Christmas Continues: Treble Win at Vaal Classic
As December winds down and we continue the Xmas celebrations, we had the joy of gifting our owners with a belated Christmas accomplishment at the Vaal Classic’s last meeting for 2023. The day was marked with a thrilling treble win from three-star performers – JOKER MAN, NETTLETON, and TIME FO ORCHIDS.
Starting with Race 2, JOKER MAN (Vercingetorix – Isabelle) galloped to victory under a top-class ride by jockey Gavin Lerena. Owned by Messrs J F & L M F Wernars & Mrs T J Wernars and bred by Narrow Creek Stud, this was JOKER MAN’s first win after showing promising form having placed in all his starts.
The momentum carried forward into Race 3, with Nettleton (What A Winter – Clifton Road) securing a quick double. Again piloted by Gavin Lerena & owned by our loyal trio Messrs J F & L M F Wernars & Mrs T J Wernars and also bred by Mr L M F Wernars. Nettleton’s form since returning from a break is worth noting – securing two wins and one third-place finish.
To round out the treble, TIME FO ORCHIDS (Time Thief – Amber Orchid) won Race 4, giving Mr. R M Sewgoolam, a cool owner, an excellent end to the festive season. This was TIME FO ORCHID’s first run for our stable and her second career win under S’manga Khumalo, which makes the victory even sweeter with the horse having changed stables 3 times, we hope it has finally found its home.
A special mention must be given to Linking Navigator, who, despite coming from a very lengthy break, was not disgraced in Race 4. Finishing a mere 5.25 lengths behind TIME FO ORCHIDS, this performance gives us optimism for many more thriving outings in the future.
Indeed, the day at the races was nothing short of memorable, each victory a testament to relentless hard work. We have the last meet of 2023 in sight now, which is set for Saturday 30th at Turffontein Racecourse. With a few of our first-timers gearing up for their debut, we eagerly await the chance to witness them crossing the line, bringing a perfect finish to the Highveld year.
We’d like to dedicate our recent wins to our diligent team and winning owners, rounding off December 2023 on a high note. Here’s to looking forward to 2024, with high hopes for continued successes and cherished memories in our world of horse racing. Let’s cross those future finish lines together!