S’manga Khumalo. Photo: SA Horseracing
Here Comes Billy (SAF) continued his ascent through the ranks with an easy win in the Grade 3 August Stakes over 1200m at the Vaal’s sand track on Saturday.
Stablemate Uncle Tommy (SAF) was a gallant second, with Contador (SAF) and Nice Stride (SAF) in the minor placings.
Uncle Tommy, despite sharing top weight, was soon out in front, with Eugenes, favourite Contador and Tipo Tinto in close attendance.
Astro News and Across The Ice were next best with Here Comes Billy, confidently handled by S’manga Khumalo, further back and Nice Stride racing towards the rear.
Uncle Tommy was tackled by Contador as they approached the 400m mark, but it soon became apparent that the favourite was under pressure to close the gap as the long-time leader shrugged him off.
Here Comes Billy, meanwhile, was starting to unleash an eye-catching run up the centre of the track and Nice Stride was also starting to make up ground widest of all.
Here Comes Billy had swept into the lead entering the last furlong and was never in danger of defeat thereafter. Uncle Tommy stuck to his guns but was conceding a whopping 7.5kg to his stablemate and, in the end, had to settle for a clear-cut second.
The winner was registering his fourth win from 11 starts and has shown rapid improvement over the past two months.
With this race being a key prep for the country’s richest sand race, the Emerald Cup, it will be interesting to see how he fares if he takes his place there. The extra 250m, as well as a few extra pounds on his back, will pose an obvious challenge, but he looks a really progressive sort, with a nice turn of foot, and he would be a big runner there.
Uncle Tommy completed a one-two finish for trainer Weiho Marwing and ran a blinder under top weight of 60kg, especially after doing the hard work early on. He looks nice course and distance suited for the Emerald Cup and a repeat of this sort of effort would make him a leading contender for that event.
Contador, winner of the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint in May, was somewhat disappointing, given his big race exploits during the winter season, but this was his first run back from a demanding campaign and he may just have needed the run. – SA Horseracing
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