The Rathmor Stud-based sire Noble Tune had his first winner at Scottsville yesterday when the Kumaran Naidoo-trained filly Awesomely Tuned won in fluent style over 1200m under Gunther Wrogemann.

Mike McHardy of Rathmor said, “We are over the moon with Noble Tune’s first winner, even more so that it is out of a staying family. This shows us that he adds plenty of speed to his progeny.”

This stallion looks to be a potential coup for South African racing as his pedigree keeps on improving.

Awesomely Tuned (Candiese Marnewick)

Bloodstock agent Alistair Brown began following Noble Tune as he was a fan of his third dam, Serena’s Song, the former highest earning filly in racing history.

Noble Tune did not disappoint him, winning the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes over 1700m on turf at Belmont by 2,5 lengths in 2012. He then finished second in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf over a mile at Santa Anita.

In his three-year-old career Noble Tune had two wins in four starts, including a comfortable 1,75 length win over 1800m at Churchhill Downs in the Gr 2 America Turf Stakes.

In mid-February of 2014 he put up a fine five furlong workout in a bullet-like time of 58,5 seconds.

However, the deal that eventually saw him landing in South Africa was brokered before he could race again.

By that stage his half-brother by A.P. Indy, Honor Code, had won a Group 2 as a two-year-old and finished second in a Group 1. However this horse went on to win two Group 1s and another Group 2 and finished third in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Classic. He was named Eclipse Champion Older Male in 2015 and now stands at the famous Lane’s End Stud in Kentucky.

Since Noble Tune’’s purchase he has had weanling half-siblings selling for a record US$ 3 million, for US$ 2.6 million and for US$1.05 million respectively, which shows just how sort after this family has become.

Furthermore, Noble Tune’s sire Unbridled’s Song in 2013 became the first stallion since the great Nasrullah to have both a Champion Freshman Sire and Champion Juvenile Sire in the same year. By the year of Noble Tune’s purchase (2014), Unbridled’s Song’s sons had sired over 295 Stakes-horses and six of them had sired Group 1 winners.

Noble Tune, a handsome bay, stamps his progeny and the connections have bolstered his prospects by purchasing a number of well-bred mares.

He looks to have a bright future ahead of him.

By David Thiselton

The number of trainers affected by the caffeine-contaminated feedstuffs investigation is described by the NHA’s racing control boss Arnold Hyde as “multiple.”

But a date for the hearing has still to be agreed. However a widespread belief that the trainers concerned will be charged with a breach of the rules could yet prove to be premature.

Hyde said: “No charges have been preferred yet. I am not saying that they won’t be or that they will be. That’s for the Inquiry Board to decide. My job is to put everything before the Board.”

Last Winter

However a number of the trainers affected are taking no chances and have already engaged ace defence lawyer Robert Bloomberg to act for them.

There have been suggestions – from certain trainers, not from the NHA – that the levels of caffeine are higher than the threshold levels by quite a significant amount. One trainer is understood to have been unhappy about the feedstuffs and so privately sent samples for analysis. The tests showed traces of caffeine and so presumably he is in the clear.

The whole matter has now been dragging on for some months and Hyde said: “Hopefully we will progress soon.”

An added complication is that the positives are expected to have included winners – unless, and this seems unlikely, they all came from non-racecourse tests – and under the rules these will have to be disqualified.

Justin Snaith, fresh from all his Met day triumphs, will train both the R4 million Frankel colt that topped the CTS Premier Yearling Sale and the R3 million Captain Al who was the joint highest priced filly. Both were bought by John Freeman for Jack Mitchell and his daughter Nancy.

Andreas Jacobs’ Maine Chance Farms has gone into a 50:50 partnership with Highlands Stud for the R3 million Silvano filly bought by Amanda Skiffington. No trainer has yet been decided on.

Sun Met winner Oh Susanna has been raised seven points by the handicappers to a new mark of 115 but Majorca-winning stable companion Snowdance remains seven points below her on 108 despite proving over three lengths the better in the Cape Fillies Guineas.

