Above The Law (Legislate) looks to have a bright future ahead of him after his eyecatching win on debut at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last Wednesday (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie, who combined for a double, both scored trebles at the Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting on Wednesday.
Above The Law got the Snaith ball rolling in the first as Fourie got the big-striding son of Legislate to pick it up from well back and finish with a flourish to get the better of Running Shoes and Stichintime.
Snaith was looking for a quick double with short-priced favourite Miss Arizona in the second but after racing handy she was a spent force a furlong out as Future Engagement quickened up the inside rail under Callan Murray and James Crawford’s filly getting the better of long-time leader Jane Austin close home. Future Engagement, a three-year-old filly by Futura, is a full sister to Gr 2 winner Pink Tourmaline and a half-sister to two Gr 2 winners, Green Sapphire (Gimmethegreenlight) and King Of Gems (Kingsbarns).
Lantern Jack was the preferred Snaith runner in the third but over-raced and never got going as stable companion Bright Fate (Master Of My Fate) led all the way and quickening smartly under JP van der Merwe in spite of never really settling. Given some time he could be a horse to follow.
Keagan de Melo was denied his fiftieth win of the season as Fourie got Frozen Asset (What A Winter) to finish off her race strongly to nab the pace-making Desert Ice on the line to give Snaith his third winner of the afternoon.
Not to be denied, De Melo waited until the last to reach his milestone as he produced Grey Ennion’s lightly raced gelding Daley Park (Danon Platina) with a telling late run to round off the meeting.
It was the turn of Candice Bass in the D Stakes as favourite Bolero (Rafeef) made light of top weight giving Athandiwe Mgudlwa something of an armchair ride. Always handy, Bolero fired out of the pack at the top of the straight and went to the line unchallenged.
Dean Kannemeyer moved most of his big horses from his KZN yard for the Western Cape season and for some time did not have a runner given AHS vaccinations, but the stable is starting light up. Continue The Dream, full brother to The Real Prince and Gimme A Prince, made an eye-catching debut last Sunday and Soho Heartthrob (Gimmethegreenlight) did duty under Van der Merwe on Wednesday as the gelding rattled home to collar Diamond Rock in the seventh.
Fourie’s other winner was Rich Man’s World (see first article of today’s newsletter).
Snaith leads the Luck Fish Trainers Championship with 36 wins at a strike rate of 18.37%, five clear of Alan Greeff on 31 wins (22.14%) with Dean Smith next best on 27 (16.88%).
Keagan de Melo leads the Lucky Fish Jockeys Championship with 50 wins (22.12%) from Craig Zackey 34 wins (18.48%), Muzi Yeni 33 (15.71%), Kabelo Matsunyane 33 (18.54%) and Richard Fourie 24 (24%).
