Can Eighteen Produce An Igugu-like Met Performance?
Eight On Eighteen is likely the best horse in the Met but has had an interrupted preparation (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Great horses are able to overcome things ordinary horses would not be able to and the mettle of Eight On Eighteen is set to be put to the test in the GR 1 WSB Met on Saturday.
It has surfaced that he suffered a bout of biliary this season which saw him introduced late, with his reappearance being in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
Justin Snaith sounded bullish saying he had come on four lengths from the King’s Plate, where he was beaten 4,25 lengths over a distance short of his best.
However, other horsemen have spoken of biliary bringing about the unknown, as a horse might appear to be fine, but might have had a lot taken out of him, or her, during the disease life cycle.
Eight On Eighteen might have to pull out an Igugu-like feat to win it.
Igugu had swept all before her up until the build up to the 2012 Met.
As a three-year-old, after winning the Gr 3 Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge, she suffered a shock defeat to Hollywoodboulevard in the Ready To Run Cup over 1400m and was then defeated by the top class Ebony Flyer in the Cape Fillies Guineas, where she didn’t get the run of the race.
However, she then completed the Wigerbosdrift Triple Tiara, then won the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 and the July and started off her four-year-old season by winning the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes.
However, Mike de Kock gave an insight into her Met build up a few years ago.
He recalled, “She had a respiratory problem and an ongoing foot problem that left us behind in our preparation. We ended up having to work her twice a day to catch up. She worked on the track in the morning and on the treadmill in the afternoon. There are not many horses that would have been able to take the work we gave her. But she has always been willing to do whatever you ask of her.”
The news before the Paddock Stakes that she had to be scratched came as a shock to punters as she had been ruling favourite for the Met at the time.
De Kock recalled, “Fortunately it was not serious and she was able to resume work quickly, which gave us just enough time.”
On top of her intense work programme at Randjesfontein, Igugu still faced the arduous journey to Cape Town that she would undergo on the Tuesday before The Met. To compound matters, it was confirmed by the state veterinarians that she would have to stay in vector protected quarantine conditions while in Cape Town, as there had been an outbreak of African Horse Sickness within a 30km radius of Randjesfontein.
This meant being locked up at the Kenilworth Quarantine Station two hours before dusk until two hours after dawn, meaning De Kock and his team would not be able to check up on her at night, except through a viewing window. Igugu emerged from the station on the morning of the race sweating and she sweated up again in the pre-race parade. But De Kock was not concerned. Igugu went down to the post with her familiar shuffling style, which can be misleading, but to those standing on the rail nearest to her there was no mistaking the power packed into that unique action. However, it was a different story in the race … at least until the final 200 metres.
After the off she struggled to get into her usual good early position. Fortunately she had a top class pilot aboard, her regular rider Anthony Delpech, who didn’t waste any energy pursuing plan ‘A’. Instead he eased her back, meaning she would have to come from further off them than she was used to. However, half way down the straight her winning chances looked gone. At a stage she was normally pulling clear, she appeared to be under pressure and still had two lengths to make up on Bravura. However, from somewhere deep in her reserves, she found another gear and surged past Bravura two strides from the line to win by 0,4 lengths.
The crowd had feared the worst, especially after commentator Jehan Malherbe had said, “Igugu is flat to the boards in the centre, she still has two lengths to make up” with just 200m to go.
However, she was no ordinary horse.
The writer of this article was standing on the lawns and as far as I recall watching the race on the big screen. I have a vivid memory of the crowd becoming downbeat as it looked like the country’s equine heroine was not going to do it.
However, a punter next to me then started shouting “Here she comes! Here she COMES! Here SHE COMES!”
It was an indication of her popularity that she could be referred to like that with a personal pronoun.
The crowd roared her home as she surged past Bravura to win by 0,45 lengths.
It was a victory of immense courage.
If Eight On Eighteen’s best form is taken into account the Met would not be a race.
