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Frequent Flyer lived up to her name with a strong performance than held at bay all challengers in the R125,000, listed, Jamaica Handicap (1700m) at Kenilworth on Saturday as the 2012 Cape Sizzling Summer Season continued.
The field of fillies and mare had been considered to be even prior to the event but Frequent Flyer, trained by Brent Crawford, under a skilful ride by Kris Teetan showed that she was clearly superior from start to finish.
From barrier nine Teetan sent Frequent Flyer (56.5kg) straight to the front racing one off the rail. Flightly's Last (60kg) and Bernard Fayd'Herbe settled outside sitting on Frequent Flyers flank while Golden Dawn (52kg) and Gerrit Schlechter were inside with Ce Loire and Miss Ipanema (AUS) close behind.
Frequent Flyer led into the long straight for the 600m to run to the line. The field waited until the 400m mark before mounting their challenges but Teetan was ready and Frequent Flyer, facing the reasonable breeze, was also ready to play her part.
Flighty's Last went for the lead but found the top-weight an anchor to further progress, and then Ce Loire (54.5kg) and Glen Hatt came out after the leader. Frequent Flyer responded, but there was still some 200m to travel.
Ce Loire tried harder under Hatt's urging but each time Frequent Flyer had more with Teetan judging the pace well.
With 100m to run it was apparent that Frequent Flyer was not going to get beaten and the four-year-old Silvano mare went to her second stakes win with a comfortable half-length in hand.
Ce Loire (Dupont) and Hatt were second with Golden Dawn and Schlechter coming into third, the margin 1L. Flighty's Last was fourth. The time was 1.46.53 on a Good rated track.
“From draw nine, lately in Cape Town, they have not been going hard at all and the better option was to get up there. We preferred to find a lead, but it never happened. It was a great ride, once he had committed himself he never let them come back and dictate to him. It was a race we had targeted for a while and it is always nice when a plan comes together,” said Crawford
“She is not the easiest filly to ride. You always have to be very soft with her mouth. Even when she was in front, she was not sure what to do. But when we turned for home and one horse came next to us, she dug down nicely, and went on to win a good race,” added Teetan
Frequent Flyer is out of the Foveros mare Foy's Fancy, and she is a home-bred for Main Chance Farms. This was her fourth win from12 starts and with five placings she has earned stakes of R306,400, plus the valuable additional black type.