3 minute read
It was billed as a contest between the ladies and the champion three-year-old, Variety Club and it almost was.
Photo by Liesl King
But in a masterful ride, Pierre Strydom, aboard the “forgotten” three-year-old Gimmethegreenlight(AUS) snatched the lead with 25m left to go in the R1 million, Grade 1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate(1600m) at Kenilworth on Saturday, beating the favourite Variety Club into second.
Gimmethegreenlight started his career with four straight wins by a combined margin of almost seven lengths. His young trainer Justin Snaith called him as a superstar and great things were expected of the son of More Than Ready(USA).
But after failing to jump on terms in the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe(1400m) on July day, the colt's winning streak came to an abrupt end and from there it seemed as if the winning box would forever elude Gimmethegreenlight.
Although competing in one Graded race after another, he seemed to constantly find one better. Never quite winning and never being out of the money either. The betting public had clearly written the perennial “best man” off and he was allowed to start at generous odds of 13/1.
Photo by Liesl King
The race panned out as expected with Gibraltar Blue(IRE) taking up her usual front-running position to lead the field at a fast pace into the home turn. Variety Club was sitting handy, while Gimmethegreenlight was languishing at the rear of the field and seemed at times to be battling to keep up with the pace being set by Gibraltar Blue.
In the home straight, Anton Marcus on Variety Club, made his expected move, challenging Gibraltar Blue for the lead. The filly resisted briefly before throwing in the towel and Variety Club surged clear. With 50m to go, the lead had stretched to almost a length and the race looked all but over.
At the 400m mark however, Strydom started riding Gimmethegreenlight and the colt began passing horses at a rapid rate. By the 200m mark, it looked as if he had a place chance at best, but Strydom is a master tactician and with a mere 25m left to go, Gimmethegreenlight stuck his nose in front.
In a matter of meters Variety Club(Var) had been relegated to second, by a gap of 0.4L. Tales of Bravery(Kahal) again ran a good race to finish in third a length back, while Bravura(Silvano) had to settle for fourth, 0.4L back.
“The race worked out beautifully from the start, as he jumped well today. The pace was on and in this head wind he was struggling a bit, but I figured with the pace on, they have to tire a little bit. So you have to ride a patient race and try and collar them as late as possible”, Strydom explained.
“At the 400 I realised that I still had a little bit in the tank and I was getting closer and closer. By the time I hit the 200 I realised I had two lengths to make up and I had not really asked the question”, he added.
Strydom explained how he ended up on Gimmethegreenlight's back.
Photo by Liesl King
“I was meant to be off for another two weeks (with a broken jaw) and I still have wires in my mouth, but at this stage they are not hurting. I was on holiday when I was offered the ride. I realised this horse has a hell of a reputation and I could not say no.”
“He had been such an unlucky horse in all those Graded races. I always knew that he would be coming from behind. I tweaked a few things and I knew that although Variety Club had beaten us twice, we could beat him”, Snaith said.
The 2012 Queen's Plate was, for the first time, a “Win and You're In” race in the Breeders Cup Challenge Series. By winning, Gimmethegreenlight guaranteed himself a free entry into the 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile and his connections made it clear that they would very much like to take him to America.
Gimmethegreenlight recorded his fifth victory from ten starts for owner Hassan Adams, in a time of 97.68 seconds, taking his earnings to just over the million Rand mark. By More Than Ready from the Canny Lad mare Yes She Can Cancan, the colt is a half sister to the Graded winner OfcourseIcan.