Gimmethatpearl powers to an easy victory under Muzi Yeni. (Pauline Herman Photography).
It was mission accomplished for Justin Snaith and Drakenstein Stud on Friday at Fairview when the latter’s homebred Gimmethegreenlight filly Gimmethatpearl won the Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes over 1600m under Muzi Yeni and that saw Drakenstein equalling their own record for stakes winners in a season.
Last season Drakenstein had 21 stakes winners (of 31 races) and today Gimmethatpearl took their tally to 21 for this season (of 29 races).
Giimethatpearl provided one leg of a treble for the Snath/Yeni combination on the day.
Drakenstein have broken this record for the last three seasons in succession.
In the 2021/2022 season they scored 18 stakes winners, then got 20 stakes winners in the 2022/2023 season and 21 stakes winners last season (2023/2024).
Their mission now will be to get one more stakes winner this season to break the record for the fourth season in succession.
They might do it at the next opportunity in the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m at Fairview on July 25 as Snaith has entered the exciting Drakenstein Stud-bred Vercingetorix colt Happy Verse, although on the downside he has draw 17 of the 18 entries.
World Pool Gold Cup day will be Drakenstein’s next opportunity after that.
They have a number of entries on Gold Cup day including the Alan Greeff-trained Bournemouth and the Snaith-trained Future Swing in the Gr 3 Gold Cup, the Michael Roberts-trained See It Again in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup, the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Winds Of Change in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint, the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Chieftan, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Symphony In White and the Snaith-trained Un Bel Di in the Listed Umgeni Handicap and the Mike Miller-trained Narina Trogon and the Sean Tarry-trained pair The Africa House and Don’t Cry For Me in the Listed Darley Arabian.
It was a great ride by Yeni on Gimmethatpearl. He broke well and sat on her, relaxing her well. She was shuffled back and shoved outward just before turning for home, but Yeni did not panic and patiently moved her up towards the inside. It got tight for room late on, but she clearly had a ton in hand. She squeezed through a gap and was jostled a bit, but she then had daylight in front of her and surged forward to win by 1,25 lengths from fellow Cape Town raider, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Fun Zone.
Gimmethatpearl reversed a 0,60 length beating by Time For Love in the Listed Ladies Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in May, this time beating her by 3,75 lengths despite being half-a-kilogram worse off from that race.
Gimmethatpearl appeared to appreciate the long Fairview straight.
Time For Love could only manage fourth place today.
The Alan Greeff-trained Luna Halo was the first East Cape horse home, finishing a two length third, while her star stablemate Splicethemainbrace bounced back from her last poor run to finish a four length fifth.