He was 2,5kg worse off than weight for age when losing to The Real Prince by 0,25 lengths in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The weight for age form since then in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup and Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate has all pivoted around The Real Prince, so Eight On Eighteen should have them beat.
Will he be he same horse though? That is the big question.
The other big question is whether See It Again can take his current form into the Met.
It should be remembered he was also July favourite as a three-year-old and like Eight on Eighteen he finished second by 0,25 lengths, but he was in fact 4,5kg worse off than wfa with the winner in that July.
He is full of class and if Eight On Eighteen is at his best he is the one who can challenge Eight On Eighteen.
See It Again is currently 5/2 with the sponsor, The Real Prince is 7/2 and Eight On Eighteen is 4/1.
It would be risky to lump on Eight On Eighteen due to the question mark hanging over his head.
It should also be remembered that Igugu never found her best form overseas and her Met effort might have taken its toll.
Eight On Eighteen will hopefully be able to produce his best and will not have to go to the line on empty.
The questions will be answered on Saturday and he couldn’t have a better partner than Richard Fourie to help him deliver the best answers.
Mark Van Deventer Selects The Real Prince
Mark van Deventer is predicting Dean Kannemeyer will break his Met duck and The Real Prince will become the first since Futura in 2015 to land the L’Ormarins King’s Plate/WSB Met double and become the 8th horse in history to have won both the July and the Met (Picture: Wayne Marks)
By Mark van Deventer
Colloquially called “the Met,” the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1 is one of South Africa’s premier middle distance horse races. While racing in Cape Town started on the Green Point Common (site of the 2010 World Cup Soccer Stadium) under British officers in the 1700’s, the current venue, Kenilworth has been the home of the Met, in various itineration’s, since 1883.
The 2026 edition of this historic, high-quality Grade 1, features 11 entrants. Champion trainer, Justin Snaith, sends out 6 of them and could have a stranglehold on the race with leaders, stalkers and closers in his “relay” team.
He stated, “All my horses are doing well. We started relatively late for this season with first gallops only in November, but now my runners are primed for this big race.”
Snaith stable companions, OKAVANGO and LEGAL COUNSEL are probable leaders. The trainer concluded, after a particularly impressive gallop ahead of the Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy Gr 2, that OKAVANGO goes best when running at his own pace up front. Oisin Murphy duly steered him round from start to finish in a stylish romp. If allowed an easy lead, he could be hard to run down, though the opposition in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1 is considerably stronger than what he faced in the Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy Gr 2.
Snaith describes LEGAL COUNSEL as “a game, tough horse. He will try test them upfront or perhaps sit second if Okavango goes.” These two gallopers hold the pace key to the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1, which should proceed at a true tempo.
Of SAIL THE SEAS, Snaith says, “he is in fighting trim, ready to produce his best ever run and should be in the first three or four at the finish.” The speed map suggests he could enjoy the run of the race sitting handily from a low draw as LEGAL COUNSEL or OKAVANGO press on.
Snaith is particularly excited about the prospects of defending champion, EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN and rejuvenated stalwart, SEE IT AGAIN. The latter was misbehaving at the starting stalls and underperforming in upcountry races but has improved both his manners and race competitiveness since moving to the Cape.
SEE IT AGAIN delivered arguably the best performance in the recent L’Ormarins King’s Plate Gr 1, switching in deep stretch to belatedly get a clear run, then surging within a neck of THE REAL PRINCE. He produced the quickest final sectional in that 1600m showdown and is even more deadly over middle distances. Snaith concedes that, “Draw 10 is not great, but Andrew Fortune is the right guy to position him well. See It Again is currently in a good space and is flying at home.”
As for EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN, he is looking to build on a stellar 3YO career where, after finishing second to One Stripe in the 2024 Hollywoodbets Cape Cape Guineas Gr 1, swept the 2025 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1 and SplashOut Cape Derby Gr 1 in imperious fashion. His Durban Winter campaign was not as successful measured by wins, but on ratings, it was outstanding. While companion, SAIL THE SEAS, beat him in the World Sports Betting Guineas Gr 2 at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 1600m, he then demolished rivals with a brilliant display in the Daily News 2000 Gr 1 over 2000m, before being outdueled by THE REAL PRINCE in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gr 1.
