Direct Hit remains unbeaten and is on her way to being named Equus Champion two-year-old filly. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
The East Cape had their first Gr 1 winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting for 17 years on Saturday when the Alan Greeff-trained Ridgemont homebred filly Direct Hit won Saturday’s Allan Robertson Championship under Richard Fourie.
The last to do it was the Nic Claassen-trained Geepee S, who dead-heated for first place in the Allan Robertson Championship in 2008.
The Ridgemont-homebred Direct Hit is now unbeaten in four starts and she gave sire Canford Cliffs a first Gr 1 winner and part-owner Devin Heffer a first Gr 1 winner under his own name.
It was Direct Hit’s third stakes success and second Graded success in an out of province centre.
She also won the Gr 3 Splashout Cape Of Good Hope Nursery at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Richard Fourie has been aboard for all of her starts.
It was Fourie’s seventh Gr 1 win at the Festival Of Speed meeting, a remarkable statistic considering he was winless at this meeting before the 2022 renewal.
Direct Hit looks set to be named Equus Champion Two-year-old and if so will become the first East Cape horse to win an Equus Award since Cereus (Desert Team), also trained by Alan Greeff, won the Champion Stayer award in the 2001-2002 season.
Direct Hit and and Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint-winner Tenango shared the prize for the most impressive winners of the day.
Direct Hit’s odds of 56/100 told the story. She was the meeting banker and it never looked in doubt despite her having to run in going with cut for the first time, as the penetrometer reading was 24, and she also had a high draw, which appeared to be the unfavourable side for most of the day.
She threw her head up briefly after breaking well as Fourie restrained her.
However, she had soon settled and free-wheeled into the leading line just three wide of the inside rail.
Going through the 300m mark she was the only one not off the bit and yet she had assumed the lead, marginally ahead of the Corne Spies-trained Elegantrix.
When Fourie asked the question she maintained her narrow lead but did have to be given the renowned Fourie drive including about six slaps of the whip to keep the imposing and persistent Elegantrix at bay.
However, she passed the line 1,10 lengths clear with Fourie saluting.
The fancied Tarry-trained One Fine Winter was third with two rank outsiders, Keukenhof and Limitless Sky, fourth and fifth respectively.
RICHARD FOURIE : “Special filly. Everything is special about this filly. It’s a dream come true. It was the mission from the day she started and she’s never let us down. Travelled well in the race and never looked back. She was going too well and I almost tried to bring her back, but I thought to myself that I would manipulate the easy speed that she has. I thought let me rather just leave her and sit longer. Quality filly. Glad to have another Group 1. When Alan travels, he travels with a purpose … he’s not just a runner, but he’s very strong. He comes here to get the best out of them.”ALAN GREEFF : “I’ve been very fortunate this season. People write off PE for a million different reasons, but the guys back home, work hard. Hopefully we can fly the flag for PE trainers. We took this filly down to Cape Town where she ran a cracking race and the next mission was the Alan Robertson. It is a plan come together. It is wonderful for all the guys and I think it’s the first Group 1 winner for Canford Cliffs. It’s a huge undertaking … the horses took a long time to get here through distance travel, but they travelled well. Thanks everybody and well done!”DEVIN HEFFER : “Got to take your hats off to everyone involved. It’s great to have Craig Carey and the Ridgemont team here. To Wayne and Belinda, Owen and Lesley …we’re just the youngsters and repping here. It’s all to them. I’m so proud to be a part of this partnership. What a season it’s been so far. A special week for us with the launch Race Coast. To win the Allan Robertson is something you dream of. Bright future ahead with Direct Hit.”CRAIG KIESWETTER : “It’s great to be here … it’s special. It’s special for the family … well done to Mom and Dad, Owen and Lesley. We’ve got a big team here today. For the farm, this is quite incredible. Canford Cliffs was the first stallion that Wayne and Craig Carey bought and there has been a lot of belief in him. This is his first Group 1 worldwide. Trainers like Alan and jockeys like Richard, make Devin and my job a lot easier. Full credit to Alan and his team in Port Elizabeth … it’s a sensational achievement. Very proud to be a part of it.”