Eight On Eighteen crosses the line by a diminishing 1.05 lengths from stable companion See It Again (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The Justin Snaith-trained Eight On Eighteen won the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m from his stablemate See It Again at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday, ensuring another big race exacta for prolific Durban-based owner Nick Jonsson.
Eight On Eighteen enhanced his already glittering CV by adding a career fourth Gr 1 and with a magnificent pedigree behind him his stallion value has now reached rare heights.
Eight On Eighteen is by Lancaster Bomber, who has been proven to be a huge loss, and he is from one of the best family’s in the stud book.
His dam Sempre Libre is not only out of the champion broodmare and iconic matriarch Mystic Spring, but she is also by the influential champion sire and leading broodmare sire Captain Al.
Eight On Eighteen is part-owned by Johann Rupert, whose wife Gaynor owns the Drakenstein Stud who bred both Eight On Eighteen and See It Again.
Eight In Eighteen is sure to stand at Drakenstein one day.
There has not been any announcement of his retirement though, so he will hopefully be racing again next season, which will be much to the joy of his devoted groom Philip Sengeza.
Meanwhile, See It Again, who was out to achieve the rare feat of landing a wfa Gr 1 victory in three different provinces in the same season, did enough to be a certainty for the Equus Horse Of The Year award.
Eight On Eighteen was Horse Of The Year last year and Jonsson also won the Horse Of The Year award with Do It Again in 2018/2019.
However, the Snaiths have now won it seven times with Legislate in 2013/2014, Futura in 2014/2015, Oh Susanna in 2017/2018, Do It Again in 2018/2019, Captain’s Ransom in 2021/2022, Eight On Eighteen in 2024/2025 and See It Again looking a shoe-in this year.
Incidentally, many feel Jonsson’s Snaith-trained Jet Dark should have got Horse Of The Year ahead of stablemate Captain’s Ransom in 2021/2022.
Nevertheless, Jonsson will feel like he has the world at the feet with Eight On Eighteen having a stud career ahead of him, with some more racing still possible, and with See It Again being a sound-as-a-bell gelding.
See It Again looks to have another season in him at least, despite the fact he will be seven next term.
Illness had seen Eight On Eighteen having an interrupted Summer Season and it took him a while to find his feet after fully recovering.
However, Richard Fourie had confirmed he was back to his high class best when putting in a superb gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the day of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops.
The confidence increased as the Champions Cup approached and he shortened right into 2/1 at one stage.
He drifted out to 9/2 on the day as See It Again and The Real Prince were supported, starting 28/10 and 5/2 favourite respectively.
However, that did not stop Fourie riding Eight On Eighteen as if he was a good thing.
Fourie sat on him from the off after jumping from draw three in the eight horse field and had him one from last.
However, he did ensure he was one off the rail, because there was no false rail on the day and one had to switch outward at the top of the straight to ensure a clear run.
Fourie got him going early in the straight as the pace set by Dave The King had not been fast and Eight In Eighteen gave a superb burst of speed to soon hit the front.
He lugged inward away from the lights and might have inconvenienced See It Again a bit by carrying him towards eventual third-placed Main Defender.
Jonsson and Snaith might not have been as happy afterwards had their sole horse in the race been See It Again, although Fourie was probably correct in saying Eight and Eighteen had put the race to bed by the time of that incident anyway.
The stipes report said the incident had been caused by Eight On Eighteen rolling in at the same time Legal Counsel had rolled out and brushed Main Defender, causing the latter to be pushed outward.
Nevertheless, See It Again, who did not have to break stride at all, rallied superbly to be beaten only 1.05 lengths and he gave the impression that he is still enjoying his racing.
Main Defender was ignored in the betting, despite having been very unlucky in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. He sat one out and one back in the running without cover and stayed on well top be beaten 2,95 lengths into third with The Real Prince staying on from midfield in the small field to be a neck further back and Legal Counsel was next best.
Hopefully, Eight On Eighteen and See It Again can have a third clash in the Gr 1 wfa WSB Met next year to sort out the yard’s pecking order.
