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The three-year-old Tribal Dance won the R200,000, Group 3 Schweppes 2200 (2200m) at Greyville on Saturday with a sustained run from the top of the main straight after a perfect ride by MJ Byleveld for the entire trip.
Byleveld had Tribal Dance, trained by Vaughan Marshall in the Cape, out well from barrier 10 and quickly settled in second behind the early leader Captain's Wild and Karis Teetan. Jeff Lloyd, at the meeting from his Gold Coast residence after his Hong Kong sojourn finished in July, then took over the leading role at the bottom of the course on Roman Wall and the pace steadied.
Tribal Dance, with 57kg, relaxed well for Byleveld in fourth racing one off the rails. The order stayed the same as the field reached the 600m and Lloyd attempted to take a break on Roman Wall. Byleveld waited patiently for the cut-away rail and the path was clear for him once the field fanned off the rail.
Tribal Dance surged forward under Byleveld and with 300m to run they were leading, and with 200m to run they were a length clear.
Gold Cup contender Blake (59kg) and Karl Neisius came with a big run down the outside but they could not match Tribal Dance in front who went to the line with a 3/4L margin.
Blake (Dynasty) was clear of Silent Partner (Silvano) (54.5kg) and Antony Delpech, the margin 1 1/2L, with Captain's Wild fourth. The time was 2.15.02 on the Good track.
Trainer Vaughan Marshall said of Tribal Dance: “He's a horse that we're going to bring along slowly. He's still growing up, but he is a top horse,” said Marshall.
Marshall indicated the Durban July would be the target in 12 months, saying: “I thought this year's race was just a little too soon for him. You can see he's a gangly sort of horse, he's still learning the trade.”
“I read the race right, I thought there really wouldn't be too much pace. When I let him go I knew it would take a really good horse to come and fetch him,” said Byleveld.
Tribal Dance, a colt by Tiger Dance out of the Vettori mare Navajo Angel, was winning for the third time from just ten starts. With five placings he has earned stakes of R555,330 for the Estate of the late Mr RS Eckstein.
The staying test of the 12 race Greyville programme was the R350,000, Group 2, Mango Gold Vase (3000m) and Seal carried 59.5kg to victory after a finely timed run by jockey Robbie Fradd.
In Writing (ARG) (58kg) and Karl Neisius looked to have taken a decent lead from the 400m mark after leading from the 1600m and then sprinting from the cut-away rail on the outside section of the track.
While the break put paid to the rest of the field Fradd and Seal, trained by Gavin Van Zyl in Durban and Johannesburg, who had settled in fifth on the rail throughout the running, went for their run down closer to the rail. Seal was giving 3L to the leader but he was up to the task
Seal did run out under the pressure of the long run from the 400m and the two were running side-by-side over the final 50m, but when the line came up he had the win by 3/4L.
In Writing (Editor's Note) had 3 1/4L on Kolkata (Requiem) (4.5kg) and Sean Tarry. Top-weight Ilsanpietro (BRZ) with 60kg was fourth. The time was 3.13.88.
Winning jockey Robbie Fradd, riding on Durban July day for the first time since 2005, said: “I had the run of the race, just sat off the pace and waited for the run to come and he came with a great burst.
“I think there are bigger things to come from this horse,” he said.
Gareth van Zyl, son of trainer Gavin, did a lot of work with the stayer in Johannesburg. He described him as “a very special boy to me”.
“We've got other things in mind for him,” he said. “At the end of this month we've got the Gold Cup.”
The R1, Group 1, Gold Cup (3200m) is at Greyville at the end of the month.
Seal is a four-year-old gelding by Silvano out of the Rambo Dancer mare Prestine Performer and this was his fifth win from 21 starts. With eight places he has earned stakes of $478,587 with Saturday's win nearly doubling his previous earnings for owners Afrilek Drives (Pty) Ltd managed by Mr Grant Douglas.
