See It Again caused a 50/1 boil over in the Cape Derby Grade 1 over 2 000m, settling far off the pacemakers, stalking hot pot 1/5 favourite, Charles Dickens, then swooping inside the final 100 metres to win drawing away at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
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The victor is by Twice Over out of the Visionaire mare Supreme Vision and absolutely loved the longer route.
See It Again is a first Grade 1 training success for former great jockey Michael Roberts who has steadily nurtured this chestnut through some eye-catching performances up to 1 600m, but saved this career peak for when it counted in a strongly run 2 000m.
Cape Derby favourite Charles Dickens upset
Roberts, an expert riding tactician in his heyday, would have been mightily impressed by another jock of international renown, Piere Strydom who judged it adroitly – covering his mount up, waiting for Charles Dickens to hang in under pressure, before surging past close to the wire.
Strydom said modestly, ‘My only chance of beating Charles Dickens was to get shelter from the wind, then come through late.’
The margin of victory was 1.25 lengths. Another 50/1 long-shot, Without Question, filled the trifecta slot 2.5 lengths further away.
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Meanwhile, Bereave at 14/1, who has been a model of consistency throughout his career (only missing the money twice from 15 starts), recorded the most significant win of his career in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes Grade 2 over 1 200m.
Gavin Lerena delivered Adam Marcus’ five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding down the centre to streak past Gimme a Prince, Trip of Fortune and Rio Querari who had been duking it out down the inner.
Marcus said, “Bereave deserved it. I didn’t do anything differently in his prep, but he’d just come so well physically going into this race that not even a slight bruise to his foot on Monday could stop him.”
On a torrid day for favourite backers, Captain’s Ransom, deep in the red at 1/4 on, was another that bit the dust in the Prix du Cap, a Grade 3 over 1 400m for Fillies and Mares.
She proved unable to get past Live my Life who took control of a pace less race on the bend then kept on, scoring a sentimental win for retiring, legendary horseman, Dennis Drier.
“I told Sean (Veale), if there is no pace, then commit,” was Drier’s sage tactical advice.
He also explained that Live My Life had previously been off track for 14 months with a broken pelvis, making her brave victory even more poignant.
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In a personal triumph for Drakenstein Stud who stand stallion, What A Winter, their juvenile filly Winter Cloud repeated the feat of her sister, multiple Grade 1 winner Clouds Unfold, when taking out the City of Cape Town Cape of Good Hope Nursery (Grade 3).
By What a Winter ex Montelessima, she burst clear and drew off full of running from another Bass Racing entry, Distant Winter – by the same sire.
Ran the field ragged
The Jet Master Stakes (Listed) run over 1 600m produced an eye-popping turnaround.
Quasiforsure had run the big field ragged and looked a certain winner inside the final stages only to somehow squander a huge lead.
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Well-backed, fellow light weight, Pacaya (by Trippi) launched a rally from a seemingly hopeless position to get up on the wire for an improbable victory.
Outlaw King doddled in lengths clear in the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup for colts and gelding, eliciting a glowing review from jockey Keagan de Melo.
“He’s a really smart horse that just blew them away.”
De Melo rates the son of Rafeef as one of the best two-year-olds he’s ridden this season.
The Bloodstock SA Sales Cup for fillies fell to The Charleston (by The United States) who came from the back of the field with a decisive dash down the inside.
As she did in the Nursery, trainer Candice Bass Robinson completed a stable exacta, with Kyalami Girl getting second. Favourite Golden Sickle showed pace in the centre of the course but was outrun back in third.
Milnerton-based conditioner, Lucinda Woodruff bookended the highly entertaining Hollywoodbets Kenilworth programme.
The opening race was a portend of what lay in store for punters when practically unconsidered 33/1 longshot Dean Street woke up dramatically to win it on the bob against market springer, Usa’s Hope.
The finale also threw up a wacky outcome; 16/1 lurker Katsu under Siphiwo Feni stunned them in the Khaya Stables Work Riders and Jockeys Championship Maiden Plate.
He scrambled home in a thrilling four way go over Aspect (M Sigenu), Mighty Mac and Run for Me (Richard Fourie.)
Sigenu and Fourie were the winning duo in the drawn pairs team competition.
