Coolmore Stud’s four time G1 winning sire Camelot enjoyed feature race success at Kenilworth racecourse on Saturday, when his Justin Snaith trained son Crown Towers ran out a game 40-1 winner of the Listed Selangor Jet Master Stakes (1600m).
Easy to back, Crown Towers came into Saturday’s 1600m contest having finished last in the G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, but clearly benefitted from a significant drop in class, and showed plenty of heart in landing his first feature race win.
CROWN TOWERS (Camelot) stayed on great to win the Selangor Jet Master Stakes today at #Kenilworth
Congrats #ItsARush
Rider: @Faydherberider
Trainer: S J Snaith
Breeder: Mr L Bibbo
Owner(s): Messrs N Jonsson & Estate Late W J C Mitchell pic.twitter.com/Q5hGkEDYT4— Racing Guru (@RacingGuru) February 22, 2020
Given a fine ride, Crown Towers was always positioned just off the front running Spectra Force, and when the latter dropped away turning for home, the gelding moved up into the lead 200m from home.
However, the Andre Nel trained Capoeira (who had beaten Crown Towers by two lengths two starts previously) was looking very threatening down the centre.
Capoeira began matching strides with Crown Towers, but the latter, showing plenty of heart, refused to be beaten, and he stayed on gamely to record a head win over a gallant Capoeira (28-1).
Few punters would have enjoyed the result, with 27-4 shot Sovereign Spirit running on nicely for third, albeit more than two and a half lengths off the winner, with Capoeira’s stablemate Vikram (10-1) finishing fourth.
Tote favourite Pack Leader (17-4) never looked dangerous and he only managed to beat five home.
A third winner (from the first five races) on Saturday’s card for his trainer, Crown Towers was ridden to victory by Bernard Fayd’Herbe.
The Australian bred Crown Towers, bred by Mr Bibbo, claimed Saturday’s first prize of R93 750 in a time of 98.81.
The lightly raced four-year-old has now won three of just 11 starts, with Saturday’s victory taking Crown Towers’ earnings to R264 125.
The Mill Park Stud, Inglis Premier-consigned Crown Towers, who was originally owned by Mayfair Speculators before being sold to current owners at a dispersal sale, is the 26th stakes winner sired by triple classic winner Camelot, whose other South African runners include G3 Langerman third place getter Finding Camelot.
Saturday’s winner was produced by the Galileo mare Miss With Attitude, who won five times and who ran third in the G2 MVRC Bill Stutt Stakes.
The classically bred Miss With Attitude hails from the same family as G1 Prix Vermeille winner Sharaya, as well as G1 Irish Oaks winner Shawanda –dam of short-lived G1 St Leger hero Encke.
Miss With Attitude’s current yearling, a colt by American Pharoah will be offered at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 80
Copy: Thoroughbred South Africa News, Images: Chase Liebenberg Designs