He subsequently got sick, and Snaith gave him sufficient time to recover. His resumption in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate Gr 1 was so-so, clocking in four lengths off nemesis, THE REAL PRINCE, but Snaith is not deterred. “Eight on Eighteen is now a different horse after that comeback. I’m happy with his most recent gallop and he’s absolutely primed.”
What to make of THE REAL PRINCE, who is bidding to complete an extraordinary Hollywoodbets Durban July Gr 1, L’Ormarins King’s Plate Gr 1 and World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1, triple Grade 1 sequence? Dean Kannemeyer, who has handled his charge impeccably in a career which has yielded 6 wins from 13 starts, says, “He’s enjoyed an ideal preparation, building up race by race. He was a bit soft going into the Green Point after a break, then delivered the goods in the King’s Plate when sharpened up with an 800m gallop beforehand. He has taken that run well and is stripped and ready to go.”
Kannemeyer reckons, “An easy 2000m at a steady pace should suit just fine and The Real Prince’s can use his tremendous turn of foot.” It’s that ability to turn on the afterburners which may prove decisive in a race hinging on fine margins.
Of the balance, marginal cases can be made for GARRIX (on an excellent Ridgemont Green Point Stakes Gr 2 effort), GLADATORIAN (who beat THE REAL PRINCE in the HKJC Champions Cup Gr 1, but not fired in Cape Town), NATIVE RULER (stayed on resolutely in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gr 1, needs a pace meltdown), and COSMIC SPEED (whose World Sports Betting Guineas Gr 2 form gives him an outside squeak).
THE EQUATOR will need to show much more to trouble the scorer.
SELECTIONS:
6 THE REAL PRINCE
10 SEE IT AGAIN
2 EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN
3 SAIL THE SEAS
5 GARRIX
Vercingetorix Can Add To His Eleven Stakes Winners This Season
Double Grand Slam is out to land a third career Gr 1 on Saturday and can give Vercingetorix another stakes winner for this season (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
One of the most surprising facts of WSB Met day is that stallion phenom Vercingetorix does not have a single runner in the opening race of the day, which is the only two-year-old black type race of the day, the Listed JC Le Roux Summer Juvenile Stakes.
On the other hand he has seven of the 24 runners in the two Gr 1 races of the day and he has 13 black type runners in all on a day that has seven black type races.
Vercingetorix is chasing his own record of 23 stakes winners in a season and is currently on eleven this season, so can reach the halfway mark ahead of schedule if he has a good day on Saturday.
Two of his runners in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes are Gr 1 winners already, Double Grand Slam and Mia Moo, and Double Grand Slam is chasing a third career Gr I. However, Double Grand Slam, unlike Mia Moo, is yet to win a black type race this season and she is the hot favourite here so gives the champion stallion a good chance of notching up another black type winner for the season.
His other runner in the Majorca is Minogue, who is in fact yet to earn bold black type, despite the fine season she has been having and she is in with a chance here too.
In the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers Holding Thumbs and Magic Verse will be out to give Vercingetorix another Gr 3 exacta, having finished first and second in the Chairman’s Cup on LKP day. Magic Verse can give Vercingetorix another stakes winner.
In the Gr 3 Politician Stakes the classy Happy Verse is favourite and can give Vercingetorix another career stakes winner.
In the Listed Windhoek Olympic Duel Stakes over 1200m, Princess Of Gaul is already a Gr 2 winner for Vercingetorix this season, but both Dame Of Trix and Wild Applause can give him more career stakes winners.
