By Mark van Deventer
OUTLAW KING, trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by Sean Veale, won the De Grendel Cape Merchants, a Grade 2 over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, wearing down long- time leader CAFÉ CULTURE.
SURJAY, who raced prominently down the inside just held off THE REAL PRINCE’s late rally to keep third.
The first four placings were filled by horses that were drawn and raced towards the inside of the straight course. KING OF THE GAULS, DANCE VARIETY and SEEKING THE STARS, drawn high, all folded out of contention. MEU CAPITANO did best of those that raced on the stand-side, but even he was soundly trounced seven lengths back.
Kannemeyer explained that OUTLAW KING, considered one of the best of his generation at two, contracted a virus in KZN and was duly laid off, allowing nature to take its healing course. He graciously thanked owners of the DK Racing Syndicate for their patience, as the gelding subsequently missed much of his three-year-old season.
“We just had to leave him and hope that he’d come back strong in the Spring. Thankfully, that’s what has happened, and I’m super thrilled for the Syndicate.” Kannemeyer also made positive mention of OUTLAW KING’s sire, Rafeef, “He’s a very good, up-and-coming stallion.”
Jockey, Veale, was equally impressed: “OUTLAW KING feels like he needs further, but he was going so well early on that when I let him stride, he quickened really nicely to win.”
OUTLAW KING, carrying 54kgs, was shrewdly backed from 16/1 into 17/2. The winning margin over 25/1 chance, CAFÉ CULTURE, was 1.25 lengths with SURJAY (a sterling run under 63kgs) and market mover from 10s into 6s, THE REAL PRINCE 1.75 lengths further away.
The winner’s time was 71.2 seconds on a fast-running surface, though the De Grendel Cape Merchants was run into a headwind. Races run around the turn seemed to favour horses making their stretch runs up the outer whereas the sprint course evidently was biased towards the inner, though the penetrometer reading indicated nothing odd.
Take nothing away from the classy winner, beautifully turned out OUTLAW KING received a smooth trip and showed his class to prevail and garner a Gr 2 – 511 days since his last win at Hollywoodbets Greyville – for jubilant connections.
