Ecstatic Green has the class to notch third victory

Ecstatic Green has known little else besides feature races in her career – and has performed with distinction in most of them. On Thursday at Turffontein, she drops down a few rungs to a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares and should have the class to account for her opposition and post a third career win.

Champion trainer Sean Tarry reckoned the then two-year-old was good enough to take her chances in the Grade 1 Alan Robertson Championship soon after her debut win. Thundering up the tough Scottsville finishing stretch, Ecstatic Green looked the winner of that famous old race, but was nabbed on the line by a flying Vernichey.

After a close-up fourth, with excuses, in the Golden Horseshoe, the filly claimed a Grade 2 trophy in the Debutant Stakes at Greyville.

Returning to home base in Joburg, she was narrowly beaten in her next start at Turffontein by none other than War Of Athena – who is now on the brink of Triple Tiara glory.

That’s a very respectable form line.

Well backed in her subsequent three feature race efforts, Ecstatic Green clearly tried hard but was perhaps a bit jaded after a busy campaign.

Tarry gave her two months off and she returns on Thursday fresh and rested to tackle the 1450m of Race 7 on the Turffontein Inside course. Most of her racing has been over less ground but, being by Gotthegreenlight, she should be good stamina-wise.

Regular jockey Lyle Hewitson jumps Ecstatic Green from the No 7 gate and she looks the closest thing to an exotic-bets banker on a tough card.

There is competition, though, from the likes of stablemate Zimbaba, and the largely unproven but precocious Florentine and Future Lady in particular. Wary punters might want to include one or two of these.

The only other race offering the chance to go a bit narrow in exotics is Race 6, where Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Argentinian import Puerto Mangano gets the chance to confirm early impressions that he’s above average.

However, he must carry a hefty 61.5kg as a three-year-old in this open Graduation Plate. Offsetting that a bit is the assistance of powerful jockey Gavin Lerena.

The competition is also stiff, despite the small, eight-horse field, with Master Supreme, Shadow Creek and La Luvia all having a case.

As with all Pick 6 legs on the day, choosing which horses to leave out for budgetary purposes is a head-scratcher.

Selections

Race 1:

1 Lucy In The Sky, 2 Ruby Woo, 5 Stormy Weathers, 4 Sea Island

Race 2:

2 Freedom Of Choice, 7 Savage Love, 1 Cocoa Hill, 4 Marigold Hotel

Race 3:

2 Coming In Hot, 11 Transvision Vamp, 8 Noble Striker, 3 Fisher King

Race 4:

1 Lazy Guy, 11 Extravert, 7 Katzenthal, 2 Jet Cat

Race 5:

5 Corageous Captian, 3 Fast Draw, 4 Light Warrior, 1 Enigma Code

Race 6:

1 Puerto Mangano, 3 Master Supreme, 6 Shadow Creek, La Luvia

Race 7:

1 Ecstatic Green, 6 Florentine, 2 Zimbaba, 7 Future Lady

Race 8:

9 Bitter Wind, 3 Milans Princess, 4 Entente, 10 Speechmaker

Pick 6

2,3,8,11 x 1,2,7,11 x 1,3,4,5 x 1,3,6 x 1 x 3,4,7,9,10 (R960)

PA

2,7 x 2,8,11 x 1,7,11 x 3,4,5 x 1 x 1 x 3,4,9 (R162)

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