Graeme Hawkins regards the Querari gelding Questioning as beeing good eachway value in the Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship, although he has tipped Dyce to win it. (JC Photos)
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse comes alive on Saturday for the 163rd running of the R5-million World Sports Betting Cape Town Met (Gr1) over 2000m. With its proud and long-standing history as one of South Africa’s truly great races, winning the “Met” is on every Owner, Jockey, Trainer and Breeder’s bucket list. Past winners include such legendary names as Sledgehammer (1975); Gatecrasher (1976); Politician (1978 & 1979); Wolf Power (1984); Model Man (1987); Empress Club (1993); London News (1997) and Horse Chestnut (1999).
More recently Pocket Power won three on the bounce between 2007 and 2009, while Rainbow Bridge emerged as a dual Met hero, in 2019 & 2021. In 2020 Rainbow Bridge was narrowly denied emulating Pocket Power when MJ Beyleveldt, now a member of the Cape Racing Broadcast team, partnered One World to a famous victory over the “Bridge” ridden on that occasion by the World’s leading jockey, Ryan Moore.
Kommetdieding scored for Ashley Reynolds three years ago and was then runner-up behind Jet Dark a year later. Last year Double Superlative was a shock 25/1 winner for Owner Nick Jonsson and Champion Trainer Justin Snaith when ridden by UK-based Daniel Muscutt, son of local trainer Peter Muscutt.
Both Nick Jonsson and Justin Snaith are bidding for a ‘Met” hattrick at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday and their hopes are pinned on Eight On Eighteen, the only 3yo in the 16-strong line-up. Snaith does have back-up in the form of Future Swing, Royal Aussie, Magic Verse and Pacaya but none of these are Nick Jonsson-owned. Jonsson does have another ticket in the form of See It Again, trained by Michael Roberts, though the 5yo son of Twice Over ran a shocker in the recent L’Ormarins King’s Plate and it’s hard to know what to expect from the usually consistent multiple Grade 1 winner.
Eight On Eighteen, who has yet to be tested beyond 1600m, is the favourite heading into the 2025 renewal of the WSB Cape Town Met. He was runner-up behind One Stripe in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (Gr1) in December and that form was solidly franked when One Stripe smashed the older horses in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Gr1). It’s not a given that Eight On Eighteen will see out the trip but many are of the view that “if he stays, he wins” and I share that school of thought. For me, Rascallion, Future Swing and Oriental Charm rate the principal threats, but I would not be entirely shocked if Montien, Red Palace or See It Again were to rise to the occasion.
Race 7 – HKJC WORLD POOL CAPE FLYING CHAMPIONSHIP (Gr1) – 1000m
Gimme A Prince and Dyce, winners of the last two editions of the Cape Flying Championship, share favouritism for this year’s renewal but I am leaning towards Dyce who has found his very best form since being gelded. Piere Strydom takes the ride for the Lucky Houdalakis stable and with the track condition likely to be firm and fast, he may just have the edge over Gimme A Prince.
Questioning is not ideally suited to 1000m, but he is as genuine and game as they come and never runs a bad race. He strips very fit and despite harbouring a preference for slightly further, I believe he has a realistic chance of upsetting the applecart and appeals as good each way value at his current odds of 14/1. The race certainly does not end there as the classy Lucky Lad and Surjay could make their presence felt while all of Bereave (third last year behind Dyce), Asiye Phambili and Café Culture could get into the mix.
The race is likely to be run at a helter skelter pace which could set the race up nicely for the swoopers, but the cream should rise to the top and Dyce gets the vote to score at the expense of Questioning and Gimme A Prince.
Race 2 – MAINE CHANCE FARMS MAJORCA STAKES (GR1) – 1600m
This year’s renewal of the Majorca Stakes has attracted a small but high-quality field of 7 fillies and mares and features a clash between the seasoned older brigade against the rising three-year-old stars. Fatal Flaw and Scarlet Macaw finished 1-2 in the World Sports Fillies Guineas (Gr1) in early December and there is no reason to believe that Scarlet Macaw can turn that form around. But will they be able to match strides with the 4yo’s Double Grand Slam and Rascova?
Double Grand Slam is in the form of her life and was most impressive when winning the Cartier Paddock Stakes (Gr1) over 1800m three weeks ago. She is a short-priced favourite to land the coveted Paddock Stakes/Majorca Stakes double, but Double Grand Slam can expect a lot more resistance from Rascova over this shorter trip. The adage “pace makes the race” could come into play here and it will be interesting to see which of Fatal Flaw or Rascova, both natural front-runners, goes forward. But unlike the Cartier Paddock Stakes, when the speed was really on, there is every chance the pace in the Majorca may be slower than standard.
Double Grand Slam gets the nod to beat Rascova and Fatal Flaw, but it may not be as easy a victory as the betting market would suggest.
CARRYOVERS AND WORLD POOL RACES 6 THROUGH 12:
The Hong Kong Jockey Club have announced that Races 6 to 12 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday have been allocated World Pool status which translates into massive tote pools for punters locally and internationally. In addition, the Pick 6 pool is expected to reach R10-million with the aid of a R2-million carryover and the Quartet on Race 8, the WSB Cape Town Met, is likely to top R2-million with the help of a R500 000 carryover.
The first race, the R600 000 Heineken Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1100m, is also the first leg of Jackpot One (there are three Jackpots on the day) and Clair de Lune appeals as one of the better bets on a wonderful day of high quality racing action.