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Pomorodo, trained by Sean Tarry and ridden by Piere Strydom, sprang a 28-1 surprise when holding on by the skin of his teeth for a thrilling win in the R3 million Durban July at Greyville on Saturday.
Photo by HKJC
Strydom made light of the supposedly impossible outside draw to land the richest prize in Sout African racing.
He had Pomodoro quickly on the heels of the leaders and took it up a furlong and a half before the 55/1 chance Smanjemanje came at him in the last 50 yards.
He held for the narrowest of wins to give a tearful Strydom, 46, his third July win.
He said: "This is unbelievable and I am very emotional.
“I was a little bit wide early on and I had to keep working to get him in but, when I asked him at the top of the straight, he gave it to me straightaway.
“He kept giving it to me right to the line but I was very worried when Smanjemanje came at me."
Tarry, who started his working life running a fruit juice bar, has become one of the country's leading trainers.
He said: "The July was a gaping hole in my CV so I was delighted to win.
“I thought Piere got into a phenomenal position from that draw and he is a master of pace so I thought he had it sewn up when he led on the run-in.
“Then Smanjemanje appeared to give me a real fright.
"Pomodoro has had a tough season and he had a hard race when he dead-heated for the South African Derby.
“I freshened him for this and now he deserves a really good break. I won't be in a hurry to take him to Cape Town for the J & B Met with a Grade 1 penalty."
The result was a triumph for the handicapper with less than a length and a half covering the first six.
Jeff Lloyd's Durban July hoodoo continued as he finished third on Chesalon, adding to his long list of minor placings in the July without a win but got his compensation when he won the G1 Golden Horseshoe aboard War Horse.
The 18-10 favourite Jackson was a bitter disappointment.
He rocketed out of the stalls into a perfect position but went backwards in the straight and finished with only three behind him.
Jockey Karis Teetan said: "When I asked him for an effort his usual kick just wasn't there. Indeed by the turn-in he was finished. It was very disappointing."
* THE G1 Golden Horseshoe for 2YOs was won by War Horse (Corne Spies/Jeff Lloyd).
Spies said: "He will get even better when he goes further. His next race is the Premier's Champion Stakes here on July 28 and he will probably go for the Durban July next year."* THE G1 Durban Golden Slipper for 2YO fillies was won by Rumya (Mike de Kock/Anthony Delpech), giving the champion trainer his fourth win in the race in 10 years.
De Kock said: "She will spend most of her three-year-old career in South Africa and then head for an international campaign."* THE G1 Province Stakes for 3YO fillies and mares was won by this season's Cape Fillies Guineas winner Princess Victoria (Glen Kotzen/Anton Marcus) in a showdown with the previous season's Cape Fillies Guineas winner Ebony Flyer.
Kotzen said Princes Victoria is now likely to race overseas.