Turf Talk Newsletter – 23 January, 2025

Justin Snaith is all smiles after winning last year’s WSB Met with the 33/1 outsider Double Superlative. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Justin Snaith will be going for a third WSB Met victory in succession and a fourth overall and he has a team of five lively contestants, including the ruling favourite Eight On Eighteen.

Below is a transcribed version of his Met runner comments and below that is a link to a video in which he gives insight on all of his runners on he day.

Snaith said, “In the World Sports Meeting Met there is a bit of a spanner in the works with a three-year-old running, Eight On Eighteen, which certainly opens the race up and will certainly give the older horses something to think about. He’s an up-and-coming youngster, but it is never easy. When you’re going over 2,000 metres, it does change things. It is a race of not so much a turn of foot but a race where stamina comes into play and I don’t think Eight On Eighteen is going to be lacking in any of that. He is certainly a deserved favourite for the race, because he hasn’t put a foot wrong yet. All of his races have been come-on runs with probably this moment and the Derby in mind. That’s how we have played the season into being right at the right time. So here we are and he’s doing really well at home. He’ll look amazing in the parade ring and will showcase a lot of quality from his father (Lancaster Bomber) and mother (Sempre Libre (Captain Al half-sister to the like of Bela-Bela)).

The track has been narrowed, which is something I haven’t seen before, but obviously there’s a bit of a play to where the horses might want to run on the day. It’s going to be very interesting. I think it’s thrown a complete spanner in the works. It’s very tight.

As I said on L’Ormarins King’s Plate Day, we found there were quite a few horses who were finding trouble and that’s something that’s going to come into play one Met Day. We’re going to have to work that out. I’m going to have to sit down with a few jocks and work out what the tactics are going to be.

Another runner in the big race is Pacaya. He’s a beautiful individual. He’s been here before. Yes, it is a tough ask, but on the strength of the older horses, he’s a horse that has done what they’ve done, all of them, a moment in a career where they’ve played at the highest level. Pacaya’s one of those horses. Go watch his last run (Premier Trophy). You’re going to see something incredible. He flew home, and I really believe that my horses that ran in that race, things didn’t go our way, and they’re certainly horses to follow.

Future Swing was really unlucky. He was baulked up against the fence.

And Triple Time was in that race. He came into the straight, went for an inside run, couldn’t get the run, tried to get another run, and literally went across the line with Richard standing up in the irons.

Future Swing was another one trying to get through. In fact, Future Swing is the one that moved over a little bit and caused trouble for Triple Time.

Future Swing couldn’t get a run when he needed it. Being a stayer and a horse with stamina, it’s very hard to gear him up again.

It is going to be very interesting on the day and I certainly would like Future Swing to be a little bit more forward in the running, to ensure we don’t find too much trouble in the straight, because I think horses like that need every chance they can get.

Future Swing is a dark horse on that previous run and there is always that X-factor about Grant (Van Niekerk), that he can bring something to the table. So let’s hope it’ll be on Saturday.

The other runner who is an interesting runner is Magic Verse. Everyone said we were mad running him in the Premiers.He almost won it!

All those horses who finished around him are in the Met, so why shouldn’t he be? He’s got Aldo Domeyer, who is certainly one of the best riders here in the Western Cape. He knows the track well. One good thing about Aldo is you actually don’t need to say anything to him. He rides his race and he’s quite confident in that manner. A lot of the guys come from Joburg and they don’t even know anything about the horse and sometimes, for me, that’s a worry. Magic Verse may be a huge outsider in the race, but he is certainly a horse to consider for the quartets and trifectas, you never know.

Royal Aussie is in good form at home. I thought he ran a very credible race in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. He ran his usual type of race. I probably would have thought he could have run better with Snow Pilot overracing in front. I would have thought he could have finished in front of some of those horses. He’s doing really well at home, and Kabelo knows him. In last year’s Met, he actually overraced, so if we can just get him to settle a little bit. If they go slow, this horse comes into play. It’s very simple … if there’s a good pace, other horses come into play. If they go slow in this year’s Met, Royal Aussie comes alive, and is going to be a big runner.

I’m sure this track will be beautiful on Saturday. It’s going to be very interesting how it plays out.”

