A first winner for Rebecca Oppenheimer

SPERO Optima was stepped up from 1160m to 1800m and ran on strongly to win his second career start on the Inside track at Turffontein on Saturday.

Spero Optima (15-10, Callan Murray) was impressive in the way he quickened up and he drew away smartly to win by four lengths.

The gelding by Dynasty provided Rebecca Oppenheimer with her first winner. Rebecca, sister to Mauritzfontein’s Jessica Slack, was an accomplished showjumper and has always been a horsewoman and Mike de Kock commented: “Rebecca had a spell in the United States and she’s settled back in South Africa now.

“I think Jessica wooed her into racehorse ownership, she saw Spero Optima as a young horse on the farm and liked him, he was a nice first choice for her. We are very pleased to have been involved in her first winner.”

He said about the win: “Spero Optima obviously enjoyed the extra ground, his minimum trip will be 1600m and he will like it even further than 1800m too. He’s by a champion stallion from a Gr1 winning mare and has obvious potential, but he didn’t beat much today.

“It will be hard to find a suitable next race for him, the handicappers are not making it easy for us.”