Met runner-up Last Winter has gone up 12 points to 119 and third-placed Marinaresco stays on 118 but Legal Eagle (fourth) has been dropped a kilo to 121.

Sergeant Hardy has been upped five points to 117 for his Cape Flying victory but second-placed Trip To Heaven has come down four to a new mark of 114.

Anthony Delpech is now as short as 1-5 to win his fourth jockeys’ championship. He went into yesterday’s Scottsville meeting just two off his century, with a strike rate of over 25% and a 21-winner lead over his nearest pursuer, the busy Lyle Hewitson who is 6-1 second favourite.

World Sports Betting also goes 7-1 Gavin Lerna (54 winners), 14-1 Callan Murray (61), 16-1 four-time champion Anton Marcus (63), 20-1 Aldo Domeyer (67), 40-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Perusing the various tipping guides for today’s Scottsville meeting, one must come to the conclusion that you either follow your favourite guide or tipster or go with what you fancy. The tips rarely coincide so it looks to be a day of lucrative payouts if you find the correct combinations.

Coys has been a little like the Tottenham Hotspur soccer team, promising but not always delivering, but the penny appears to have finally dropped with Paul Lafferty’s colt and he can make amends for his narrow defeat to Pure Logic last time out.

Louis Goosen

Shedding his maiden, Coys proved too smart for Bear Hug, who has since been touched off again, but was decidedly unlucky behind Pure Logic after finding traffic at a crucial stage of the race.

Back over course and distance he could have the measure of hat-trick seeking Hero Quest while Calabash has his second outing for a new yard and can threaten while Wealthy is showing signs of returning to form and cannot be written off lightly.

To sum up, Coys is progressive and was unlucky last run but Hero Quest, Calabash and Wealthy can all make it hot.

Louis Goosen has an impressive winning strike-rate since relocating to KZN, Ashburton in particular. He saddled a double over the weekend and Shwanky can add to his record when she goes up against her own sex in the Racing. It’s A Rush Handicap.

Her race comes soon after finishing a smart second to top class course and distance specialist London Call in the Marula Sprint last week and although she was getting lumps of weight from Mark Dixon’s charge, it was still a more than creditable effort.

She has an extra 10kg to shoulder today but a repeat of any of her last three showings will see her in the firing line.

Dixon saddles Poster Girl, narrowly beaten on this course last run and little more than a length back to Shwanky at her penultimate start while Royal Agree is 1.5kg better off for under a length beating by Shwanky two runs back so must also be in contention. Love Theme is on the up and can do better over this trip so punters are faced with a tricky leg in the exotics.

Seattle Silva was a touch disappointing behind City Of Stars last time out after chasing hard when second to pacemaking Imbali before that. Blinkers and a tongue-tie have been added to her equipment along with Anthony Delpech and that could make for a winning combination in the ‘get-out stakes’, the Track & Ball Qualified Maiden that rounds off the afternoon.

In the opening leg of the Pick 6, First Mate has shown some improvement and does appear better than his recent effort when a distant fourth to the easy winner Kinsky’s Crusade. That said, this is not a race to go light in. Hondo came within an ace of causing a major upset when beaten by War-King and it has been many moons since Lenny Taylor saddled a winner. Stuart Randolph made the trip to Ashburton yesterday to give Vision Of Trust a warm-up for Paul Gadsby and is a must inclusion in all bets.

Gotoluvher could get Goosen’s ball rolling early in the Soccer 13 Handicap. His filly has had two outings since moving from the Highveld and should strip close to her peak but there are a few others for the shortlist. Miesque’s Magic is back on turf with a paper-weight on her back while Dunzie impressed when shedding her maiden and that form has been franked. Shizam beat a weak field in open company last time out although both of her recent wins have come on the poly.

The White Horse Function Room Handicap will keep all guessing but Timetoperfection has her first run for Brett Crawford and brings some useful Highveld form into the race even though her best recent effort was in Kimberley. She is obviously a tough filly, this being her 41^st start in just two seasons of racing, and blinkers could bring out the best in her.

