Zebaldt Ngaruka
GOBABIS – Top Namibian racehorses Woodland Ridge and Lady Diamond, respectively from Junias Racing and Aminuis Racing (AR), secured the main races at the highly anticipated MTC Summer Derby held in Gobabis on Saturday.
Woodland Ridge won the 2 200 metres (m) distance, which was the thoroughbred main
plate, whereas Lady Diamond scooped the imported horses’ accolade in the 2 000 m distance.
The popular and decorated Okahandja Racing (OR) horse Starlile came second, while Equerry from Otjinene Supporters Club (OSC) settled for third place.
Lady Diamond, the Nambred champion, was followed by two Professor Supporters Club’s (PSC) horses, Bin Laden and 84 respectively.
In addition to the trophy, Woodland Ridge took home a cash prize of N$15 000, while Starlile got N$10 000, and N$8 400 went to Equerry.
Lady Diamond pocketed N$10 000 plus a trophy while the two challengers Bin Laden and 84 respectfully cashed in N$7 000 and N$ 5 600.
In another profiled race, the 1 600m of the thoroughbred open race, Desert Fox from Aminuis Racing emerged, followed by Epukiro Racing’s (ER) Sitting Bull in second place, while Naris Turf Club’s Unbroken Promises took the third position.
In other races, OSC’s Gregor McGregor won the 1 800m of the import D-division category.It was closely challenged by top Angermund Racing’s Queen Brittania in second, while Able Surprise of Winnie Christians came third.
Two Otjombinde-based Nambred horses, Resolution 435 and Life is Good, scored big after they respectively came first and second in the 1 800m of the Nambred D-division horses.
The two horses also secured victories in the short distance sprints in the earlier race of 1000m.
Khomas Turf Club’s Destiny managed the third spot, leaving behind ER’s Shining Diamond in fourth.
Woodland Ridge also scooped the 1000m sprint of thoroughbred horses, respectively challenged by Earl of Cardigan and Chief Helmet, both for OSC, in second and third places.
The Harambee Racing’s Mr Aminuis won the 1 600m of import graduation horses, followed by Weerlig Mootu from OSC in second, and OR’s Isiphekepheke claimed third.
AR’s Miss K came fourth in a highly-competitive sprint, which brought joy to many Aminuis-based supporters with one of their managers, Nongoo Katjiuanjo leading the celebration pack.
There was also an impressive performance from the country’s imported D-division horses in the 1000m, where Sitting Bull from Epukiro triumphed, leaving behind Queen Brittania in second place while Gregor McGregor came third and Destiny settled for the fourth spot.
Michael van Wyk was a happy man in the 1600m for locally produced horses, as his two horses Soldier Boy and She’s a Lady clinched victory after they came first and second.
Van Wyk’s horses left behind Naro from Kalahari Turf Club in third, and Angermund’s Bokkie came fourth.
It was a PSC affair in the short distance of Nambred horses as Sunny Side, Bin Laden and 84 respectively won the 1000m.
Another competition highlight was the local maiden horses, where Katiti-Komambo and Muinee-Mupuratene put the crowd on edge as they challenged each other closely in the 1 400m.
Katiti-Komambo won, and Muinee-Mupuratene secured the second place, whereas Fleecy Tibs settled for the third spot, leaving the fourth place to Bullet.
The juvenile horses also made their presence felt as they opened the competition’s proceedings, where High Voltage of Ephat Racing triumphed, leaving the second place for Midnight, whereas Bellavista claimed the third place out of nine competing horses in the 800m distance race.
– zngaruka@yahoo.com