Jan Van Goyen, now a twice Gr 1 winner, runs out a convincing winner of one of South Africa’s biggest stallion producing races. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is often a decider of where the strength of the three-year-old form lies and the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Jan van Goyen stamped the form of two Highveld three-year-olds, himself and Trust, as the best in the country on Saturday as he made short work of the Cape three-year-olds in the icnonic race and won convincingly under Callan Murray.
It was a particularly meritorious win because he had made his seasonal reappearance just two weeks earlier, when narrowly defeated by Trust in the Gr 2 Jackpot City Dingaans, and had then faced the arduous journey down to Cape Town on Tuesday last week in order to arrive about three days before the big race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
The De Kock yard are famous for leaving no stone unturned and the small Master Of My Fate colt who possesses a magnificent action duly traveled well.
He was steadily backed on the day to start at 17/10 with the well-related but unexposed Gimmie Rules, the original favourite, drifting out to 4/1 as support also came for Happy Verse who shortened from 8/1 into 7/2.
Murray managed to find the rail from draw four and the Master Of My Fate colt settled in a position just forward of midfield as Good For You set the pace.
Good For you was soon a spent force in the straight and it was the handy horses making their runs down the inside, Star Major, Pay The Palace and Roland Garros, who emerged as contenders.
Gimme Rules, coming from midfield, and Happy Verse, coming from near the back, were unwinding strong runs towards the outside.
Randolph Hearst, who had sat two positions behind Jan Van Goyen in the running on the rail, was running on strongly down the inside rail.
Meanwhile, Murray had been ever so confident on Jan Van Goyen after turning for home.
He was content to sit behind Pay The Palace until the 400m mark and then began driving with the reins.
Jan Van Goyen took a couple of seconds to reach top gear.
However, by the time he had reached the 200m mark he was stretching out beautifully and was on the quarters of the leader Star Major.
It was clear he was superior to this field as Murray had not even called for the stick.
When he did the athletic colt continued to stretch superbly.
He made the rest look laboured as he has a very quick action, but it is an uncomplicated an economical one and he does not look like he is under any pressure when he at full tilt.
He left the nearest challengers, Happy Verse and Gimme The Rules, chasing shadows and won by 2,75 lengths.
Happy Verse finished second with Randolph Hearst 0,30 lengths further back in third, Gimmie Rules another 0,30 lengths back in fourth and Fox On The Run running on well to be a shorthead further back. Star Major was a shorthead further back in sixth.
There have been many small horses in history who have been great, with the mighty Northern Dancer being an example, but Jan Van Goyen is more reminiscent of the great English horse of the 1930s, Hyperion, a small unimposing horse with a magnificent action.
Mike de Kock had won the Cape Guineas five times on his own and now has another one together with his son Mathew.
The De Kocks never get carried away by three-year-old success and usually take the conservative view.
However, Mathew said he felt Jan Van Goyen still had improvement in him and had a very exciting future.
He admitted that on ratings Jan Van Goyen had actually just run the race expected of him as his 118 rating put him 8 points higher than any of the opposition.
However, he added the yard were now keen to take on older horses and see exactly where Jan Van Goyen stood.
Jan Van Goyen is duly the 4/1 joint favourite for the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate together with Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen and that price should be snapped up considering the latter is at his best over further and will also be making his seasonal reappearance in that race.
The interesting point is whether the connections of Dingaans winner Trust will be tempted to supplement him for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
Jan Van Goyen will be taking on his stablemate, the former Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King, in the King’s Plate and the latter will be a threat, having won the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m on Saturday, also under Murray.