By Andrew Harrison

Justin Snaith realised a long-held family ambition on Saturday by winning Cape Town’s premier race, the Sun Met, and he made racing history in the process.

He regards it as the best day of his racing career as he also won two other Grade 1’s on the card and has opened up a big lead in his bid for second National Trainer’s championship.

Australian-bred Street Cry filly Oh Susanna became the first ever three-year-old filly to win the Met over its current distance of 2000m and historians have to go back to Chair Lady in 1902 to find the last three-year-old filly to win the great race.

Earlier he won the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships with Captain Al gelding Sergeant Hardy and the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes with the brilliant Captain Al filly filly Snowdance and also won two other races on the card.

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

Snaith became concerned when Oh Susanna seemed to not be kicking on in the straight. He added, “But all of a sudden she kicked properly.”

In the end Grant van Niekerk could afford to begin celebrating 50 metres from the line, which caused a few heart stopping moments for her supporters as Last Winter flew in the final stages.

Snaith reckoned Oh Susanna had extra and would have seen off Last Winter if he had challenged earlier.

Regarding Van Niekerk’s early celebration he said, “He was very confident, he looked after the horse a little.”

Snaith said nothing had yet been discussed about Oh Susanna’s future. However, he said if she were given a “ridiculous” merit rating she would likely avoid the Vodacom Durban July. She is currently headed for a break on the farm of her owners, Drakenstein Stud.

Snowdance’s win was equally impressive and Snaith reminded, “Nothing went her way, they went flat out and she then had to sit one wide on her own for a while. She was then green in front and ducked, Grant (Van Niekerk) thought it might have been a bird.”

The commentator was deceived by this movement and said, “She’s getting weary”. Snaith commented, “The only body running out of breath was the commentator! She has plenty of gears.”

Snaith said, “It is rare to have an exceptional pedigree coupled with exceptional performance and that is the best part about Oh Susanna and Snowdance (the latter is also part-owned by Drakenstein Stud). You can’t put a value on them.”

Snaith admitted Sergeant Hardy was done a favour by the false start and particularly so because he was dawn alongside the horse which broke through, Tevez, so Bernard Fayd’Herbe was able to see what had happened and consequently pulled him up immediately. However, nothing should be taken away from him as he is unbeaten in three starts over course and distance and deserved a Grade 1.

Snowdance’s and Sergeant Hardy’s future has not yet been discussed yet either.

Snaith said the latter did not like the turn and he lamented the fact that the only race for him in the SA Champions Season would be the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville.

He said if the export protocols did open soon, as is being anticipated by some, all three of these horses would likely head overseas.

By David Thiselton

Glen Kotzen’s Investec Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open will likely follow the same route as his 2009 Cape Derby winner Big City Life in his forthcoming SA Champions Season campaign.

Big City Life finished second in the Grade 3 Byerley Turk before reeling off the big race hattrick of the Grade 2 KRA Guineas, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the big one, the Vodacom Durban July.

Kotzen said about the Dynasty colt Eyes Wide Open, “He’s a seriously good horse and the key to him is he can be switched on and switched off so easily and then can turn it on so well in the straight.”

Eyes Wide Open (Candiese Marnewick)

Yesterday was a perfect day in Cape Town and Kotzen took the Derby hero from his private Woodhill Racing Estate down to the beach at Melkbosstrand.

His big race rider Richard Fourie rode him out and Kotzen said, “He was fresh and full of himself and has taken the run well. Richard said he could race again tomorrow.”

He is owned by Hugo and Suzanne Hattingh’s Chrigor Stud, who also own Saturday’s Derby third-placed Pack Leader.

Eyes Wide Open was given an exceptional ride by Fourie. He was drawn three but looked in danger of being trapped outside of stablemate Pack Leader as they ran towards the first turn. However, Fourie asked him for a little extra to go ahead of the latter and he then switched him off after he had slotted in behind Kimberley Star. The pace was then slowed right down and rank outsider Steel Rose took it up. At one stage it looked like Steel Rose might steal it. However, Kotzen said, “It suited us to have an unfancied horse in front as I knew he would always fetch him despite the slow pace, it was just a matter of whether anything would come from behind.”