CLICK TO WATCH SNAITH TALK ABOUT ALL OF HIS MET DAY RUNNERS

Drakenstein’s topseller, Chestnut Verse (# 87) is a son of Vercingetorix and was purchased by Triple 8 Clothing (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)

A decision to split the longstanding traditional January Premier Yearling Sale into two defined sales platforms has reaped rich rewards for vendors and the Cape Racing Sales team, with Thursday’s inaugural Summer Sale delivering the highest average South African yearling auction price in eight years, writes The Sporting Post.

The numbers don’t lie and when the hammer fell on the final lot just after 15h15, 74 of the 86 lots had banked an aggregate of R46 355 000, at an average of R626 419 and a median of R500 000, the latter reflecting a consistent flow of prices across all sectors, without the skewing factor of isolated big ticket bombers.

To find a bigger average, we have to go all the way back to the Premier Sale in the heady days of 2017, where 223 lots went through the ring at an average of R699 000.

But the median of R375 000 then, versus R500 000 on Thursday, probably tells the true story of improved health and a brighter more stable future.

After scorchingly hot weather in the build-up, the first Summer Sale was held in pleasant conditions on Thursday afternoon with a range of diverse buyers present from around South Africa enjoying the WSB Cape Town Met week vibe and related social activities.

And like most anything in life, successful outcomes are achieved through considered timing and properly listening to your market, realities that have not been lost on Cape Racing’s Executive: Racing & Bloodstock, Justin Vermaak, who was delighted to acknowledge the strong statistics as an indication that Cape Racing Sales are headed in the right direction and that their strategic consultation and planning was  paying dividends.

“We are thrilled for all stakeholders. The plan was to offer the more precocious, well grown forward types at what is a specimen focused sale in the thrill of the Met build-up, as opposed to a two day March sale that caters for the more classic, pedigreed types. We have had fantastic buy-in from buyers and vendors, and I am so pleased that the rewards were there for the breeders who delivered the goods and staunchly supported us through a few challenges on the venue front,” Vermaak told the Sporting Post.

The buying bench included many of the big hitters, including Laurence Wernars who secured the top lot of both sexes in Triple 8 Clothing’s spend of R10 050 000 for 11 yearlings at an average of R913 635.

Jonathan Snaith bought 10 youngsters for R8 500 000, while Hollywood Racing got 3 for a gross R2 350 000, an average of R783 333.

Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz, who is no doubt eyeing the Met trophy after his Hollywoodbets Durban July success last term, bought 4 for R2 050 000, an average of R512 500.

Highveld-based owner Arun Chadha completed the aggregate top 5 with his 2 yearlings totalling R2 050 000, an average of R512 500.

Drakenstein Stud sold the topseller, a Vercingetorix half-brother to two winners, including the useful Gimmethatpearl.

Falling to the R2,2 million bid of Laurence Wernars’ Triple 8 Clothing, Chestnut Verse (#87) is out of the Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts N Pearls.

The top filly on the sale was also acquired by Triple 8 Clothing and is also by Vercingetorix.

Bred by Avontuur, the nattily named Proud Mary (#66) fetched R2 million and is bred on the same cross as ill-fated Gr1 winner Alesian Chief. She is a half-sister to champion Thunderstruck, who stands at Ridgemont. Proud Mary is out of Var’s Gr2 Post Merchants winning daughter Varikate.

A pleased Pippa Mickleburgh told the Sporting Post that she was ‘very chuffed’ with Avontuur’s results and lauded the CRS team for a well-run sale.

“Proud Mary is a lovely filly and I am very happy with my other three yearlings. They were a really good bunch and this sale is actually always a good one for us. I took one off the sale as the heat was an issue – in fact the one and only drawback was the heat. But Mother Nature is Mother Nature, and she’s not a controllable. It was a compact catalogue and the strong buying bench meant that the prices were good. Well done Cape Racing Sales!” she concluded.

Avontuur’s quartet sold for an aggregate R3 625 000, at an average of R906 250.

Klawervlei (as agent) topped the vendor charts with their 14 achieving an aggregate of R8 275 000, at an average of R591 071.

