Back with Vaal double!

February 18, 2022

The stable bounced right back after a few quiet weeks with a fine double at the Vaal on Saturday.

Linganomore (Byword) and Golden Aspen (Pomodoro) won, and Noble Striker finished second in the Vaal Grand Heritage.

Overall it was quite an impressive display with trainers and riders picking up two clear victories at the Vaal.

Linganomore won a thriller of a finish in a MR87 handicap over 1700m under Sherman Brown, defeating Escape Artist in a bob-of-the-nose affair.

Brown went on to thank owner and breeder David Makins for his long-time support.

“Also thanks to Corne for his support. We have quite a few young horses in the yard to come through later this season.”

Linganomore (nearest camera),won a photo finish. (JC Photos).

Corne echoed the praise for the veteran owner and wife Metta, whose success in the stable goes back to the halcyon days of Yardmaster, Fast Gun and Mysterious Hal in the late 1980s.

“Linganomore was impressive and her win was all the more encouraging because she had a rain-interrupted prep and we couldn’t get all the work into her we wanted to.”

Golden Aspen was not without reasonable form coming into a 1500m handicap race and her 40-1 starting price was not a reflection of her chance. She proved that with a decent win following a nice turn of foot.

“I let her use her stride and we had a tailwind, she won a good race,” said jockey Ryan Munger.

Corne commented: “Again, an encouraging win by Golden Aspen, we done to Philip Kahan for breeding her and to our partners Coenie Strydom and Jannie de Lange. Her light weight helped today.”

Sherman Brown with Fransie Naude (left) and Corne Spies.