Like A Panther came around the field before the final turn as Anton Marcus realised the pace was too slow. Anthony Delpech on Pack Leader switched off the heels of Eyes Wide open to follow Like A Panther. He headed Eyes Wide Open briefly, but ended up quite wide in the straight. He then hung all the way to the inside and did well to pip Steel Rose for third. Do It Again ran on strongly for second after Eyes Wide Open had already wrapped it up.

Kotzen said about the Philanthropist colt Pack Leader, “We were confident of him going close because of the way he had been working. He was a touch unlucky so it was a nice run to finish in the first three. Anthony said he maybe didn’t quite stay the 2000m.”

Pack Leader has also taken the run well. The Gauteng classics might be an option for him, but Kotzen cautioned, “Horses can’t do all three seasons, Cape , Johannesburg and Durban, it is too hard for them, so if you do go to Johannesburg you have to give Durban a miss completely.”

A decision has not been made on him yet, but it does look likely another Kotzen-trained star, the Silvano filly Silvan Star, will head for Johannesburg to run in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes on April 21 at Turffontein. She flew up for fourth from a wide draw in the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes on Saturday and Kotzen confirmed, “She doesn’t do well in Durban.”

Kotzen had a fine few days as he saddled a treble on Saturday at Kenilworth and his satellite yard at Summerveld also scored a treble over the weekend.

He said, “What was particularly gratifying about our other two winners at Kenilworth on Saturday (Quickfire and Ostinato) was that they are owned by racing syndicates (The L’Ormarin’s Racing Syndicate and Green Street Bloodstock). Seeing so many owners leading a horse in is priceless, it is the way of the future as it is affordable and the owners get just as much fun and satisfaction out of it.”

Kotzen recalled entering the bidding war late for lot 33 (Eyes Wide Open) at the Bloodstock South Africa Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale of 2016, “When it reached R800,000 we went in with just one bid of R850,000 and secured him. I liked everything about him. He looked like Dynasty, he had real class, a big bright eye and walked like a cat.”

Pack Leader

The Highlands Farm Stud-bred colt was a late November 21 foal so would not have been mature enough for the earlier bigger sales. Eyes Wide Open’s Jallad dam Live Your Dreams was placed four times from nine starts and is a half-sister to National Flame, an eleven-time winning sprinter who won the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint twice as well as the Listed Umgeni Handicap. Eyes Wide Open is a half-brother to Spectrum gelding Living With Heart, who has won three times and finished second in the Byerley Turk. All five of Living Your Dream’s foals have won.

Eyes Wide Open provided the Hattinghs with their first Grade 1 winner last year when he won the Premier’s Champion Stakes for two-year-olds over 1600m at Greyville.

A few racing purists began punching holes in the form of that race as it didn’t appear to be standing up in the early part of this season.

Then when Eyes Wide Open finished only ninth in the Selangor Cup and his Premier’s Champions Stakes runner up Ancestry finished eighth they believed they had confirmation.

However, Eyes Wide Open was found to have a respiratory infection, which caused him to miss the Cape Guineas.

Then the Premier’s Champions Stakes fourth-placed Monks Hood came out and won the Investec Dingaans.

Eyes Wide Open followed by winning the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap and the Cape Derby, while Premier’s Champions Stakes eleventh-placed Captain And Master finished runner up in Saturday US$500,000 CTS Mile. There has had to be a re-asessment of the Premier’s Champions Stakes form.

By David Thiselton

Talk Of The Town, ante-post favourite for the CTS 1600 until his surprise scratching two days before the $500 000 race, will be out of action for between six and 12 months.

Joey Ramsden explained: “He put a hole in his tendon sheath just above his near-fore fetlock joint.”

