Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables homebred colt Green With Envy leaves the field chasing shadows in Saturday’s Gr 1 SplashOut Cape Derby over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth (Picture: Wayne Marks)
A crawl did not stop the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt Green With Envy coming from the back to win Saturday’s Gr 1 SplashOut Cape Derby over 2000m under Craig Zackey at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, just as it had not stopped him successfully using that tactic in the Gr 3 Schweppes Politician Stakes over 1800m.
The pace was set by the 100/1 shot Oriental Charm, with Willie John two or three lengths behind him and then another gap to Coastal Commander. Beach Bomb was on the latter’s quarters and behind her were an unsettled Harajuku with Hluhluwe on his outside, then there was Rapidash with Green with Envy on his quarters and Infrared at the back.
The sectional timing shows the first 200m to be slower than the WSB Cape Town Met for that section and it then slowed down completely in the middle section of the race.
The horses then sprinted for home … well at least eight of them did. Green With Envy was the odd one out because he produced a finish reminiscent of a horse coming off a fast pace, moving up effortlessly and then quickening superbly when asked the question..
The overall time was in fact a whopping 6,93 seconds slower than the Met time.
The slow pace was not what Green With Envy would have wanted, because he had clearly been looking for this trip … yet he still won easily, by 2,75 lengths.
That could mean he is some horse.
The only other Gr 1 winner in the field, Beach Bomb, fnished second running on well.
The 87 merit rated Oriental Charm, who finished a gallant 3,25 length third, might have been helped by the slow pace, because he got closer than he did in the Politician, despite being 6kg worse off with Green With Envy.
The overall result might also confirm this to be a below par Cape Town three-year-old crop, which it has gained the reputation of being.
The winner can hardly be faulted though. He won in the manner of a top class horse.
The key to his win was quickening exceptionally well at the 400m mark and maintaining the strong finish all the way to the line.
He was aided by a tailwind, if windguru’s predictions in the morning were correct, but nevertheless his last five 100m sectionals were impressive.
LKP was run on a different day, the pace was excellent and the wind was likely different, but it was 1600m vs 2000m, so the below sectional timing comparism makes for interesting reading:
The first column is Green With Envy’s last five 100m sectionals on Saturday (shown in seconds), the second column is Beach Bomb’s and the third is Charles Dickens’ last five secitionals in the LKP.
Gold Rush runner up Coastal Command stayed on from his good position in the running for a 4,75 length fourth. \
The Gold Rush winner Rapidash lost a length at the start and was unable to make an impact off the slow pace. He was eased out of it eventually to finish last.
Hluhluwe was not suited by the pace, but was nevertheless disappointimg considering the winner , whom he had beaten by a short-head in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, was not bothered by the pace.
Their comparitive performances might suggest Green With Envy has progressed a lot since the Cape Guineas and is maturing into a top class race horse.
The most effected by the pace could have been Infrared, who had clearly been looking for this trip. He had to come from last and , was not effective sprinting for home, but was seen to be finishing strongly.
Harajuku did not like the pace and was unsettled before duly finding little in the straight to finish second last.
Willie John was unable to match Coastal Commander in the straight and finished a length behind him in seventh place. This William Longsword colt’s pedigree suggests the trip stretched him.
Green With Envy has shortened into 7/1 for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The three time July-winning trainer Dean Kannemeyer said recently he rated Green With Envy higher than his last three-year-old July winner Eyeofthetiger.
He knows how to get them ready for the July and Green With Envy is going to be a massive runner.
An awaited meeting will be him vs Sandringham Summit in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, although how Sandringham fares in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m on Saturday in his first attempt at a middle distance trip will reveal more, presumimg he goes that route.
