Tyrion Lannister wins in courageous fashion on Saturday (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Tyrion Lannister (11/2) made light of 51,5 kgs, leading from pillar to post under JP van der Merwe, to take out the R200 000 Newlands Stakes for 3yo’s over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Trained by Piet Botha for the Dare 2 Dream Syndicate, Tyrion Lannister kept up a resolute gallop all the way to the line to hold off the late challenge of Fibonacci (10/1) by nearly length.
Favourite Lindbergh (5/4) was very disappointing. Given every chance by Louis Mxothwa, Lindbergh closed the gap on Tyrion Lannister approaching the final 300m, but the son of Lancaster Bomb failed to go through with his effort and was beaten out of the frame. His stable companion, Zil Moris, stayed on to finish third with War Chariot rounding out the quartet.
World Of Pleasure (5/10) opened proceedings with a dominant victory in the Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m. By leading freshman sire, One World, and ridden by Bernard Fayd’herbe for the Vaughan Marshall stable, World Of Pleasure was in control from the jump and stretched clear over the final 400m to score by more than three lengths.
Rama Forcesa (16/10) topped the betting boards for the second race, a Juvenile Plate over 1000m, but after setting a blistering pace, he succumbed late to African Prince (3/1) who made up the best part of five lengths over the final 200m. Turbo Twenty made late gains to finish third and is one for the notebook.
Tequila Sky (9/4) has been knocking loudly at the door for a while now and was sent out favourite to win the opening leg of the Pick 6. But once again the daughter of William Longsword had to settle for second best as the equally consistent Love Shack (3/1) proved superior on the day. Under a confident ride by Aldo Domeyer, Love Shack was always to the fore and had enough in reserve to ward off Tequila Sky by half-a-length.
Craig Zackey and Dean Kannemeyer combined to win the fifth race, a modest Maiden Plate over 1800m, with Continental Express (13/2) who stormed through late from off the pace to beat Etoilefillant (10/1) by the best part of a length. Favourite Kwite A King (9/4) stayed on for third but was comfortably beaten at the line.
Hoodia (16/10) was all the rage to win the sixth race, a Maiden Plate over 1400m, and he duly obliged with a hard-fought victory over Richard Fourie’s mount, Mont Loisir. From a wide draw, Fourie elected to take up the running shortly after the start. Mont Loisir (9/4) tried bravely to keep the favourite’s challenge at bay, but Hoodia was too strong over the final 100m and drew ahead to score narrowly.
Fourie got on the board when scoring on recent maiden winner, Qhawekazi, for the Hollywood Syndicate in the seventh race and then took a further step closer to Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 wins in a single season, when driving the well-backed Meu Capitano (33/10) home in the final event, a Class 3 Handicap over 1200m, to round off the day with a double. Market rival, Axl (7/2, looked to have done enough to secure victory approaching the final 100m but Fourie pushed and shoved for all his worth to get Meu Capitano home in the final few strides.
After scoring on Continental Express earlier, Craig Zackey secured his double when booting home Pomodoro’s Jet (9/4) to a popular victory in the eighth race, a Class 3 Handicap over 1600m. Racing much handier this time from a wide draw, Pomodoro’s Jet remains unbeaten over the Kenilworth mile, and he appears to have a few more victories left in the tank.
