Questioning provided the answer to the G3 Cape Classic over 1400m when he won this three-year-old contest full of running. Vaughan Marshall holds this Querari ex Wheredowego gelding in high regard, knowing that the official merit rating going into the race of 91 understated his true ability.
The bay raced comfortably in mid-pack on the rail before quickening away from pursuers as the field spread across the track. 25/1 outsider, Snow Pilot tried valiantly to go with him, but couldn’t, and finished 1.75 lengths back.
Drifting 5/2 favourite, Green with Envy, positioned only a length behind Questioning on the turn, was done in by his rivals much sharper move at the top of the stretch, eventually one-pacing it into third, four lengths in arrears. Tiring pace-presser, Zil Moris filled fourth place, 4.75 lengths behind the winner.
Questioning, a confidently backed winner of two of his three previous starts, again received market support from 9/2 into 3/1 and was well handled by Bernard Fayd Herbe to land the gamble.
Referencing the horse’s character, the jockey describes Questioning as a “lunatic.” But, between Fayd Herbe’s race-riding skills and regular morning work outs to build up an affinity with his mount, plus Marshall’s considerable expertise as a horseman, Questioning is now proving more manageable. In the race proper, he gives 100% effort and is actually quite tractable, able to lie fairly close to the pace before pouncing.
Questioning is clearly a very good horse and one of the Cape’s main candidates for the Guineas. There is still time for other “locals” to enter the reckoning, though Saturday’s Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein fought out in dramatic fashion between Main Defender and Sandringham Summit, with Gimmeanotherchance a couple of lengths off in third, currently appears to be the most potent three- year- old form nationwide.
The nippy, Blue Holly stayed a perfect three from three at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when outsprinting Captain Arrow and Future Variety in the Need for Speed Stakes (NB) over 1000m. Glen Kotzen’s Gimmethegreenlight filly just loves the course and blasted away from the opposition with a powerful mid-race move to win by three-quarters of a lengths. Raymond Danielson rode the winner who was shrewdly backed from 10’s into 7/1.
Captain Arrow ran on from a bad draw to sneak 2nd with Future Turn given every chance yet ultimately proved unable to accelerate sharply enough. A slightly more testing sprint could be what he is looking for.
- Written by Mark van Deventer
One Comment