Richard Fourie can afford to smile at the camera after Cafe Culture had produced a devastating late burst to win comfortably (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Café Culture ran a career best at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when taking out the R165 000 Taking The Reins Cape A Stakes over 1400m. Riding his 299th winner for the Season, Richard Fourie initially made his move down the inside of the field but then gradually angled Café Culture towards the outside, taking dead aim on the pace-setter San Pedro.
For a long way it looked as if Ashton Arries had ridden the perfect race on the lightly-weighted San Pedro, but Fourie was not to be denied on the Lucinda Woodruff trained 4yo son of Var, and Café Culture responded well under a powerful drive to hit the front close home and forge ahead to score by a length. Café Culture began this season off a mark of 78, but five victories since August 2023 for the Fullard-Drew partnership has seen his rating now climb to above 100.
San Pedro is holding form well and was well clear of the third-placed runner Wecangoallnight. The latter threatened briefly on the standside rail, but he failed to sustain his finishing effort and was nearly two lengths in arrears of San Pedro at the line. Making his return after a ten-month absence following knee surgery, Zapatillas enjoyed the run of the race but came up for air in the closing stages and was touched off for the minor placing by Sugar Mountain. He should improve significantly with the benefit of this race under the his belt.
Arries and Vaughan Marshall began the race meeting on the front foot when Bank Street just prevailed in the opener, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m. Bank Street was allowed to ease in the market to 9/2 as money came for the newcomer Express Yourself, but Bank Street kept on resolutely to narrowly hold out two other debutants, Sail The Seas and Captain West, with Late December under a length back in fourth. Express Yourself fluffed his lines at the start and was never in the hunt thereafter.
The second race saw a thrilling finish between the Snaith-trained odds-on favourite Eight On Eighteen and the diminutive Krim, who held a clear advantage approaching the final 200m. Fourie threw the kitchen sink at Eight On Eighteen over the last 200m and the pair only just got there in the very last stride to deny Louis Mxothwa by a nostril. But Mxothwa and Brett Crawford had their revenge two races later when Charlene (3/1) finally put her act together to hold out Fourie and Be Merry (13/10) by a neck. These two had the race pretty much to themselves and finished comfortably clear of the consistently-placed Ellorix.
Lucinda Woodruff sent out the first of her two winners in the fifth race, an Open Maiden over 1600m. Partnered by Aldo Domeyer, Azzuri (4/1) turned for home about four lengths off the pace, but the improving 3yo son of Pomodoro raced away in the closing stages to put daylight between himself and the runner-up Amancio. Long-time maiden, Greenland, was all the rage here, starting an unrealistic 11/10 favourite, but he never threatened and was relegated into fourth by Golden Grey who was doing his best work at the finish.
Consistency has never been Carriacou’s strong point, but he turned it on well for Sean Veale and trainer Eric Sands in the sixth race, a Class 4 Handicap over 1400m. The pace was solid and Carriacou came from some way back to beat Touchdown and In The Bag. This was Touchdown’s first run since returning from an epistaxis-enforced suspension and the half-brother to Grade 1 winner Linebacker could yet be one to follow.
Josh Solomons does not get too many opportunities but he made the most of a chance ride on Coulditbe (7/1) in the eighth race, a Class 4 (F&M) over 1800m. Leading all the way, Coulditbe found hidden reserves when challenged at the 200m pole and had more than enough in hand to ward off the challenge of race favourite, Plum Pudding, who made good late headway from the rear of the field.
The bomb landed in the final race, a Class 4 Handicap over 2000m, when 66/1 chance Baton Rouge led from pillar-to-post under Keanen Steyn, coming home lonely in the manner of an odds-on favourite. Although results through the day were generally favourable, Baton Rouge’s unexpected victory ensured a bumper Pick 6 return of R469 000. The warm-order favourite, Marshall Field, ran well below expectations and trailed in a long way down the field.