Drakenstein sold 7 for R7 850 000 at an average of R1 121 429, while Varsfontein’s 10 lots grossed R4 050 000.

John and Renee Everett were pleased with Narrow Creek’s sextet grossing R3 800 000, at an average of R633 333.

And as history has shown, it was the in-demand proven stallions that again dominated the show.

Vercingetorix has had eight individual stakes winners this term and looks long odds-on to clinch a well-deserved first General Sires title.

The son of Silvano could be on the cusp of an overdue maiden Met success and topped the sire’s averages, his 6 lots selling for R8 275 000 at an average of R1 379 167.

Ridgemont’s Redoute’s Choice star Rafeef is always in demand, and his 6 sold for R5 825 000, an average of R647 222.

Freshman champion One World may be the new kid on the block, but he doesn’t stand back for the proven gang, his 6 selling for R5 350 000, an average of R891 667.

See the CRS Summer Sale full price list here.

Cape Racing Sales will now begin preparations to host the prestigious Premier Sale, scheduled for 14 and 15 March 2025 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. After having received overwhelming support from breeders, this auction will be a two-day sale.

Mike Moon has tipped Montien to win a confusing WSB Met. (Picture: Wayne Marks). 

Outsiders in a big weight for age race like Saturday’s WSB Met are usually given short shrift, but this year’s renewal is not following suit and outsiders are a prevalent topic of conversation among the pundits.

Mike Moon’s take on the race is a case in point:

Mike Moon (THe Citizen)

The dress theme for Saturday’s 2025 WSB Cape Town Met is ‘Couture Unleashed’. To a non-fashionista that sounds like: “Anything goes, do your worst, let loose the dogs of needlework!”.

With another event on the day, the actual horse race, looking a bit confusing, too, we could describe the punting theme as ‘Tipping Unleashed’.

Outlandish big-race results to go with outlandish outfits are not unknown at the Met, last year’s edition proving the point with 33-1 shot Double Superlative trotting up – unleashing many a double expletive.

Bookmaker odds for this week’s Grade 1, R5-million, 2000m contest look slightly out of whack to a few followers of form, with some runners being dangled at surprisingly good value.

A game of ‘Spot the Shrewdie’ isn’t a bad idea – particularly for players of a R2-million Quartet looking for the inevitable longshot to run into the first four places.

Putting aside the top four in the betting – Eight On Eighteen (3-1), Oriental Charm (9-2), See It Again (17-2) and Red Palace (9-1) – and quietly ignoring some no-hopers (famous last words), we arrive at six runners with strong credentials for a place in the judges’ frame:

4 – Future Swing (14-1). Champion trainer Justin Snaith has given this five-year-old a slow, careful build-up and he looks well primed. He’s disadvantaged at the weights but has Kenilworth’s street-smart Grant van Niekerk in the irons and a nice draw.

6 – Litigation (35-1). Trainer Sean Tarry’s raider has had two brilliant prep runs in Cape Town, indicating he is back to his best after a spell in the Joburg wilderness. Talented rider Muzi Yeni is always a factor.

7 – Royal Aussie (40-1). He’d prefer a shorter trip, but he was the fastest finisher in the recent King’s Plate and could run into Met money if he finds cover in running and turns on the burners at the death.

11 – Magic Verse (25-1). Maturing and improving as a four-year-old, he was an impressive runner-up in the recent Grade 2 Premier Trophy and has form that compares well with the others on this list.

15 – Montien (14-1). An ultra-consistent galloper from the under-rated Piet Botha yard. He is likely to go to the front from a bad draw and will stay game to the end.

16 – Rascallion (14-1). He also has a wide draw and is also likely to push the pace early on. Bit long in the tooth but has been in the form of his life for many months now.

A whimsical selection from among these ‘roughies’
15 Montien
6 Litigation
16 Rascallion
4 Future Swing
Factoring in the favourites, it could be…
15 Montien
6 Litigation
12 See It Again
10 Eight On Eighteen

Dyce wins last year’s Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

It’s been more than 14 years since Michael “Lucky” Houdalakis and Piere “Striker” Strydom teamed up with JJ The Jet Plane to win the Hong Kong International Sprint (Gr1) at Shatin Racecourse in 2010. Now the pair combine with the talented Dyce in the R1,5-million Cape Flying Championship (Gr1) over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Ironically, the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool are the sponsors of the 2025 renewal of the Cape Flying Championship so in some sense it could be a case of déjà vu.

