Charity Mile: Miss Daisy drives a big day for Billy The Kid

The smiles of trainer Billy “The Kid” Ruiters, owner “Stinky” Pooe and their entourage lit up a Turffontein under grey skies on Saturday – as their filly Miss Daisy stormed to victory in the HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes.

The four-year-old started at 12-1 in a competitive-looking field in the Grade 3 contest over 1400m – one of several features on Allied Steelrode-OnAMission Charity Mile Day.

It was the biggest career victory for Ruiters, aged 62, who has had a full training licence for just 18 months but has 50 years of experience in the racing game. He is one of the very few trainers of colour in South Africa and has received staunch support from Durban-based Pooe, a noted flamboyant dresser who was resplendent in pink checked trousers at the Big T.

Jockey Ryan Munger rode a superb race on Miss Daisy, keeping her at the head of affairs around the long Turffontein turn and then keeping her going to hold off determined challenges from 15-10 favourite Feather Boa and 20-1 chance Gimme A Shot.

It was sweet payback for Miss Daisy and her connections after she won the non-black type Lady’s Stakes at Turffontein in early September, only to be disqualified later.

Ruiters, who was an assistant to Chris Erasmus for many years, took over the latter’s Turffontein yard in April last year. He currently has a string of about 30 and is on the lookout for more horses.

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The father of seven, and devoted granddad, was born in Eastern Cape and wanted to become a jockey. Apartheid stymied that dream, so he took a stable job at Fairview as a youth and has since worked for a number of trainers over the years.

Another “small” stable captured the following race on the card, the Grade 3 Allied Steelrode Graham Beck Stakes. Randjesfontein-based trainer Grant Maroun saddled the very progressive three-year-old Anfields Rocket for his fourth consecutive victory.

Maroun says Anfields Rocket is the best horse he has trained and is destined for big things. The gelding was well handled by apprentice Kaiden Brewer, who was complimented by Maroun on the way he’d settled the over-racing youngster early on, before delivering him at the right moment to scoot away from a classy collection of rivals.

The somewhat larger stable of trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren was to the fore earlier on Charity Mile Day. He landed a double with debutant Southern Skies in Race 2 and Bon Vivant in Race 3, a Pinnacle Stakes.

The former trotted up by nearly eight lengths and look something special, while the latter continued her good form in downing the Sean Tarry-trained stars Rain In Holland and Under Your Spell.

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