The strong Guineas meeting that we were looking forward to at Turffontein was postponed till next weekend due to heavy rains, leaving Kenilworth as the stand- alone card. The best two performances were saved till last – Speed Machine (speed figure 97) and Irish Morning (s/s 99) were heavily backed favourites that won Races 7 & 8 untroubled.

Speed Machine had a facile victory over Cape Guineas winner, Russian Rock to his credit before a couple of bad showings prompted gelding. This was his first run back and he won with authority. Don’t be surprised to see Justin Snaith pitch him into higher class events over the next few months as he is loaded with ability.

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer explained that Irish Morning has his issues and the patient approach to only getting his career underway as a four year- old, is now reaping dividends. After a gentle intro to racing in November 2020, the talented Gimmethegreenlight gelding has run escalating scores of 90 (finishing ratio 106%), 97 (finishing ratio of 104%) and now a fine speed fig of 99 (105%.)

Irish Morning was the second leg of a popular Kannemeyer double – Grant Behr, gritted his teeth through the pain of a dislocated shoulder to bravely ride debutant, Cosmic Highway to victory in the opener. Behr sustained the injury when giving Cape Guineas hero, Russian Rock a grass gallop in preparation for the Derby. He didn’t fall off – just the muscular strain of handling half a ton of muscled up horseflesh is physically demanding on a jock’s body and his shoulder got yanked out of joint.

Scottsville staged a Sunday program with Kings Crusade (s/s 87) earning the highest rating. Dennis Bosch’s Crusade gelding was astutely punted from 12/s into half those odds and drew clear under a typically well- judged ride from Warren Kennedy to land the betting strike in an MR 79 handicap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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