WSB Met Preview And Trainer Interviews
Justin Snaith, pictured with brother Jonathan, has six of the eleven runners and provides feedback on all of them from the favourite See It Again, to title holder Eight On Eighteen and biggest outsider Legal Counsel (picture via youtube)
Michele Wing of Race Coast compiled a WSB Met preview video which included interviews with all of the trainers.
It is a vital ingredient for any punter’s preparation for the big day to watch and listen to this insightful video.
It also includes some interesting history and facts about the great race.
Prosper Stud's Premier Draft Has An "Autumn Glow"
“She’s a star.” “Something special.” “She’s incredible”. These are just a few of tributes paid to unbeaten Australian star Autumn Glow.
A winner of all eight of her starts, including the AUS$10 000 000 Golden Eagle and ATC Epsom Handicap Gr 1, Autumn Glow has earned more than AUS$7.35million in stakes thus far. Prosper Stud will be offering a relative to this current superstar at the 2026 Premier Yearling Sale.
Lot 114: Unnamed f The United States – Swift Dancer
By one of the hottest stallions in South Africa at the moment, this full sister to the smart filly The Charleston is out of a winning half-sister to Via Africa. Equus Champion Sprinter of 2013 -2014, Via Africa was a lightning-fast filly whose ten career wins included a pair of wins in the South African Fillies Sprint Gr 1, as well as the 2014 Cape Flying Championship Gr 1. She has proved a sensation at stud, and is not only the dam of the aforementioned Autumn Glow, but also the latter’s ATC Golden Rose Gr 1 winning three-parts brother, and sire, In The Congo.
Other attractive prospects to be found in this consignment include:
Lot 71: Rosabelle f Rafeef – Rosenwind
By the sire of such top-class fillies as Chasing Happiness, Mon Petit Cherie and Reet Petite, Rosabelle is out of a smart racemare who won three of just five starts. A half-sister to Gr 2 Debutante winner Rosier, the well related Rosenwind is bred on similar lines to dual Whitney Handicap Gr 1 winner Commentator.
Lot 150: Master Chime c Master Of My Fate – African Chime
This colt shares his top-class sire with this season’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas Gr 1 winner Jan Van Goyen among many other high-class performers. His dam African Chime is a twice winning half-sister to Allan Robertson Championship Gr 1 heroine On Her Toes, and this is also the family of fellow Gr 1 winners Follow The Falcon, Querari Falcon and Savannah Queen.
Lot 187: Lady Archie f Master Archie – Charmz Luck
From the first crop of Computaform Sprint Gr 1 winner Master Archie, Lady Archie is out of a winning half-sister to the useful galloper Grey Light. This filly’s granddam Charmz is a daughter of sprint champions Orientate and Harry’s Charm, and fourth dam is the influential Stuttafords Cup Gr 1 winner Enchanting.
Lot 207: Orbit’s Lad c Kommetdieding – Down To Earth
This colt hails from the first crop of Vodacom Durban July Gr 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Gr 1 winner Kommetdieding. Closely inbred to champion sires Captain Al and Fort Wood, Orbit’s Lad is out of a twice winning half-sister to two stakes winners including Lebelo Sprint Gr 3 winner Taikonaut. A colt with a stallion’s pedigree, Orbit’s Lad hails from the same female line as champions Foveros and Hinterland, among others.
For more information on this draft, please contact Jikkie De Wet on (083) 288 811.
All horses purchased at the Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale qualify for a suite of lucrative incentives. These include the Race Coast Sales Juvenile Bonus of R100 000, with R70 000 payable to the owner and R15 000 each to the vendor and the trainer.
Graduates from the sale are also eligible for the prestigious R3 Million Slipper, a 1200m race exclusively for two-year-old Race Coast Sales graduates, to be run in 2027 with a total prize purse of R3 million.
In addition, graduates qualify for the three-year-old races in 2028, which include the R1 Million Sprint and the R1 Million Mile.
Calvin Habib, De Melo, Fabian Habib Doubles
The Tony Peter-trained Vibe SA (Just As Well) gives Calvin Habib a double on the day
Calvin Habib, Keagan de Melo and Fabian Habib all scored individual doubles at the Vaal Classic track meeting on Thursday.
