerns, stayed bunched in the centre of the track. State Blue, Captain's Emblem and Emmajo headed the field for the first 400m after which State Blue was sent on her way by jockey Richard Fourie.
Under a hands and heels ride, the 5 year old daughter of National Assembly (CAN) drew away from the field and won by 3.25 lengths easing up. Her stable companion Dance With Al finished second with the three year old filly, Super Elegant, flying up from the back of the field to finish in third, another length back.
State Blue is owned by Drakenstein Stud, home of Trippi(USA) and Horse Chestnut(SAF). Stud manager, Ross Fuller, was on hand to lead the mare in and confirmed that although the plan had been to retire her to stud immediately after the race, plans may now change.
“She won so easily and she still enjoys her racing. I will be discussing it with Justin Snaith, her trainer, but I don't see why we can't let her race for another year” he said.
“She jumped well and cruised easily at the head of the field. Once I push the button she just surged forward and kept on going to the line. It was incredible!” commented jockey Richard Fourie.
The Snaith stable confirmed that Dance With Al, a six year old daughter of Captain Al, will now be retired to stud with a record of 6 wins from 28 starts.
“Super Elegant is a very classy filly, but she was hampered by the 16 draw on the outside. We had to drop her right out and that cost her a better finishing position” said trainer Piet Steyn.
No Horse Jockey Kg Dist Time OP SP
1 STATE BLUE Richard Fourie 60.0 0.00 74.45 7/2 7/22 DANCE WITH AL Felix Coetzee 60.0 3.25 75.07 22/10 17/10
15 SUPER ELEGANT Grant Van Niekerk 53.0 4.25 75.26 14/1 33/14 EMMAJO Christopher Puller 60.0 5.25 75.46 10/1 16/1
12 LA ROSITA (AUS) Lucian Africa 60.0 5.45 75.50 50/1 40/111 RIBBONS FOR THEE Karis Teetan 60.0 5.95 75.59 14/1 25/1
6 TWINKLE STAR Fareed Anthony 60.0 7.45 75.89 33/1 13/18 PISCES STAR Oswald Noach 60.0 7.55 75.91 20/1 33/1
13 DANISH DIVA Sean Cormack 60.0 7.95 75.98 20/1 25/13 SEAL OF APPROVAL Gareth Wright 60.0 8.70 76.13 50/1 66/1
14 KWITIZINA Andrew Fortune 60.0 9.95 76.38 20/1 25/15 PLAY NICE Gerrit Schlechter 60.0 11.20 76.63 14/1 20/1
10 MAXIXE Greg Cheyne 60.0 13.45 77.08 33/1 40/19 CLARION CALL Karl Neisius 60.0 13.85 77.16 10/1 20/1
7 CAPTAIN'S EMBLEM M J Byleveld 60.0 16.60 77.73 4/1 4/116 MOIKA DANCER Morne Winnaar 53.0 18.10 78.04 33/1 33/1