Talk Of The Town (Liesl King)

The injury is tough on the Truters and Avontuur who bought the Var colt from Mayfair Speculators shortly before he won his third race off the reel on the eve of the Queen’s Plate.

Let It Rain, who gave Dan Katz his first Graded winner when getting the better of a final furlong battle with Master’s Eye in last Saturday’s Heineken Cape Stayers, now goes to Johannesburg to rejoin Weiho Marwing.

Katz said: “The horse was sent to me for the Cape season and winning a Grade 2 for Hassen Adams on Met day was mission accomplished so far as I was concerned. Weiho will aim him at the Gold Cup.”

Traces, the Australian-bred who sprang a 16-1 surprise in the Tattersalls Summer Juvenile Stakes, started favourite but managed only fifth on debut three weeks earlier. The explanation is unusual to say the least.

Brett Crawford said: “We fancied him that day but he is blind in one eye and he was drawn on the outside. As a result he couldn’t see the others and he didn’t know what was going on!”

Agent Of Fortune, who made a winning debut at 11-1 in the valuable Kuda Sprint, was one of those mildly affected by that respiratory virus that hit some of the Vaughan Marshall stable earlier in the month.

Marshall said: “We backed off him when we were taking all those precautions but his work since was very good.”

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key eight race card tomorrow and the highest merit rated race is a MR 80 Handicap over 1500m which could be won by Sail For Joy, although it is an ultra-competitive handicap in which all nine of the runners have a chance.

The four-year-old Argonaut gelding Sail For Joy had to be used up to a certain extent over 1600m last time when overcoming a wide draw to go to the front, so he did well to hang on for a close third to the well regarded Jubilee Line. He now has a much better draw of three and will enjoy the step down in trip, considering his last two wins have both been over 1400m. He has only been given a one point raise for his two close finishes to Jubilee Line so is competitive off this mark. Polar Ice had a cracking win over 1700m with first time blinkers on and has another good draw. He is only two points higher in the merit ratings and is 4,5kg better off with Silver God for a 3,3 length beating in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes last time, which was over an 1800m trip which probably stretched him from a wide draw.

Front Rank

Front Rank is an enigmatic sort but is capable and can never be ignored. He has Tommy Waterdevil beaten on paper on the form of their meeting in November as he has dropped to a competitive merit rating. His last two runs don’t look good at first sight, but he spread a shoe in the second of them and was hopelessly out at the weights in the other in a Pinnacle event. Silver God was not disgraced in the Dingaans, finishing just 6,5 lengths back, and followed with a fair effort in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m when 5,65 lengths behind the promising Majestic Mambo. This is his first attempt at a handicap and he has to run off an 85 merit rating from a tricky draw of six in the nine horse field. Tommy Waterdevil is a consistent sort despite often making breathing noises. He is better drawn than last time when not disgraced in fifth behind the classy three-year-old Pietro Mascagni over this course and distance. Pietro Mascagni was comfortably beaten by Silver God in the Dingaans, but a line can be drawn through that run.

There is not much between Tokyo Drift and Sail For Joy and Tommy Waterdevil on recent form. Tokyo Drift was running on from off the pace last time over 1600m on this course from a similar draw to this one. Trip To Troy is 1kg better off with Sail For Joy for a 1,4 length beating over 1600m so there is not much in it. Machismo is 1kg better off with Front Rank for a mere short-head beating over 1400m, although his last two runs have been uninspiring. Trading Profit returns from a layoff over a suitable trip and has Strydom up from pole position. He reeled off a hattrick between June and August before being well beaten in the Grand Heritage. It would probably be advisable to include the whole field in the exotics.

Pinfanta is selected as the Pick 6 banker in the last race over 1700m. This promising daughter of Captain Al had to set sail for home early when finding herself in front down the straight over 1600m last time and did well to finish second. Muzi Yeni does not have an easy draw of six to overcome and Pinfanta has also been given a three point raise. However, the Houdalakis yard bring them on slowly but surely and this horse looks promising. The stablemate Braxton from pole position could be the main danger but it is significant Yeni sticks with Pinfanta having been the regular pilot of Braxton too.  Azkur is another one to consider, but she does have a tough draw to overcome.