Calvin Habib is now on 77 wins for the season at 12.20% and is in third place on the national log, two wins ahead of Muzi Yeni and four ahead of Callan Murray.
Craig Zackey had one win at Thursday’s meeting to go to 139 wins for the season at 17.38% and he is now 30 wins clear of Richard Fourie.
Keagan de Melo had had 32 wins this season at 17.30%.
Fabian Habib had had 25 wins at 12.02%.
Mercantour Can Continue Her East Cape Winning Sequence
Mercantour’s only defeat this season was when raiding the Highveld and she has been tipped to win Race 7 (Pauline Herman Photography)
Fairview Turf Friday Formguides And Selections
R1 Preview: U S RANGER (7) caught the eye on debut and with natural improvement should be hard to beat. APPLES AND TEA (1) could make his presence felt on debut and the betting must be watched. JUST CARTER (5) has claims on good debut effort -last run was in a strong feature. ROCKING IN RIO (6) has quartet claims.
R2 Preview: TP THUNDERCHILD (8) was backed on debut, has scope to progress and can win this time. DAFFODIL DELIGHT (2) and SABOTEUR (7) are worth respecting on debut and WILD STAR (9) has scope to do better – place chance.
R3 Preview: ENCHANTING CHOICE (1) has good form and a bright, strong winning chance. BAIE MOOI (4) won well last time and could follow up – big runner. FAMILY POWER (2) gets valuable weight off the back and is one for the shortlist. EPIKLEROS (3) is a must for the quartet.
R4 Preview: BLAME IT ON ME (3) ran an absolute cracker last time and is selected to go one better. CLIFFIE CLAVIN (4) is never far off the action and has serious each way claims as the value. WARRIOR’S EDGE (14) can do better than the last run shows and ROCKIE BLUE (15) has obvious claims.
R5 Preview: LANCIAFIAMME (7) is holding form, clearly talented and caught the eye in the penultimate feature. Winning effort looks on the cards. JOKER MAN (5) ran a huge race last time and it would be no shock if he were to go one more. DAS GUTE (8) is in a good winning space and is a must for all bets. BINGWA (4) can never be ignored – include.
R6 Preview: JUAN CARLOS (1) is capable of serving up way more than he has recently and from a cozy draw, could bounce right back to winning ways. BAD MEDICINE (2) trotted up last time and can give plenty cheek all the way home – can win. HOME REEF (3) has ability, fair form and can be forgiven for the last run. Big runner. ONLY A POET (9) could be the value for the places.
R7 Preview: MERCANTOUR (1) never shaped last time but certainly did plenty times before that and is confidently selected to bounce right back to winning ways. ANUSCHKA’S WORLD (2) is holding form, has ability and an each way chance. GOLDEN PAVILLION (6) showed guts and determination last time – respect and include. ROMAN AGENT (7) should be in the first four.
R8 Preview: FREE WORLD (6) is taking time for the next win but has run some fair races recently and could represent some value – each way chance. PENNY’S WORLD (7) has claims on good penultimate run and is the exacta suggestion. QUEEN OF JAZZ (8) gets weight off the back and has a bright place chance and ARE YOU SURE (1) is one for the shortlist.
Today's Question
Who repeated the feat of the great Moonlit with a Met sequence of won, second, won?
The picture is of the subject
FIELDS, Friday, 30 January
Today’s Question Answer
The Eric Sand-trained Ideal World gelding Rainbow Bridge won the 2019 Met, was second in the 2020 Met and won the 2021 Met.
A report on the second of his Met victories can be read below:
The Eric Sands-trained Rainbow Bridge confirmed the form of last year’s Sun Met at Kenilworth yesterday when easily winning this year’s big 2000m Grade 1 weight for age event, which is now called the Cape Town Met, under Luke Ferraris.
