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Mandla Moyo Sports Reporter
ROCK The Country beat an impressive field of 11 runners to win The Breeders Champions competition held at Borrowdale Racecourse on Sunday.This bay gelding from Gokhan Terzi’s stable with jockey Wesley Marwing on the irons staged a last-minute comeback to defend his title once again against a field of marauding 11 runners.
Such was his dominance in the last third that he covered the 2,000M long race in 2 minutes 03.63 seconds to win by a distance of three lengths.
For winning the 2015 Edition of the Breeders Champions Cup, Race 6, the winning connection walked away $5,700 richer. The other placed runners collected $1,900, $1,188 and $712 respectively.
At exactly 4:30PM the gates were pushed open releasing a field of 12 runners which exploded away from the blocks at a controlled pace towards the finishing line.
Aware of the distance lying ahead, most of the jockeys tried to keep their runners away from trouble during the early stages of this medium distance stayers’ race, by staying behind.
They were waiting on the wings patiently for the right time to come. Among the backers were Rock The Country and Gentle Brooke.
The pre-race favourite Two Gun Kid quickly found his way to the apex with Killa Man following behind and Gentle Brooke a nose length behind.
At the 600m mark Gentle Brooke, ridden by Karl Zechner, eased into the leader’s seat and started calling the shots with the other runners in hot pursuit as the battle for the honours raged on.
At the home straight when everyone had retired to their seats believing that Gentle Brooke had it taken and safely locked away in the cabinet, Rock the Country and his running mate Wesley Marwing had other plans.
They ghosted in from the outside and found their way to the top. Once in charge of the proceedings Wesley pushed Rock The Country a gear up, peeled him away from the rest of the pack to register one of the sweetest wins its trainer Terzi will cherish for a long time to come.
Terzi was a happy man at the end of the race. “I am definitely very happy as this was the main race of the day. This is the reason why we wake up every morning to train horses for big races.
“Gentle Brooke should have won however, sorry, that is the way, but remember Rock The Country is the defending Champion in this race therefore I expected him to win easily,” said Gokhan Terzi.
Borrowdale Results
Race 1
6 Hanyani, 2 Yesterday, 4 Caribbean, 8 Second Guessing
Race 2
5 Glanstonbury, 6 Little Venice, 9 Sword Of Truth,7 You’re So Vain
Race 3
5 Gotago, 9 Auntum J, 2 Casey’s Dance, 8 Parade Prancer
Race 4
7 Arrowfield, 3 Second Light, 8 Suede Sensation, 4 Shezawarrior
Race 5
5 Detective Casey, 10 Captain Grant, 2 Supa Dupa, 4 Princess Kate
Race 6
6 Rock The Country, 11 Orbit War, 12 Demitasse, 8 Gentle Brooke
Race 7
4 Amas Amat, 5 Full Court,13 Promising,11 Lateral’s Princess
Online Reporter