The previous race could be won by Crazy Vision, who is only two points higher than his fast-finishing win over this 1700m course and distance last time. However, they did all finish on top of each other in that race so the form could be suspect. He does have another good draw and is taken to beat Cosmic Count and Shogun.

Carmalita is an interesting runner in race five over 1000m as she won her maiden from start to finish over this trip and the form has been franked. Off just a 72 mark she has a fine chance.

The previous race is a competitive maiden in which the expensive Mardi Gras is taken to win as he finished strongly on debut, although he would likely prefer further so can’t be bankered. Copper Jay did beat him in that last race, while That’s Life was backed then but over raced before fading. They will be threats and Crassus and Singfonico can’t be ignored either.

The first leg of the Pick should be fought out by the two form choices Eleni and Flying Feather.

Corné Spies has been in his usual devastating form in two-year-old races and his pair of first-timers in the first two races could give him yet another juvenile double as they are reasonably well bred and don’t have a lot to beat.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith has had many five-winners plus race meetings, but his three Grade 1 victories on Saturday including the Sun Met will have topped the lot as the best day of his career.

Justin Snaith

He also won had two other winners on the day.

Snaith has opened up a big lead in the National Trainers Championships and should clinch his second career title as Met winner Oh Susanna and Klawervlei Majorca winner Snowdance should collect a few more big races between them during the season. Betting World Cape Flying Championship winner Sergeant Hardy, on the other hand, would like to roll up the Kenilworth straight and take it with him wherever he goes as seven of his eight career wins have been there and he is unbeaten in three starts over Saturday’s 1000m course and distance. Exotic punters were grateful to him for winning on Saturday after the false start led to the scratching of three horses, including the original favourite Naafer, as he ended up the Tote favourite.

Oh Susanna couldn’t match Snowdance over a mile, although she did have a wide draw to overcome that day in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, but in terms of class she has now proved herself at least the equal of her stable companion as she has subsequently won both the Cartier Paddock Stakes and the Met with contempt. Oh Susanna’s performance on Saturday will be better on paper than Snowdance’s as the latter was the highest rated runner in the weight for age Majorca for fillies and mares off 108, while Oh Susanna beat the unexposed Last Winter, rated 107, and the 118 rated Marinaresco and 123 rated Legal Eagle. The Equus Award panellists are going to have a headache separating them. Snaith will also now have a problem singling out the best filly he has ever trained and it will likely between this pair.

Snowdance is another feather in the cap for Cheveley Stud, who bred the champion three-year-old filly of two seasons ago, Bela-Bela, as well as Legislate, the 2013/2014 Equus Champion three-year-old colt, Champion Middle Distance Horse and Horse of the Year. She is also another feather in the cap for the late great champion sire Captain Al and for last season’s Equus Champion Broodmare Mystic Spring, as she is out of the latter’s daughter Spring Lilac.

Oh Susanna continues the phenomenal legacy of her sire Street Cry, whose other best progeny around the world include the legendary females Zenyatta and Winx.

By David Thiselton

Glen Kotzen is eyeing the Cape Derby-Durban July double that he pulled off with Big City Life nine years ago for Eyes Wide Open after Hugo Hattings’ Dynasty colt ran out a convincing winner of the Investec-sponsored classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Kotzen had no regrets about abandoning his original plan of going for the Met with the Peninsula Handicap winner, recalling: “I told Anthony Andrews that he would keep the ride in the Met but then I looked at the pedigree and saw the colt was a 26 November foal. I thought ‘Am I made or what? We must wait until next year for the Met.’”

Richard Fourie, who also won this on Legislate in 2014 and on Russian Sage six years earlier, was fined R1 500 for celebrating victory before the line but it made barely a dent in his R 56,250 percentage. Punters felt the disappointing run of 61-20 favourite Tap O’Noth far more.