Dyce is the defending Champion having won last year’s event under Craig Zackey who will this year be aboard the 2023 winner Gimme A Prince. Following his victory last year, Dyce lost his way and owner David Shawe agreed with trainer Lucky Houdalakis that the 6yo son of William Longsword should be gelded. The unkindest cut of all worked a treat for Dyce and with Strydom now firmly a member of the Dyce partnership, he reeled off three consecutive wins before going down narrowly to Golden Sickle in December.

Many in the 14-strong field are not 1000m speed merchants but Dyce is very much at home over the minimum trip and all things being equal, he should go very close to retaining the Trophy. He is raiding Hollywoodbets Kenilworth from his base at the Vaal – as he did successfully last year – and Lucky confirmed that Dyce arrived in Cape Town on Tuesday morning in good order.

As mentioned, Zackey now rides Gimme A Prince for his “boss” Dean Kannemeyer and the multiple Grade-One winner commands huge respect. My only concern is that in recent times the Khaya Stables owned 6yo son of Gimmethegreenlight has been running over 1400m & 1600m, including an excellent third in the recent L’Ormarins Kings Plate, and he may now have lost the edge needed to come out on top over 1000m on a super-fast track. But win or lose, there is no doubt that he will be flying home over the final 200m.
Questioning is in terrific form and is as honest and genuine as they come. He would prefer 1200m-1400m, but he has been expertly trained by Vaughan Marshall to be as sharp as can be and he came through his last run in the 1000m Winchester Cup with flying colours. He was beaten only a length by the lightning quick Candy Town but was conceding the winner as much as 10,5kgs and the 4yo son of Querari looks overpriced in the ante-post market. Bereave signalled a return to form in the Winchester Cup and although flying well under the radar, we must not forget he did run third behind Dyce in last year’s edition of the Cape Flying Championship.

Of the balance Asiye Phambili, Café Culture and Surjay make some appeal and could upset the applecart but, fit and well, Dyce could deliver for “Lucky” and “Striker” with Questioning and Gimme A Prince fancied to follow him home. The HKJC Cape Flying Championship is one of three Grade 1 races on Saturday’s World Sports Betting Cape Town Met bumper 12-race programme and is the fourth leg of the projected R10-million Pick 6.

Michael “Muis” Roberts rode Sedgehammer to victory in the Met 50 years ago in 1975 and he regards the NZ-bred as the best he ever rode in South Africa. Roberts would be a fitting winner as a trainer tihis year. He sends out the third favourite See It Again. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Gr 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town MET
21/01/2025

By Ada van der Bent

There is no denying that the Gr1 Cape Town Met is the undoubted jewel in the crown of racing at Kenilworth. It is an iconic event, a gathering of majestic thoroughbreds and the beautiful people who flock to Cape Town’s premier racetrack in their thousands to be part of the ultimate social occasion.

This year marks the 163rd running of the showpiece race, which had been in existence for several years when in 1886, racing moved from Green Point Common to its present home at Kenilworth. Distances varied, initially it was contested over a mile, then 1800m, but since 1948, it has always been run over 2000m. Needless to say, since its inception, this time-honoured race has been won by many of the titans of the South African turf.

Those who reigned supreme during the sixties included Jerez, Speciality, Renounce, William Penn and Peter Beware.

Still regarded by many as ‘The golden age of legends’, the seventies saw no less than five KZN-based champions make the Met their own, starting with Yataghan in 1974.  New Zealand-bred Sledgehammer ran out a facile winner in 1975, Gatecrasher took the race in style twelve months later, while Bahadur continued the stranglehold in 1977. Rounding out the quintet was one of the most famous of Met winners, the mighty Politician.

After striding to a majestic victory in 1978, the big chestnut returned twelve months later and put up one of the most incredulous performances in Met history, one that will long be remembered. Drawn 16 out of 19, he looked a beaten horse 200m out, but unleashed an electric turn of foot and made up two lengths to nab the gallant filly Festive Season on the line.

