Gavin Lerena landed a double when the Piet Botha-trained King Viserys (Gimmethegreenlight) won the last at Hollywodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday. Craig Zackey also scored a double to remain five ahead of Lerena in the title chase. (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie teamed up to win the opening race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday, an Open Maiden over 1200m, with the Nick Jonsson-owned Secret Passage who finished too strongly for the front-running Happy Wives. Secret Passage (9/2), a 3yo son of Futura, was having only his second start as a gelding and he showed significant improvement on his previous start when finishing more than ten lengths off the pace. The favourite Cliff Swallow had every chance but was comfortably beaten into third spot and is proving very costly to follow.
For the second consecutive race meeting, punters were dealt a 100/1 stunner as It Is My Time led from gun to tape to hold out the red-hot favourite Victor Hugo in the second race, a Maiden Plate over 1400m. Ridden by Morne Winnaar for trainer Des McLachlan, It Is My Time showed unexpected resolution when tackled by Victor Hugo (9/10) inside the final 300m and stayed on well to score by under half-a-length.
The fast-improving Give Me Everything (13/2) took another step forward when winning the third race, a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1600m, for the Dean Kannemeyer / Craig Zackey combination. The 3yo daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, owned and bred by the Varsfontein Stud, overcame a wide draw to beat Blind Ambition and Hunga Tonga by the best part of a length. The well-supported English Mistress (18/10) was never in the hunt, finishing in the back half of the field.
The fourth race, a Maiden Plate over 1600m, produced a thrilling finish between Red Dawn (9/2) and Tenpenny (4/1) with the former getting up in the final few strides under a driving ride by Aldo Domeyer to score by a nose. The favourite Gran Canaria (9/4) failed to fire in the stretch and could only finish a never dangerous fifth, more than three lengths adrift of Red Dawn.
Noon Day Gun was the subject of solid support in the fifth race, a Class 5 Handicap over 1400m, shortening from 10/1 into 7/2, and the confidence proved well founded. Craig Zackey had the 4yo son of Gimmethegreenlight beautifully placed from a handy draw and Noon Day Gun ran on strongly all the way to the line to deny the top weight What A Fortune by half-a-length. The pair finished well clear of third-placed Givethatmanabells with Ozark rounding out the Quartet.
December Dawn (5/1) made light of 62,5kgs and an 8-point hike in the ratings, to score a dominant and impressive victory in the sixth race, a Class 5 Handicap (F&M) over 1200m. The 3yo Master Of My Fate filly, trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, has now won three on the bounce and given the stylish nature of her win here, December Dawn could yet have more to come in the higher divisions. The consistent Royal Lytham (9/2) was again the bridesmaid with Black Path (16/1) completing the Trifecta.
Title-chasing Gavin Lerena struck in the seventh race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1200m, steering the Lucinda Woodruff-trained Sohot Sowhat to an eye-catching victory over the game and consistent Captain’s Destiny. Sohot Sowhat won her maiden at huge odds in good style last month, in only her second racetrack appearance, and yesterday coped with her handicap debut in a competitive line-up with absolute aplomb. Both Back At The George and First Masterpiece proved ultra disappointing, leaving the way clear for Tanneron (33/1) and Priscilla Maisey (33/1) to make up the frame. The Quartet returned a massive dividend of R79 514-50.
Barney McGrew, without a win for close on two years, landed a gamble in the eighth race, a Cape C Stakes over 1000m, shortening from 5/1 into 22/10 as ante-post favourite Furious Queen drifted sharply from 14/10 to 9/4 as race time approached. Not that Barney McGrew was winning out of turn as the 7yo son of Captain Of All had been placed in his last three starts, including a good second behind subsequent winner Kelp Forest five weeks ago. Rafa Bay threw out a late challenge over the final 100m, but Ashton Arries kept Barney McGrew rolling to score by half-a-length for trainer Andries Steyn’s loyal patron Andy Elton.
King Viserys, coming out of the same “Kelp Forest” formline as Barney McGrew in the prior race, gave Gavin Lerena his second winner on the card when storming home in the ninth race, a Cape D Stakes over 1000m, to easily account for the consistent Electric Feels by close on two lengths. Winning trainer, Piet Botha, also saddled the third-placed Easy Money who was doing her best work at the finish. The Pick 6 returned R44263-20.
