Patience, virtue and Lady Defiance gallop at Fairview

The saying “patience is a virtue” is not taken to heart much these days. But in horse racing it is the most cherished piece of wisdom. For a game contested at such high speed, it’s ironic the secret to success lies in methodical preparation, calm consideration and waiting for the right moment.

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish,” said John Quincy Adams, who had the highest IQ of any US president before or since. He wasn’t a racehorse owner or trainer, but he faced a few problems in his time.

Prominent South African owner and breeder Mary Slack is clearly a woman of commendable patience. Her mare Lady Defiance, imported from Australia, presumably at a pretty penny with stud purposes in mind, provides the example.

The daughter of stallion I Am Invincible, from a Galileo mare, trained by Mike de Kock, made her debut as a juvenile at the Vaal in May 2019, winning impressively by two lengths.

Her next appearance came nearly seven months later, when she ran disappointingly. Then followed a full year before Lady Defiance was seen again – and that was an even more dismal showing. The horse had health issues and one might have expected her to be shipped off to the paddocks to start producing horses that could run and earn their keep.

Instead, it was decided she would be put in the care of Eastern Cape champion trainer Alan Greeff, who has a way with problem horses and could, just maybe, get another win out of her – possibly even a bit of black type a bit further down the line.

Things are looking promising, so far. Lady Defiance finished third in her first PE outing; then fourth 10 days later. Now, just 14 days on, she’s stepping out again on Friday. It looks like the now-five-year-old is holding up with a new routine in a new environment.

Indeed, she looks highly likely to get that second victory on the scorecard in Race 9, a Classified Stakes event for fillies and mares over 1400m. Bookmakers chalked her up as the favourite in ante-post betting and she immediately attracted money and was quickly shortened down to 18-10.

Patience is a virtue – and it might even give us an exotic-bets banker.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

8 Rio Supremo, 2 Alloway Grove, 4 Ruby Woo, 1 Meghan

Race 2:

1 Strong Casha, 5 Red Bishop, 9 Daleel, 7 Star Rider

Race 3:

1 Vision On Ice, Ladonna Mia, 5 Comedy Of Manners, 7 American Silk

Race 4:

3 Red Rules, 5 Silvia Louise, 7 Giggle And A Talk, 1 Serious Fun

Race 5:

4 Bush Fever, 3 Gold Rock, 5 Royal Shindig, 6 Cairon

Race 6:

4 Futura’s Hope, 1 Push Off, 8 Mesmerising Moon, 5 Tsar Peter

Race 7:

1 Bloom, 3 Step Lively, 8 Flaming Duchess, 6 Gimme Gimme Gimme

Race 8:

3 Moon Game, 6 Storm Commander, 2 Valetario, 4 Enrique

Race 9:

2 Lady Defiance, 3 Mistress Of Means, 8 Rose of Bayeux, 7 Madam Seville

Pick 6:

1,2,3,5,7 x 3,4,5,6 x 1,4,5,8,9 x 1,3 x 2,3,4,6 x 2,3 (R1600)

PA:

1,5,6 x 3,5 x 3,4 x 4 x 1 x 3,6 x 2 (R24)