The eighties featured two Met winners who would go on to exert their influence at stud in a big way. English import Foveros, a fluent winner in 1982, left an indelible mark as a stallion, leading the General Sires list nine times, eight of which consecutively. Model Man won the Met in 1987, the same year he clinched the Horse of the Year title. He too, enjoyed a fruitful stallion career and became a particularly fine broodmare sire.

As far as thrills go, Politician’s epic performance was matched two decades later by another legendary chestnut, the Oppenheimer-bred and raced Horse Chestnut. In contrast to Politician’s heart-stopping second win, he turned the 1999 Met into a procession and streaked away from his rivals to score by eight lengths, a margin which to this day, has yet to be matched or bettered.

Remarkably, the Met has yet to deliver a deadheat. In recent times, the narrowest of winners have been Bunter Barlow, who scraped home by a shorthead in 2005, as did Imperious Sue in 1998 and Pas De Quoi six years later.

The record of most wins is held by yet another powerhouse, the legendary Pocket Power, who completed a three-win streak in 2009. The 2019 and 2021 winner Rainbow Bridge came close to matching that feat, but for a longhead defeat in 2020.

As for Pocket Power, he ran out a sparkling winner first time round at age four, matched Politician’s double twelve months later and in 2009, rolled into the history books as the first and only horse in history to capture three consecutive renewals of the Met, when he held Dancer’s Daughter by a hard-fought neck.

Pocket Power’s attempt at a fourth win was thwarted a year later by none other than his year-younger sister River Jetez. Remarkably, they are the only full siblings to have won the Met, although Badger’s Coast triumphed in 2000, five years after half-brother Surfing Home claimed the honours.

River Jetez is one of only eight female Met winners, all of which were champions in their own right.

The first was the remarkable mare Renounce, a two-length winner in 1966. It would be another 25 years before champion filly Olympic Duel crossed the line first in 1991. Six females have lifted the trophy since: Empress Club (1993), Imperious Sue (1998), River Jetez (2010), Igugu (2012), Smart Call (2016) and Oh Susanna (2018). All exceptional winners, given that Empress Club, Igugu and Oh Susanna earned Horse of the Year honours.

As far as trainers go, the modern-day record belongs to the late maestro Terrance Millard, who raised the trophy on no less than six occasions, the last time with Olympic Duel.

In recent years, the most successful trainer has been champion Justin Snaith with three winners. He broke through in 2018 when the filly Oh Susannah downed an elite field as the only three-year-old in the line-up. She was followed in 2023 by Jet Dark, who went one better than his second in 2022, while Double Superlative made it back-to-back wins for the stable in 2024.

Cherry Ano has been tipped to win the 6th race. (Pauline Herman Photography). 

Jack Milner (The Citizen)

Trainer Gavin Smith is in for a busy weekend as he not only has his usual spread of runners at Fairview on Friday but two runners in action at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday where Cruise Control will be looking to claim a Grade 1 title in the HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship over 1000m.

He also has a runner in Race 1, the Listed Heineken Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1100m, where Instaworthy will take on a host of Justin Snaith-trained runners. But while he might find the opposition a touch too strong, Smith can get in the first strike on Friday in the Fairview Mile on the turf.

Snaith is raiding the Fairview meeting and he sends out Underworld in this feature over 1600m, but he could find Smith-trainer Cherry Ano a touch too good.

While there has to be some doubt about Underworld seeing out 1600m, there is no question about the ability of Cherry Ano who has a record of five wins and a second place in six starts over the course and distance.

Cherry Ano disappointed last time in his first start after a rest over 1900m on the Polytrack but back on the turf, fitted with blinkers this time, he is the one to beat.

