Picture: Gimme A Prince has forged clear and never looked like being caught (Chase Liebenberg).
Cape Racing
Gimme a Prince won the Cape Merchants, a Grade 2 Handicap over 1200 metres at a calm and cloudy Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday, beating off 19 rivals in a cavalry charge down the straightaway.
Backed in from 6/1 to 7/2, the Dean Kannemeyer trained, Gimmethegreenlight gelding out of Real Princess asserted his dominance to pull two lengths clear of 11/2 shot, We’re Jamming, 14/1 chance Bereave and 50/1 “spook,” Gem King.
Gimme a Prince is raced by the breeders, Khaya Stables who also campaigned the dam, a high-class performer that won the G1 SA Fillies Sprint in her prime.
Jockey Keagan de Melo was effusive in praising Gimme a Prince. “This is the type of horse that gives me goosebumps – he is something special.” The winning hoop also paid compliments to Kannemeyer, who he described as a “genius trainer, as this horse had lots of problems.”
Kannemeyer conceded that Gimme a Prince “needs lots of love and attention – but I always thought he was a Group class horse.”
This was the lightly raced four-year-old’s fourth win from only six starts and the manner of this stylish Merchants romp shows that he has huge upside potential.
We’re Jamming chased through purposefully to get second in another fine effort by this emerging three-year-old talent, with consistent sprinter Bereave (second in this race last year to Vikram) also dashing late into the trifecta slot, but they were comprehensively outrun by Gimme a Prince.
Gem King made an encouraging comeback after 169 days off track, just holding fourth place over a distance short of his best. Trainer Piet Steyn, who has been patiently solving his charge’s soundness issues will gradually stretch Gem King out to a longer trip next, with the Met as his ultimate target.
