Billed as Africa's Richest Race day, the Sun Met and a host of Graded races went off tremendously well on Saturday, featuring some stirring performances at Kenilworth. Heavily punted, Whisky Baron just keeps on improving and he swept past Legal Eagle to land the big one, with pace-setting Captain America securing third ahead of high
Trip To Heaven (speed score 107) is a very smart performer from sprints up to a mile. He is a tricky character, prone to nodding off in the stalls and troubled by respiratory issues, yet has overcome those deficiencies to compile a clean record of seven wins from 17 starts with four seconds. He added
Legal Eagle (speed score 113) delivered another exceptional performance to record a double in the Queens Plate, racing handy then kicking clear to beat a game Captain America (s/s 109) with Sail South (s/s 108) closing from the rear for third. Marinaresco (s/s 107) was no match for the champion on the day but will
A couple of Grade three races were held over the New Year weekend. On Saturday at Turffontein, Rivarine was most impressive getting a big speed score of 108 in the Lebelo Sprint when bouncing out fresh after three months off track. This was a fourth win from just 10 starts for the super-quick son of
William Longsword (speed score 99 +) won the prestigious Cape Guineas from Gold Standard. They had met before in the Selangor which Gold Standard won with a monster score of 110 - William Longsword attained 101 there after suffering an over-reach injury. MJ Byleveld's inspired ride to quickly get handy from a wide draw was
Jo's Bond (s/s 98) won the CTS Southern Cross Stakes at Kenilworth, going start to finish over her preferred 1000m distance. The daughter of Captain Al was not under much pressure early on, so was able to resist all-comers in the finish. A below- best Carry On Alice (s/s 97) and an unfortunate, Scandal (s/s
Just Sensual (s/s 103) made a race-winning move around the turn and down the centre of the Kenilworth straight to deny Safe Harbour (s/s 102) in the Fillies Guineas. The daughter of Dynasty had quickened with great fluency to win her previous start, impressing jockey Anton Marcus, and finished with similar zest to clinch this
Master Sabina (s/s 107) doubled up in the Summer Cup, bursting between The Conglomerate (s/s 106) and Master Switch (s/s 106) to win for trainer Geoff Woodruff who seems to own the Grade 1 Highveld showdown. He has won the last four editions with Yorker, Louis the King and now Master Sabina going in yet
South African fans got to see the patented Frankie Dettori "flying dismount" when he won a couple of races during the International Jockeys Challenge at Turffontein on Sunday. The legendary rider has won over 3000 races during a stellar career around the world, and has lived a flamboyant life full of zest and good humour.
Hectic storms in the North curtailed much of the racing program though a windy and dry Cape Town was unaffected. Beach Goddess won the Laisserfaire Stakes (s/s 100) on a quick track to add another listed victory after winning the Champagne Stakes in slushy ground a few months ago. Stable-mate, Chevauchee (s/s 99) who beat
