Tevez validated his class in Saturdays Listed Sophomore stakes with a very impressive win under Anton Marcus. The half-brother to Val De Ra looks to have a promising career ahead of him and we look forward to contesting him in the sprints this summer. The high was short lived for the stable as What A Winter produced a below par result in the proceeding race finishing a disappointing fourth.

Anton Marcus admittedly went for home earlier than anticipated giving the son of Caesour his reign at the 300m marker. He responded with authority to win going away by a length and a half from the lesser fancied Marshall runner Half Moon Hotel. Awesome Power finished third but nearly caused a severe pile up after ducking inwards towards the parade ring and taking out a few of his challengers along the way.

Mike Bass was impressed with his effort for a first run back “He is a small fellow but stands over a lot of ground giving him a lot of scope. I will run him in the feature sprints as a three year old but he may well be able to get some ground as he matures and he looks to be a very promising little sprinter in the making.”

He was a R700 000 acquisition from the National Sale bred by Avontuur stud, whose geneal manager Pippa Mickleburgh aptly named after her favourite footballer, Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. Pippa was in high spirits after the race and revelling in the prospect that Avontuur will be consigning a full brother to Val De Ra at the Cape Premier Yearling sale in January.

What A Winter, who looked close to a racing certainty in the next race, badly disappointed his followers with a below par performance finishing 4^th in his bid for his seasons opener.

Mike said “It was obviously terribly disappointing for all of us not see him wrap up what looked to be a straight forward win for a horse of his capability. There were no real excuses to be offered. Perhaps a combination of an over confident ride and the fact that he needed the run a little, cost him the race. The track was running quite well, and in hindsight, we should have had him in touch and pacing it out with the front runners for a first run back.  He looked like he may have needed this run a little bit and a combination of these factors perhaps put pay to his chances which was terribly disappointing for all of us.”

“He has pulled up well, and we will just have to put this run behind us” he said.