Safe Passage was beaten in the last few strides of Saturday’s R1,5 million WSB Gr1 SA Classic at Turffontein after a ding-dong battle with Joe Soma’s Red Saxon and while this quarter-length defeat means that there won’t be a Triple Crown winner this season, Mike de Kock was upbeat about Safe Passage and fifth-placed Aragosta.
He commented: “Both our runners had every chance and they ran well. Safe Passage was beaten by a good sort in Red Saxon that was always threatening to win a big race and was on the improve. Red Saxon was well prepared by Joe Soma and this was racing at it’s best and most exciting, congrats to Joe and a big well done to Julius Mariba on his first G1 winner. He is always a jockey I thought had a lot of talent, maybe this is his big break in life.
“We look forward to the Derby, Safe Passage will enjoy the 2450m, and so would Aragosta, who only got going late in the race and and ran on.”
