Letitbesaid (Vercingetorix) is the first leg of a treble for Richard Fourie and secured a quick double for Justin Snaith at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday. (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Richard Fourie’s charge in the defence of his Championship title is now in full swing, booting home another three winners at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday just a day after posting a five-timer at Fairview on Friday. Current leader Craig Zackey added a solitary winner to his tally on Saturday and his overall lead has now rapidly been reduced to single figures. Meanwhile Gavin Lerena, who does not enjoy the benefit of riding for either Alan Greeff or Gavin Smith in Gqeberha, won’t surrender easily and rode four winners at Turffontein over the weekend. At the conclusion of Saturday’s action, Craig Zackey had 167 victories to his credit with Fourie on 159 and Lerena on 155.
The first of Fourie’s three winners came in the second race, a Cape B Stakes over 1600m. Adopting very aggressive tactics on the 5/10 favourite, Let It Be Said, the pair turned for home with a significant advantage but not surprisingly Let It Be Said began to shorten his stride in the closing stages while Fatal Gem (14/1) was running on strongly from the rear. The winning post came just in time for Let It Be Said to hang on by a rapidly diminishing neck and land trainer Justin Snaith the opening double on the 9-race card.
Fourie recorded his second winner in the eighth race, a Class 3 Handicap over 1250m, riding a more patient race on the well-backed Dumbledore (33/10) for the Vaughan Marshall yard. Tracking the pace into the home stretch, Fourie made his move approaching the final 200m and the 4yo grey son of William Longsword lengthened beautifully to put the race to bed in stylish fashion. The ultra-consistent Callmegetrix finished second ahead of African Prince and a rather disappointing Miss World who drifted ominously in the market as race time approached.
Fourie closed out the meeting for in-form trainer Des McLachlan on Pilot Flame (7/2) who showed tremendous courage when taking out the ninth race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1250m. Caught wide in the early stages Fourie was forced to make a forward move on the 4yo daughter of Master Of My Fate and she was disputing the lead as heads turned for home. Pilot Flame stuck to her task well in the stretch, but defeat was on the cards when Tanneron moved in to challenge at the 200m pole. Tanneron appeared to edge past Pilot Flame for a few strides but somehow Pilot Flame found hidden reserves over the final 50m and fought back bravely to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Zackey’s solitary winner came in the seventh race, a Class 5 Handicap over 1250m, when scoring back-to-back victories aboard Tambourine Man for trainer Adam Marcus. Zackey made best use of pole position and took the 5yo son of Twice Over into an uncontested lead but halfway up the home straight dangerous-looking challenges were being mounted either side of Tambourine Man (28/10) by his stable companion True Horizon and the Paul Reeves-trained Mighty Mac. But Tambourine Man responded gamely under pressure and forged clear over the last 150m to score by a length with rank outsider Wing Walker (33/1) flashing up late to grab the runner-up spot. The favourite Trippi’s Silk (14/10) was never comfortable in running and failed to make an impression.
Louis Burke cemented his position at the top of the Workriders’ Series with a facile victory aboard Dawn’s Early Light (13/10) in Saturday’s opener, a Maiden Plate over 1250m. Sporting blinkers for the first time, Dawn’s Early Light made all the running and was two lengths clear of the newcomer Ocean Sky (12/1) as they reached the winning post. The biggest disappointment of the day was Victor Hugo who flopped badly in the fifth race, an Open Maiden over 1400m. Victor Hugo led the field into the home straight but was a spent force a long way out and faded away tamely as Chasingtherainbow flashed up with a strong late charge from the rear of the field to beat his lesser fancied stable companion Monkey Puzzle by a neck.