Ferraris had thus won one of South Africa’s big three races in the same month he completed his apprenticeship, a rare feat indeed.
Without last year’s winner One World in the contest Rainbow Bridge could afford to be eased and switched in the straight and still win by 1,50 lengths.
The Vodacom Durban July winner Belgarion proved no match for him at level weights.
Turning for home second last a dream gap opened for Belgarion in the straight and after hitting the front 150m from home Richard Fourie must have believed he was about to break his Met duck.
However, his heart must have sunk when he glanced across at the 80m mark and seen the low-flying Rainbow Bridge.
In fact, the six-year-old Ideal World gelding was treating the rest of the field like B division handicappers. He came into the straight in last place and then got stuck behind Golden Ducat and African Night Sky, who were not making any inroads. Ferraris faced a crisis because Do It Again was outside of this pair and still behind them. However, the youngster, as cool as a cucumber, eased Rainbow Bridge slightly before switching him outward. Do It Again helped his cause by moving forward to pass Golden Ducat.
However, by the time Rainbow Bridge had reached the outside he was already at the 300m mark and Belgarion was at this stage well clear of him and accelerating.
Had the bird already flown, because, after all, this was a weight for age Grade 1 and not a Wednesday afternoon B division handicap?
Well, it was difficuIt to tell because the TV producer had decided to zoom in on Belgarion and the inside horses.
The countrywide supporters of Rainbow Bridge would not have known how he was faring from the 350m mark until appearing again in the picture at the 50m mark moving like an express train. He appeared to be doing it effortlessly too.
It is always easy to find the key to the win after the race.
In Rainbow Bridge’s previous two attempts at the course and distance he had won the 2019 Met and finished a narrow second in last year’s Met, beaten only by the top class One World and finishing 3,50 lengths clear of the rest of a field which had been jam-packed with Grade 1 winners and champions.
Then in the Vodacom Durban July over 2200m he had completed the first 2000m in a time that was slightly faster than the legendary London News’ course record for 2000m set way back in 1996.
The only question mark really had been the trend of him coming out second in dogfights for the line. However, this is likely just a true form statistic as it would be hyper-critical to ever question this consistent horse’s courage or attitude.
Ferraris said afterwards he had dropped Rainbow Bridge out because of his tendency to over-race. He was anxious for a few moments after he had broken well but said once he had reined him in he had settled “like a lamb”. He spoke of the tremendous acceleration the powerfully built bay had displayed after being given his head.
Sands had once again delivered a top horse in peak condition for a big race and his reputation as a master conditioner was confirmed.
Owner Mike Rattray will have real hope of an elusive Vodacom Durban July victory now as it is likely that it was just the too handy tactics in a blisteringly fast run race that had cost Rainbow Bridge last year.
The dam of the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred gelding, Halfway To Heaven, is on track for an unprecedented third successive Equus champion broodmare award.
Sovereign Spirit, who started 100-1, had shown before his capability of running on strongly when held up near the back. However, the pace of lesser races was usually against him. Running against top horses in a small field suited him down to the ground and he ran on into a meritorious four length third despite 100/1 odds. He finished amidst three horses rated 130 or more so his merit rating of 106 is going to take a knock.
Do It Again stayed on for a five length fourth, as opposed to his seven length ninth last year. He is clearly not the same horse he was in his 2018/2019 Equus Horse Of The Year season.
The only three-year-old in the race Princess Calla stayed on for a 5,40 length fifth.
Golden Ducat was a disappointing 5,80 length sixth. In retrospect he would have been better going forward from his draw of two instead of being held up because in a race run in a time 1.03 seconds slower than last year he began over-racing a touch early and he was unable to accelerate effectively in the straight.
The other disappointment was Queen Supreme, who had traveled all the way back to Johannesburg after her impressive Cartier Paddock Stakes victory. She had to be used to a certain extent to overcome her wide draw and get into a handy position. However, she was never traveling well and finished second last, beaten 11,30 lengths.
