– Written by Mark van Deventer
(Image of DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE by Chase Liebenberg)
DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE darted through under visiting British jockey, Daniel Muscutt, to score a 33/1 upset in the World Sports Betting Cape Town MET (G1) over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The Twice Over five-year-old horse is trained by Justin Snaith, who has done a great job to bring him back from a serious tendon injury, which necessitated a lengthy layoff.
He began his 4-month recuperation at Mike Stewart’s Noordhoek establishment to benefit from the healing properties of the bracing Atlantic Ocean before returning to Snaith, who has always rated him a very good horse.
Indeed, DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE won a strong Cape Guineas at three in a romp, and followed up with a bold try in the ’22 Cape Town MET before tendon problems scuppered further development. He has been slowly nursed back to health and, now fully fit after four build up runs, relished stretching out over middle distances.
(Image of RASCALLION by Chase Liebenberg)
RASCALLION, under an imaginative ride by Bernard Fayd Herbe tried to steal it from the front but, after leading for a long way, the brave gelding succumbed by half a length to DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE’s powerful late surge.
Snaith Racing’s WITHOUT QUESTION secured third spot ahead of 5/10 odds-on favourite SEE IT AGAIN, who did not run up to market expectations at all, closing belatedly from near the back of the field but lacking his usual zip.
The City of Cape Town Majorca Stakes (WFA) G1 over 1600m fell to amazing FLOWER ALLEY mare, PRINCESS CALLA, who was notching her 12th win in a stellar 27 start career which has yielded multiple G1 wins from sprints to middle distances. She is trained by expert horseman, Sean Tarry and was handled with aplomb by Richard Fourie.
Said Tarry, “We had her exactly right today; there could be no excuses.” And Fourie commented, “The speed was true. She seemed happy in early running and when they parted like the Red Sea, I went to the outside. She turned it on at the 300m, just like she did in KZN, and finished well to win.”
The wonder-mare started at 15/10 and was chased in over three lengths back by enterprisingly ridden, 40/1 longshot, RASCOVA, with DOUBLE GRAND SLAM completing the trifecta.
(Image of DYCE by Chase Liebenberg)
DYCE won the World Pool Cape Flying Championship (WFA) (G1) over 1000m, outduelling THUNDERSTRUCK in a great triumph for raiding Highveld trainer, Lucky Houdalakis.
There was drama at the gates with heavily favoured ISIVUNGUVUNGU cutting himself on a rivet in the starting stalls and being withdrawn. In the race itself, newly installed favourite, THUNDERSTRUCK, was handily positioned on the firm track and moved up with purpose, but could not resist DYCE’s dash towards the inner.
“I came to the Cape with a gun, not a peashooter,” said the canny Houdalakis, renowned for training world class sprinter, JJ THE JET PLANE, winner of seven G1’s around the world. This time he got DYCE ready to fire on the home tracks he knows so well at the Vaal – quite a feat considering the WILLIAM LONGSWORD entire has a screw in the left fetlock and previously did a tendon in his right leg.
“Time heals everything. I don’t like to force horses according to a set programme, but like to let the horse tell me when he is ready to go,” said the patient horseman afterwards, satisfied that an ambitious raiding plan had come together.
BEREAVE stayed on to be third, making a move in centre track with old-stager RIO QUERARI progressing into fourth.
(Image of RAPIDASH by Chase Liebenberg)
Going 1600m, RAPIDASH secured the bounty in the Cape Racing Gold Rush for a gross stake of R7.5 million. In a rough scramble he came from far back to run down 100/1 handily placed COASTAL COMMANDER by a neck with TAIL OF THE COMET 2.45 lengths adrift in third.
The winner, who is a son of DANON PLATINA, was ridden by Grant van Niekerk and is conditioned by Justin Snaith, who again made a big splash on a marquee day – as is his wont – with three visits to No 1 box.
The New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (G3) over 2800m saw a blanket finish with four thoroughbreds duking it out. At the wire, Andre Nel’s endurance runner, MASTER REDOUTE (by QUERARI) poked his head out sideways to edge TRIPLE TIME, ARAGOSTA and NEBRAAS in a thriller.
This has been a productive summer for MASTER REDOUTE. In December he won the Peninsula Handicap over 1800m and went in again over an extra 1000m to showcase his versatility.
(Image of LITTLE BALLERINA by Chase Liebenberg)
In earlier action, LITTLE BALLERINA, having only her second start, improved radically to scoop the Cape Racing Sales Cape Slipper’s lucrative prize in a 1200m sprint for juveniles. TALK TO THE MASTER chased in vain but Candice Dawson’s VERCINGETORIX filly had skipped clear with sharp acceleration to land a 100/1 shock.
