Venniker was deputizing for Muzi Yeni who partnered the 50-1 shot Smart Star to victory in the Gr1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup at Kranji in Singapore on Saturday, the last racemeeting to be held at the track with the government closing the venue down for housing development in the island state.
Care Forgot was also Barend Botes’ swansong in KZN as he is soon to relocate back to Gauteng after just two seasons in this province with Equus Champion Quid Pro Quo now also headed north.
The Beach Beauty Mile was reduced to just six runners with the scratching of ante-post favourite Spirit Of Levana and then the grey The Ghost, who injured herself when loading.
The race turned into a muddling affair with James Lihaba setting pedestrian fractions with none willing to go forward. Venniker made an early move in the straight and Care Forgot moved smoothly into the lead. She was quickly challenge by favourite Destiny Of Fire who looked to go on by but just when Serino Moodley looked to have the race in hand, Venniker got one final burst from her mount to regain the lead when it counted.
Deryl Daniels has got over some serious speedbumps in his life which are hopefully all behind him but he has aIways been a talented rider. Since his comeback to riding he has had to battle his way through the ranks and was more appreciated in Zimbabwe than Summerveld.
He rode fine double yesterday, both for Robbie Hill, also a talented rider in his day, and Daniels’ fortunes could be turning for the best.
In spite of some solid form to recommend her, there were concerns that favourite Princess Goldie would find the 1100m a touch on the sharp side in the first and so it proved as Hot Lava and Blowin In The Wind kept finding ahead of her and she could only manage a well-beaten third. Hill was full of praise for Daniels who place Hot Lava perfectly behind the favourite and pressed for home at just the right time. Are You Sure vied for favoritism and the lead with Blowin In The Wind but faded tamely when the chips were down.
Barry de Grond has always shown promise and confirmed that with a comfortable win in the second. A little headstrong in the early exchanges, once Daniels gave him his head in the straight he quickened up smartly to get the better of favourite Star Of The Future with Catavar finishing off nicely for third.
There was little form to go on in the opening leg of the PA which was born out by the fact that one could have thrown a blanket over the first six across the line. But it was Garth Puller’s charge Got The Word who scraped home under Siphesihle Hlengwa. Hlengwa got a straight run through the pack as one-time leader Whereverilaymyhat ducked out badly under pressure and third-placed Rooster Bradshaw also looked to hang in spite of all of his rider’s efforts to keep him straight.
The fourth came with the sad news of the passing of legendary bookmaker Morris Vee. One of the old school bookmakers who stood on course with the likes of Som Singh and Tommy Morgan before computers took over and individual bookmakers lost their face to the big corporates.
Once horse racing is in your blood, it never leaves. Willie Pieters was a successful trainer in his time before leaving to run safari lodges. He is back along with bloodstock agent Andy Williams in a start-up syndicate operation, Classic Racing. They had their first winner yesterday as JP’s Palace landed the Morris Vee Maiden Plate for Darryl Moore under Athandiwe Mgudlwa who brough the gelding home with a rattle. One of Paul Lafferty’s pet hates is his horses running wide and the well fancied One Arm Bandit was caught three wide throughout before running out of gas late.
Formagear was not short of betting support in spite of dropping back to 1200m from a mile, and replacement rider Mgudlwa was given an armchair ride as Peter Muscutt’s gelding quickened up smartly to win the fifth as he liked.
It was two on the board for Muscutt as Quasiforsure proved far too classy in the sixth. Serino Moodley replaced the indispose Gavin Lerena and in spite of giving weight to all and a wide draw, there was never an anxious moment for his supporters as he cruised through up the outside of the opposition to win as he liked. African Skyline held on gamely for second with Mexican Pete coming from a long way off the pace for third and one to watch next time he goes a little further.
Moodley put the Beach Beauty behind him with a copybook ride on Andre Nel’s runner Selukwe. Making good use of his inside draw, Moodley tracked the early pace and then made a winning move up the inside rail with Tyrconnell finishing off nicely from well back for second.
Favourite Warrior Royale was always travelling like a winner in the last as his Mike Miller-trained stable companion Twilight Bay set the early fractions. But once Mathew Thackeray released the brake, Warrior Royale was not for the catching allowing him the luxury of gearing his mount down before the line.