Eyes Wide Open (Candiese Marnewick)

The course vet could find nothing wrong but MJ Byleveld said: “I couldn’t fault the horse in his work and he looked magnificent but in the race he felt a bit lethargic. By the time Richard went I had no horse underneath me.”

Could it have been that respiratory virus that caused Vaughan Marshall to scratch his runners the previous Saturday? “I don’t think so,” answered the trainer. “And it wasn’t the trip. I put it down to just one of those off-days – he was never travelling.”

In the Betting World Cape Flying Championship Tevez caused pandemonium when he jumped the gun. Naafer and Olympian completed the course before they could be pulled up and were promptly scratched while Search Party followed suit after unshipping Fourie on his way back to the restart.

Several of the others were so worked up that they couldn’t run up to their best but Sergeant Hardy was totally unruffled and made much of the running to give Bernard Fayd’Herbe his fourth Cape Flying and Justin Snaith his first. The Captain Al gelding has now earned R1.8 million for Veronica Foulkes and her catering supremo son Oliver despite his wind problems.

Trip To Heaven’s intensive pens tuition saw him get away on terms and finish second. Interestingly, though, he did not finish as close as he had done 12 months ago when he did things the old way, giving away an impossible amount of ground at the off and finishing like the proverbial train.

This is the last year that the winners of the two CTS $500 00 races collect more than the Met winner. In 2019 the races will be priced in Rands, R5 million of them, but the winner will get only 50% compared with 57% in the Met.

Candice Bass Robinson and Grant van Niekerk took the 1200 for the second successive year thanks to Dutch Philip bouncing back to form with a bigger saddle while Undercover Agent fully justified Brett Crawford’s confidence under Corne Orffer in the 1600.

Markus Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators was listed as part-owner of Dutch Philip but the famous emerald green, yellow stars and black-sleeved colours were not seen throughout the day – all part of the no-protest deal with the unions that apparently included the two ‘stipes-permission’ scratchings.

By Michael Clower

“In the parade ring beforehand Lester Piggott was asking me how I was feeling after dieting to ride at 51.5kg. I replied: ‘Very hungry!’ He wished me the best of luck and that boosted my confidence.

“I went down to the start with a pony but Oh Susanna felt good. In the build-up to the Met she was phenomenal and I knew that basically I had just to ride her with confidence. I tried not to put any pressure on myself – and it’s very hard for a jockey not to do that – but winning the previous race on Snowdance made it a lot easier.

“After the start I ended up in a very nice position about three lengths off them. It was a little bit dirty early on, a bit of a rough race, but after things settled down I still thought I was in a good place although I would love to have been a little bit closer.

“Coming into the straight she was going well and I asked her to quicken. She took a little bit of time to do so. Legal Eagle was in sight and in full flight while my filly was still unwinding but once my horse started gaining ground – at about the 200-150m mark – I knew that I was going to get there and that I was going to win. I know I celebrated close home – but this was the Met and I’d won it.”

What the other jockeys said:

Piere Strydom, Last Winter (2^nd): “I managed to get over from that terrible draw, squeezing out a couple of guys in the process. But in the straight I was going nowhere until he suddenly put his mind to it and then I was really flying.”

Aldo Domeyer, Marinaresco (3^rd): “Everything went right and he gave me everything he had but we were beaten by two unexposed horses.”

Anton Marcus, Legal Eagle (4^th): “He never really overcame the draw and I thought he would do that quite easily but it was a good run and a furlong out I thought he was going to win.”

Corne Orffer, Captain America (5^th): “We decided we had to give him a chance and unfortunately they went a bit slow. He is game and gutsy, and he plugged on nicely.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, African Night Sky (6^th): “I had the run of the race but I just didn’t have the horse underneath me.”

Richard Fourie, Gold Standard (9^th):”It was a slow run race but when the time came to quicken he didn’t find anything and at the end I was going backwards.”

Greg Cheyne, Sail South (11^th): “I had no luck in running. I was cramped throughout the first half of the race and I then had too much ground to make up.”

By Michael Clower