Betula shines on July day!
In the opening race of July day, Betula, the lightly raced and continuously improving 2-year-old filly, made a strong impression. Despite traveling from her home in Randjesfontein, she arrived in excellent condition. The stable and connections were confident of a good run, as she had been displaying great progress in her recent runs.
Benefiting from a favorable draw, jockey Diego de Gouveia, positioned her off the pace, allowing her to relax and find her stride, a tactic that had worked well for her in previous races. Approaching the short Hollywoodbets Greyville straight, she still had ground to make up, but she displayed an impressive turn of foot and was directed towards the middle of the course to secure a clear run. With a strong ride by Deigo, the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred filly managed to edge past the leader in the last stride, winning by the narrowest of margins.
The victory was all the more remarkable considering Betula's limited experience, her journey to the track, and her first time competing at Greyville. She proved she is loaded with ability and potential and is expected to further improve as she matures, promising an exciting 3-year-old season ahead.
Credit for Betula's success goes to her deserving group of owners, including Mr. T Kung, B. Lane, P. Marks, A. Marx, and G. Player. Several of them were present at the racecourse, leading their filly into the winner's enclosure and celebrating the triumph.
It is worth noting that the same stable had triumphed in this race last year with Feather Boa, an incredibly consistent and classy filly. This victory by Betula felt fitting, as Feather Boa had also competed in the prestigious Garden Province Grade 1 race later in the day, finishing a commendable 4th despite her shocking draw which left her at the back of the field. Considering the caliber of competition and the disadvantageous draw, it was regarded as an impressive performance. Feather Boa's time in the winner's circle will surely come again.
Special thanks are extended to the stable sponsor, HOLLYWOODBETS, who generously supported this remarkable day of racing.
