Mercury Sprint- Via Africa

The brilliant three-year-old Var filly Via Africa, who won the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint on May 25 over 1200m at Scottsville, might still run in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Clairwood next month.



Duncan Howells said, "She came through the race so well and realistically there are no races for her until the Cape season at the end of the year. So, we'll nominate her for the Mercury and play it by ear. It will probably depend on how she draws."



Howells conceded after her previous defeat in the Grade 1 weight-for-age Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein that she had been beaten by the better horse, What A Winter, the reigning Equus Champion Sprinter, who also beat her in the Grade 1 weight-for-age Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m at Kenilworth.



However, she did lose two lengths at the start of the Computaform and was beaten only 1,25 lengths.



The Clairwood 1000m is not as tough as the Kenilworth one, where she was beaten only 0,75 lengths, so if she does line up she will give What A Winter a run for his money and could make it third time lucky.



Howells said that at this stage an overseas campaign would only be considered for Via Africa in her five-year-old season.



That makes sense as What A Winter is being retired at the end of this season, so a number of Grade 1 races might well be at her mercy next season.

why wait until she's 5 before campaigning overseas??...

whoever wrote the article must realise the mercury sprint is over 1200m the last time i looked

was David,he sent me message to fix,but i never got to it

Advise from the master himself (MDK).

neigh Wrote:

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> Advise from the master himself (MDK).


thank you...(tu)

If they want her to race at 5 overseas then she should leave when shes 4 u know with our export protocols...lol

shes wasting her time here

"That makes sense as What A Winter is being retired at the end of this season, so a number of Grade 1 races might well be at her mercy next season."

I doubt it, too many well bred 2yo sprinters this season...next season will get even hotter in the sprints

keniza999 Wrote:

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> "That makes sense as What A Winter is being
> retired at the end of this season, so a number of
> Grade 1 races might well be at her mercy next
> season."
>
> I doubt it, too many well bred 2yo sprinters this
> season...next season will get even hotter in the
> sprints


they can start now

pirates Wrote:

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> keniza999 Wrote:
>

---

>

---

> > "That makes sense as What A Winter is being
> > retired at the end of this season, so a number
> of
> > Grade 1 races might well be at her mercy next
> > season."
> >
> > I doubt it, too many well bred 2yo sprinters
> this
> > season...next season will get even hotter in
> the
> > sprints
>
>
> they can start now

tag this thread so it will be easier to find come May-2014:D

Her owner and breeder Andre Hauptfleisch must be one of luckiest guys in racing. A few years ago he was contracted to build a road or something on Glen Kotzen's racing estate and he used to see a young Big City Life every morning in the adjacent paddock, so he eventually enquired about the magnificent specimen and ended up buying a share. I'm not sure if that was his first racehorse but he does have only one mare and she produced the Grade 1 winner he has an ownership share in too, Via Africa.