Black Swan Stud’s inform stallion Elusive Fort enjoyed more feature race success when his daughter Chitengo defied top-weight of 61kgs to capture the Listed WSB R10 000 Deposit Match Aquanaut Handicap (2400m) for a second year in a row at Turffontein on Saturday.

A smart winner at the Vaal last time out, the Alec Laird trained Chitengo was sent out a 14-1 shot for Saturday’s R100 000 handicap, with favouritism entrusted to the St John Gray Don’t Look Back, with the latter bidding to make it five wins in a row.
However, the favourite was no match for Chitengo, who dug down deep to land the 2021 Aquanaut Handicap in courageous fashion.

Chitengo hit the front 400m from home but was quickly challenged by Tyrus Express (17-4), and the pair settled down to fight out a thrilling finish.

In the tightest of finishes, Chitengo held on gamely to best her male rival by a short head -while conceding Tyrus Express no less than 7kgs.

Chitengo, who was winning for a seventh time in 24 starts, claimed her second Aquanaut Handicap in a time of 151.66 seconds.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein,Chitengo has now earned over R600 000 in stakes.

Her Wilgerbosdrift bred triple G1 winning sire Elusive Fort went close to having a feature race double on Saturday with his G2 World Sports Betting Dingaans/G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes winning son Catch Twentytwo finishing a close up third in Saturday’s G1 World Sports Betting SA Classic.

Also sire of this season’s unbeaten G3 Politician Stakes winner Kommetdieding, Elusive Fort has two fillies on offer at the upcoming Cape Premier Yearling Sale.