Craig Zackey takes the ride.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 Sports Fan, 2 Anotherdanceforme, 5 Fiery Countess, 3 Bonjour La Ville

Race 2: 1 Splicethemainbrace, 3 State Secret, 2 Can’t Say No, 6 Haphazard

Race 3: 1 Phil The Fluter, 5 Genteel, 3 Fearless Badger, 2 Oranjemund

Race 4: 2 Golden Pavilion, 9 Master Forester, 3 Dancingtothelight, 8 Sound Of The Sea

Race 5: 1 Protect The Dream, 6 Light Of Day, 11 Sky Velocity, 5 Below Deck

Race 6: 1 Cherry Ano, 6 Underworld, 5 Sequoia, 2 Electric Gold

Race 7: 3 Cliff Top, 4 Gimme’s Laddie, 9 Anuschka’s World, 1 Khaya’s Hope

Race 8: 1 Harold The Duke, 3 Nothingelsematters, 5 Puerto Plata, 2 Karoo Gold

 

BEST BET

Race 2 No 1 Splicethemainbrace

VALUE BET

Race 7 No 3 Cliff Top

BEST SWINGER

Race 6 1×6

 

BIPOT

R48

Leg 1: 2, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 2, 9

Leg 5: 1, 5, 6, 11

Leg 6: 1, 6

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R48

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 2, 9

Leg 4: 1, 6, 11

Leg 5: 1, 6

Leg 6: 3, 4

Leg 7: 1, 3

 

PICK 6

R270

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 2, 3, 9

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 11

Leg 4: 1, 6

Leg 5: 3, 4, 9

Leg 6: 1, 3, 5

 

JACKPOT 1

R90

Leg 1: 2, 3, 9

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 6, 11

Leg 3: 1, 6

Leg 4: 3, 4, 9

 

JACKPOT 2

R90

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6, 11

Leg 2: 1, 6

Leg 3: 3, 4, 9

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5

Hassen Adams’ amazing journey in horseracing was also part and parcel of one of the more memorable Mets, the 2011 renewal won by the Darryl Hodgson-trained Past Master with Gerrit Schlechter up. (Picture: Gold Circle). 

The quiet but popular late horseman Darryl Hodgson pulled off one of the great training feats in Met history at the 2011 renewal and on the same day the crowds were given the opportunity to say goodbye to a legend, four times L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and three-times Met winner, Pocket Power.

The article below was written the day after that special day:

The quiet man of racing, Darryl Hodgson, reached the pinnacle of his career to date when winning the J&B Met with Past Master on Saturday and it was also a milestone for owner Hassen Adams and jockey Gerrit Schlechter.

Adams praised Hodgson’s horsemanship and indeed the win was a fine training feat, for there have  not been many horses in history that have been nurtured back from suspensory ligament damage to win major races.

Past Master joined theHodgson yard at the beginning of this season with a big reputation having won the Selangor Cup as a three-year-old, upsetting his highly regarded stablemate Noordhoek Flyer.

Some thought at the time that the win was a flash in the pan, as he had started at long odds, but one man who thought differently was Gerrit Schlechter, who had always thought Past Master was better than Noordhoek Flyer.

Past Master injured a suspensory ligament after the Selangor and was out for ten months, so Hodgson always had to be careful with him in training.

That is why he often used races to bring the horse to its peak, the Diadem over 1200m being one such example.

That race was intended to bring him on for the Queen’s Pate but instead he “flabbergasted” Hodgson by waltzing to an emphatic victory.

People started questioning his stamina capabilities after that and he then flopped in the Queen’s Plate.

Schlechter explained, “He sprawled at the junction and then for a couple of strides ran as if he had gone wrong. “

The jockey was left in two minds and Past Master never recovered his balance.

However the horse pulled up sound and has shown no sign of anything being wrong since.

Past Master worked with two-time winning battler Cool Conqueror on Tuesday morning on the Milnerton sand and pulled two lengths clear of him at the end of 800m.

Hodgson said at the time of the normally lazy horse, “For him that was a very good workout.”

Shortly after that another Met day horse Wikipedia pulled 10 lengths clear of his work companion in a highly impressive gallop.

Hodgson pointed out the irony after the Met, as Wikipedia finished unplaced in his race.

“People thinks it’s easy for trainers to make predictions, but that just shows how hard it is,” he said.

For Adams the Met win was the conclusion of an incredible tale and he was visibly emotional, immediately dedicating the victory to his late father.

He recounted that one day at the racecourse, his father, who often played leadership roles, led the non-white racegoers to walk the fence down in protest at being placed in the bronze ring instead of the normal silver ring.

He was locked up leaving young Hassen to fend for himself.

