Neerah (Vercingetorix) wins the last to give Piere Strydom a double in his comeback meeting from injury. (JC Photos)
Piere “Striker” Strydom came through his comeback from injury with flying colours today (Thursday), recording two wins and two seconds from four race rides and he then still felt strong enough to gallop his Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship defending champion, the Lucky Houdalakis-trained star sprinter Dyce.
He said, “I had to start riding because the Met is just nine days away.”
He continued, “I was worried beforehand about injury, I was worried about fitness, and the last time I rode a horse I fell, so I didn’t even do any track work because my injuries were a little bit tender. However, I decided to just go straight into it. The doctor was worried it was too early to be riding for the stitches, which included internal stitches, as they normally require a month to heal. He eventually decided I should just ride in the first race and see how it went. Luckily the horse won and I felt okay.”
Piere was aboard the Clinton Binda-trained 2/1 favourite Legendary in the 1450m maiden and nobody would have knwon he was returning from injury. He placed the William Longsword gelding in the box seat around the turn behind the pacemaker and sat behind him in the straight. He switched him out at the 400m mark and then drove him with the unmistakeable Strydom style to win by 0,40 lengths from 11/2 chance Chieftan’s Shield.
Therefore, Striker got the go ahead to continue through the day and it was as if he had never been away for two-and-a-half weeks, let alone been injured.
His other win was in the last race on the Barend Botes-trained Vercingetorix filly Neerah. He was not too happy to be on Neerah, because he had lost to her in a previous race when unlucky on the stablemate My One And Only and he felt today that at the weight turnaround My One And Only would be hard to beat. However, he produced a gem of a ride on Neerah. He stuck to the outside rail and always looked to have My One And Only beaten. The latter eventually suffered bad traffic problems and finished unplaced.
However, Striker did start feeling the effects towards the evening.
He revealed, “I can feel a little bit of bruising still and aches.”
He said the stitched area did not feel bad and it was actually his one finger which was most noticeable.
He said, “They took X-rays on my arm, my hip and neck but did not X-ray the hand and I think one of my fingers is bruised, well I hope it is just bruised and not broken.”
He added, “It is sore, but I am managing.”
He said he would treat it and crack on to the Met.
He said about his Met ride, “See It Again got a terrible draw. He is drawn in no man’s land (12 out of 17).”
He added, “But look I know the horse, so I am going to do what I normally do and the blinkers are off, so I can maye be more positive on him and I will chat to Muis and see what he thinks.”
Piere agreed that the three-year-old Eight On Eighteen looked to be the one to beat as he finished close to One Stripe and is not only progressive but will appreciate the step up in trip.
He said, “I think the three-year-olds are strong – One Stripe beat the older horses and that’s all that is around.”
See It Again wasn’t himself for last year’s Met or for this year’s King’s Plate, but every season he has produced a single phenomenal performance in Cape Town.
In 2022/2023 it was in the Gr 1 Splashout Derby and last season it was in the Gr 2 WSB Green Point Stakes. He downed Charles Dickens in both of those races.
Perhaps his one top Cape Town run this season will be in the WSB Met.
Piere thinks his best ride on the day will be on Dyce, the Lucky Houdalakis-trained sprinter who will be defending his title in the Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship.
He said, “I galloped him after the last race today and he galloped very nicely.”
He has five rides in total on Met day.
