Flamingo Park Activates R500 000 Supreme Series

Kimberley's Flamingo Park Festival was a fun-filled day for families under
sunny skies and the racing provided thrills within the usual relaxed,
rustic atmosphere.
Kimberly's biggest annual race, the R200,000 RA Flamingo Mile, was won by
the combination of Sarel Von Willingh Smit and Francois Herholdt for the
second year in succession and this time they did it with the evergreen and
consistent Stone Pine. The seven-year-old Spectrum gelding, who started at
odds of 10/1, made an early dash for home and the well supported Tienie
Prinsloo-trained 9/2 shot Latino's Jet tried hard to catch him under Craig
Zackey but was a quarter-of-a-length shy at the line. The topweight and hot
11/10favourite, the Mike de Kock-trained Capricorn Ridge, was a touch
unlucky in third under Randall Simons because he was traveling well
entering the straight but his momentum was affected by a horse crossing to
the outside in front of him.

Possibly the most interesting of the three features of the day was the
R135,000 World Sports Betting Sprint over 1000m, because this formed the
first leg of the Super Supreme Series, which carries a R500,000 bonus for
any horse that can win all three legs. The Louis Goosen-trained
four-year-old Var gelding raided from his Vaal base and started favourite
at odds of 17/10 despite carrying joint topweight. He was delivered with a
perfectly timed challenge by former national champion jockey Andrew
Fortune, who weighed 70kg three months ago and has earned renewed
admiration for his resolve to get back to doing what he loves best and do
it as well as ever. Varbration won by 0,7 lengths from the Von Willingh
Smit-trained Herholdt-ridden 30/1 outsider Beez Brothers. The Corne
Spies-trained filly Sarve, who started at odds of 7/1, showed her class by
finishing third with joint topweight under Ryan Munger.

Fortune was at his brilliant best in the first feature of the day, the
R100,000 RA Diamond Stayers over 2200m, which he won aboard the topweight
and 22/10 favourite, the Tienie Prinsloo-trained five-year-old Judpot
gelding Pontedera. Fortune dictated from the off and his pace judgement
proved to be immaculate because Pontedera pulled away effortlessly in the
straight to win by 2,25 lengths and Fortune could even afford to look over
his shoulder and ease his mount in typical fashion. The Coerie
Lensley-trained 35/1 outsider Steady As Rock finished second under Timothy
Pretorius and the Cliffie Miller-trained 3/1 chance Wimoweh, ridden by
Craig Zackey, was a well beaten third.

World Sports Betting presented a R50,000 cheque to the Horse Care Unit
after the running of the World a sports Betting Sprint.

Looking at the noms for Monday you have to worry about Flamingo. Monday will only be the second meeting of the month and the fields will be tiny.

Looks finished Harris

I thought I read somewhere its closing..maybe wrong but would make sense..I mean they closed Gosforth and Clairwood and keep Kimberly open??

with the vaal sand coming to end im sure they will get a boost of under achieving horses.If Kimberley had to close then many horses will have a very short racing career unless they are owned by the over wealthy.