Hassen walked all the way from the racecourse to Woodstock to call his Uncle and on that day he vowed that he would one day be at Kenilworth in a bigger capacity.

 He was quick to point out though that his triumph on Saturday, whilst fulfilling a dream, contained no thoughts of malice.

Adams, who has an honours degree in Mathematics, visited Schlechter during the week and planned the race.

“I told Gerrit that it was mathematically impossible for the horse to be dropped out and still win,” he explained.

Schlechter rode the race to perfection.

“The first 200m of the Met is normally a mad scramble for position,” he said. “I was wary of chasing the horse as he would then think he was in a sprint. So when I found myself quite close to the front I made a split second decision, ‘Place him’ I said to myself. I found cover behind Tales Of Bravery and suddenly I was one off the lead and alongside Mother Russia. I was where I wanted to be and was there for free.  Anton Marcus looked across at me and said ‘Wow, you’re in a nice position from draw 15!”  

A game of cat and mouse between Marcus and Schlechter  ensued.

In the straight they turned together and Schlechter left a gap, inviting Marcus to take it.

However, Marcus mindful of going too early, did not fall for the ruse.

“I wanted him to take the gap and go ahead,” said Schlechter. “That would have set it up for me perfectly with a horse to follow.”

With hindsight Marcus might have taken it, because 100m or so later he was caught in a pocket, with the tiring Bravura ahead and Past Master alongside.

To his credit Schlechter kept the door firmly closed and bided his time.

“When I asked him he responded like any of the best horses I’ve ever ridden, the Eyeofthetiger’s, Chief Warden’s, Rabiya’s etc.” said Schlechter.

“I saw Anton coming back on my outside, but I still had plenty in reserve.”

It was a very umportant win for Schlechter, “The first question people ask you as a jockey is ‘have you won the July?’,and the second is ‘have you won the Met’? I’ve now won both.”

The most excited man on the course was Hodgson’s longtime assistant Dun Katz, who later paid tribute to Hodgson and Adams.  

Past Master was bred by Hymie Maisel of Hyjo Stud. Maisel is ill at the moment and the win is sure to have given him a boost.      

Vidrik Thurling, Chairman of Gold Circle in the Cape and son-in-law of Maisel, had persuaded Adams to buy Past Master at the sales.

The Met had an irony in that Pocket Power, who was ridden by Schlechter on his debut, bowed out in a Met won by Schlechter.

The legendary eight-year-old was unsuited to the slow pace and was unable to make an impression from midfield, but he was one of the fastest finishers and claimed the eighth place cheque.

Between the ninth and tenth race the Mike Bass yard and Pocket’s owners were asked to stand on the fashion stage by the racecourse and then Pocket Power cantered past them, with a garland of red flowers around his neck and Bernard Fayd’herbe aboard in the Marsh Shirtliff silks.

The tears flowed freely from the connections, for this was a tribute usually reserved for horses from countries like the UK and Australia, which have a horseracing culture.

Mark Bass probably summed it up best, “The saddest part for me was that he came out looking rearing to go for what he must have thought was another race.” 

 The yard’s feelings were reflective of the love trainers have for their horses and Hodgson later amplified this when saying about Past Master, “Even if he hadn’t won I wouldn’t have minded as he is just such a character.”  

Picture: The Paul Matchett-trained Two Miles West (Fire Away) shifted all the way to the outside rail in the last race, but stilll held on to give Craig Zackey a double. (JC Photos). 

Ryan Munger, Gavin Lerena and Craig Zackey all rode doubles at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday and Mike de Kock saddled a double.

Zackey retains his slender lead in the national championship and has 122 wins for the season achieved at a strike rate of 18.15%.

Lerena is on 120 at 27.27% and Richard Fourie is on 114 at 24.73%.

Ryan Munger is riding during the off season in Canada and it was a fine day for the family because his wife Kelsey Mayhew-Munger rode the winner of the first race, a Workriders event, and Ryan rode the winner of the next two races.

Ryan has had three wins in 23 rides so far during his working holiday.

Which two Summerveld training colleagues won respective Mets in 1975 and 1976 as riders, 50 years and 49 years  ago respectively, and which two iconic horses won those two Mets?

The picture is of the 1976 winner.