SOUTH AFRICAN WINS DEBUT 
IN DUBAI

By Sarah Whitelaw
13 December 2002

The well bred Akinfeet won her first start in Dubai yesterday. The daughter of Fort Wood and Cape Fillies Guineas winner Dance Every Dance beat the Mark Johnston trained Blazeaway by over two lengths. The three year old filly had another American bred, Charlie Says, a short head back in third in the mile event. Ridden by champion jockey Ted Durcan, Akinfeet doesn’t look like stopping here. The half sister to the useful Full Card is trained by Satish Seemar. Unraced in South Africa, Akinfeet was trained by Snaith Racing, who recommended to his owner - Mike Rattray of Lammerskraal Stud, that she be sent to Dubai.

On the same card, the lightly raced National Emerald ran creditably to finish second to the promising Atraf colt, Steel Blue. The latter, who had run well behind classic hopeful Somnus (by Pivotal), won by seven lengths. National Emerald, also ridden by Durcan, was a brave but distant second. The daughter of National Emblem and the smart Kazatka, had the rest of the field well beaten. Amongst those beaten was the Gr 2 winner Vacacionado, a son of Roy. Vacacionado defeated crack colt, Eclipse West previously. She should win soon.