The Gr 3 Christmas Handicap run over 1600m at Greyville on Monday saw the Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana proving he preferred the turf, although the runner up Celtic Captain has to be considered a touch unlucky.
Meanwhile, in the UK the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack proved himself another superstar in a golden era of jumps racing.
Rikitikitana (Nkosi Hlophe)
Rikitikitana, a four-year-old Toreador gelding bred by The Alchemy, ran on strongly from behind down the inside to win the Christmas Handicap by 0,5 lengths from a wide draw under leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson.
The runner up Celtic Captain jumped from a plum draw of two, but was trapped one wide without cover the whole way and was a little strong in the running. With cover he could well have won the race and as he gave the winner 8,5kg this was a fine effort. He looks to be a decent miler and can be followed. Rikitikitana had scraped into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52kg. Celtic Captain’s Gareth van Zyl-trained stablemate Budapest confirmed himself back in form by finishing third.
Tarry and Hewitson had a double at the meeting, as did Alistair Gordon and Anton Marcus. Prolific owner Roy Moodley added another two winners to a fine run he has had in December.
At Kempton Park the novice chaser Thistlecrack, an eight-year-old gelding, destroyed a small but top class field in the prestigious King George VI three miles. Greatness is sometimes described as those who make top opposition look ordinary and last year’s winner Cue Card looked just that.
Cue Card was dropped on the turn like a ball out of a motorcar having ranged up to challenge his powerful stablemate down the back straight. Thistlecrack could afford to measure the last jump and was being eased down at the line to win by a 3,25 length margin which flattered the opposition.
Last season he showed himself to have an incredible engine when annihilating all before him in staying hurdles races. He is now unbeaten in four chases and that engine is in evidence one again as he seems to run strongly throughout but still has a ton in hand at the finish. His jumping had been a concern, but he proved just how bold and clever a leaper he is when on two occasions standing almost outside the wings of an open ditch yet still sailing over easily. He was able to correct himself on those two and other occasions.
Jockey Tom Scudamore summed it up when saying afterwards, “”He’s on his own. Between myself, my father and grandfather we’ve had about 3,000 winners and he’s the best one of the lot.””
Thistlecrack is a legend in the making and although jumps racing does not have a big following in South Africa it should be well worth tuning in whenever he runs.
By David Thiselton
