I Am Giant was possibly too handy when disappointing in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint and he confirmed the form of his Gr 2 Post Merchants win when reverting to hold up tactics on Sunday over the same Hollywoodbets Greyville 1200m course and distance. He gave Stuart Ferrie a quick double, Sean Veale the second leg of a treble and Hollywood Racing the third leg of a four-timer (Picture: Anneke Akal Kitching)
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
Rachel Venniker finally made it out of the second box to get Pioneer Square home in the Michaelmas Handicap (Non-Black Type) that headed the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Candice Dawson was in two minds whether to takes their chances from the widest draw but considering that the gelding had never finished out of the money, a place cheque would have paid for expenses.
It was a close-run thing however as Venniker took the brave decision to head for the lead. Drawn widest she first had to fight off Celtic Beauty and Go Grayson Go before settling into a rhythm.
Pioneer Square still had the lead at the top of the straight but was threatened by a wall of horses. The son of Querari is not lacking in intestinal fortitude and kept finding with the result down to the wire where he kept his nose in front to hold off Johnny The Thief by the narrowest of margins with the ever consistent Cape Eagle another short head back in third.
Cognac looked to be one of the better bets on yesterday’s card in spite of his high merit rating garnered after his impressive maiden win and 61kg on his back. It was not all plain sailing but the Rafeef colt got the deed done and is now headed for the Cape Summer with Stuart Ferrie’s string that includes Gladatorian and the G1 Cape Guineas is possibly on the agenda.
Stable companion Luneluck set a blistering pace and although, according to Sean Veale having his first win back from suspension, the plan was to settle Cognac in the running. However, Veale seemed to be caught a little off guard at the start with El Dante playing up on his inside and consequently missing the break. Cognac appeared to be well out of his ground half-way up the straight with Luneluck still going great guns, but like a good horse, Cognac responded to Veale’s urging and put the race to bed inside the final 50m.
The Ferrie-trained I Am Giant is also Cape Town bound and confirmed the Gr1 Post Merchants form as he got the better of O’Tenikwa in the fifth race, an A Stakes event over 1200m. With King Of The Gauls setting a solid gallop, Veale elected to settle in off the pace while O’Tenikwa was hung out to dry, racing three wide with Serino Moodley trying to make it to the rail and using up plenty of gas. This was possibly the difference between the two as I Am Giant quickened through a perfect split with O’Tenikwa flat to the boards on the outside. Cats Pajamas ran an eye-catching third, coming from close to last to finish a close-up third.
This was Veale and Ferries double for the day and Hollywood Racing third win.
Forward Motion went back-to-back in the Progress Plate over 1400m, sixth race on the card, with hot favourite Whispering Death a well-beaten fourth. KMV Retrofit set the pace with Muzi Yeni keeping a close eye on Whispering Death. When the gloves came off at the 400m mark Forward Motion hit the front and refused to give in getting the better of Bristol Hercules.
Whispering Death was the disappointment of the race but he is obviously not straight forward, missing a lot of last season through injury at home and the vet was called in. He went to the start in earmuffs and being off the track since March possibly took its toll. He was staying on well enough and should not be written off on the back of this run.
Given her form, Quickstepgal was the best bet on the card in the seventh and Tienie Prinsloo’s filly duly obliged. Under promising four-claiming apprentice Dezahn Louw, she pulled herself to the front early and was not for the catching as she booked her ticket for the Cape summer.
She was having her first run for the Wernars family and Harry Willson who bought her for an undisclosed amount at the conclusion her two-year-old season that saw her win three of her five starts including a close-up second to the unbeaten Anotherdanceforme in the Gr2 Golden Slipper.
A well beaten second but far from disgraced was Ladyofdistinction. A substantial daughter of Vercingetorix, she was carrying plenty of condition and should come on lengths with this run.
Friendless in the market, Johnny Boy belied his 10-1 odds, running out a good winner of the card opener. Drawn widest in the 13-horse field, Callan Murray had no hesitation in taking Peter Muscutt’s colt to the front where he had a comfortable lead.
Kicking for home early crossing the subway, Johnny Boy held on gamely with challengers aplenty. Second placed, the grey Eastern Highlands was closing relentlessly with Touched By Angels finishing best of all to take third, edging out hot favourite The Marquee. Serino Moodley missed the break slightly on The Marquee but was quickly onto the rail and then making up ground into a better position. At one stage he looked poised for a big challenge as the gaps opened, but although running on, he didn’t quicken enough for a major challenge.
Different stable, same tactics in the second. Murray recorded back-to-back wins sending Pied Piper to the front leaving the field to follow. It was a finely timed front-running ride by Murray who continues to impress since his return from Australia and is now one of the country’s leading riders. Also impressing is Vengi Masawi who trains the Hollywood Racing string out of Ashburton. He learnt his trade under Mike de Kock and it was back to his mentor for advice on Pied Piper. The cheek Pieces were added and the result spoke for itself.
Favourite Green Glow was given a chance to run on, as is the want from Dean Kannemeyer-trained runners, making up plenty of ground from well off the pace to finish a comfortable second. Definitely one for the notebook.
Things didn’t go according to plan with The Marquee in the first but the Plattner team made amends in the first leg of the PA as Miss Twinkle came through to follow up on her maiden win. A relatively late start to her career, KZN assistant to Andre Nel, Byron Forster alluded to the fact that the filly had shown an aversion to the starting stalls and it had taken time to get her settled. It was a wait well worth it and Miss Twinkle can go on as she steps up in trip.
Doug Campbell’s runner Sascha’s Dream was game in defeat with favourite Spinmyangelspin running on for third.
Buddy Boy started favourite for the final leg of the Pick 6 but raced very green around the turn and failed to turn it on in the straight. All this time Craig Zackey was biding his time towards the rear of the pack before unleashing Kanaal Skater in his first try over a mile to pick off the opposition in good fashion with Jazz Festival a game second.
Hollywood Racing rounded off a fine afternoon with the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Gotta Go Eddie going on to convert favouritism in the last giving Hollywood their fourth winner of the afternoon and Veale his third after returning from an enforced two-week holiday.
