Bishop’s Bounty sprang the biggest Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes shock this century when coming from last to first at 45-1 at Kenilworth on Saturday. But Michael Leaf’s gelding had no impact on the Cape Flying Championship market because he is one of the seven runners not entered for the Grade 1.
Several of those on the podium said the Diadem should be brought forward a week, preferably two, and Justin Snaith added: “Sergeant Hardy (third) is one of the few that the present date is right for. He is tough, he weighs 580kg and you need to keep running him to keep his wind right.”
Sergeant Hardy was cut from 10-1 to 6-1 third favourite for the Betting World-sponsored race and Tevez (second at 30-1) from 25-1 to 14-1. Trip To Heaven (fifth) is favourite at 4-1 and, perhaps significantly, he finally got away on terms. “We have been working on him and Richard Fourie has been helping us,” explained Sean Tarry.
Bishop’s Bounty (Liesl King)
Dutch Philip started favourite but never got into it and finished halfway down the field. Aldo Domeyer said that he had committed himself to stable companion Magical Wonderland in the CTS 1200 even before this performance.
Snaith and Grant van Niekerk also took the Fairview Wines Sophomore Sprint with an unfancied runner when 15-1 shot Sir Frenchie benefitted from the drop in trip to get up in the last two strides in the now famous Braam van Huyssteen colours – but only after an early morning phone call from jockey to trainer to put blinkers on.
“He had been running over 1 400m and a mile and I didn’t want him to be outpaced,” explained Van Niekerk. “It’s a pity he is not in the Cape Flying because I think he would have gone well in that.”
Sand And Sea, beaten just over three lengths into fourth, was giving the winner 4kg and will be a leading contender for the $500 000 CTS race. “It wasn’t a bad effort and I think he will be spot on for Met day,” said Dennis Drier.
Two races after winning the two features Van Niekerk walked into the parade ring to partner In The Jungle for Piet Steyn who related tongue-in-cheek: “I said to him ‘Can you ride a winner for me?’ Grant replied: ‘I will try my best but I can only ride winners for the top trainers!’”
Needless to say he won this one too but he was lucky to be riding at all. When he was given a ten-day interference suspension on 5 January he elected to begin it last week. It was only when the stipes told him he couldn’t because he already had rides booked that he found he would have to start it yesterday.
It was last night that Brett Crawford was due to return from supervising Whisky Baron in Dubai and Barry Donnelly fired off a quick treble for him on Saturday. Anthony Delpech is retained by both Mary Slack and Mauritzfontein and he won on Luna Child and Love Dove for them.
Joey Ramsden took his two-year-old race tally to three (there have only been seven races in Cape Town so far ) with the Anton Marcus-ridden Lucky Dancer while Harold Crawford shrewdly backed his 11-1 winner Ready Steady Go (Grant Behr).
By Michael Clower
