It was a halcyon day for KZN racing on Saturday kicked off by a Grade 3 win by Dennis Drier and Sean Veale on the former’s last meeting in Cape Town.
There has been some confusion about the official retirement date of Drier.
However, his long-time assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie confirmed he would officially be taking over the rains on April 1.
The confusion might have been as a result of Veale mentioning in a recent interview “the 25th” as being the all important date.
However, he was obviously referring to Drier’s last day of racing in Cape Town.
Drier has sent a string to Cape Town every season for over a decade and everybody hoped the popular Summerveld trainer would have a winner on his last day there.
However, nobody could have envisaged the race he would do it in.
“Uncle Den’s” Gimmethegreenlight filly Live My Life had good form but in the Grade 3 SplashOut Prix du Cap she was up against the Equus Horse Of The Year, Captain’s Ransom.
She was receiving only 3kg from the latter, so off a 103 merit rating that put her 7.5kg under sufferance.
She also had to overcome the widest draw of all in the six horse field.
She did manage to get quite an easy lead and at the same time Captain’s Ransom had taken quite a strong hold as a reluctant leader after they had jumped.
Live My Life travelled comfortably in the straight under Sean Veale and it was soon clear Captain’s Ransom was struggling to find her renowned acceleration.
Captain’s Ransom did find a little bit late, but it was too late and Live My Life ran out a 1,50 length winner.
Captain’s Ransom in second was followed home by three other Gimmethegeenlights, Gimme’s Lassie, Gimme Dat and Going Up.
Live My Life is owned by Z Bifov and fittingly bred by Avontuur Stud who have had plenty of big race success with Drier over the years.
The win was obviously an emotional one and there were plenty of tears in the winner’s enclosure.
Drier has in fact always lived up to the saying of the famous Laird racing family of which he is a member, “When we win we cry, when we lose we smile.”
Drier was so impressed by Sean Veale’s ride he took KZN’s cliched word, “UNbelievable”, made famous by Chad Le Clos’ father Bert, to a new level and called it an “UN-UNbelievable ride.
Veale had followed his instruction to commit if there was no pace on.
The win was made more special by owner Z Bifov having travelled a long way to be there.
Veale believes Live My Life to be an SA Fillies Sprint horse and Ferrie confirmed that was the race she would be targeted at.
