Andrew Harrison
The striking grey Touched By Angels enjoyed a good spell in Cape Town this past summer with Peter Muscutt’s raiding string, winning twice and enjoying some success in useful company.
That form translated into a stunning victory in the B Stakes over 1400m that headed the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday giving Craig Zackey an armchair ride.
Up with the pace in the early exchanges, once Zackey lit the fuse crossing the subway it was a matter of how far as Touched By Angels exploded to win as he liked.
None of the opposition will ever get their names on jam tins but it was still an impressive performance from Muscutt’s charge and a crack at the Champions Season’s features must be on the cards.
Circumbendibus has been a revelation since arriving in KZN and Glen Kotzen’s gelding went back-to-back as he put plenty of daylight between himself and the opposition in the B Stakes over 1000m leading most of the way. Kalahari Roller finished off his race nicely to edge out Donquerari.
Sifiso Bungane will certainly have got a few choice words in his ear post-race from Zackey as the apprentice cut across the bows of Donquerari forcing Zackey to check and avoid visiting Royal Durban’s third fairway but Circumbendibus was always going two strides to Donquerari’s one and the six-year-old did well to stay on for third.
Mighty Zambezi took full advantage of a healthy drop in the ratings as he made all under Cole Dicken to land the C Stakes over the minimum trip. Racing in cheek pieces for the first time, Wendy Whitehead’s charge made all and pulled away to win well with Rock Music, slightly hampered at the start, running on for second but a long way adrift of the winner.
Green Energy was sent out a short-priced favourite in the first in a field that cut up to five runners but his supporters may have been a touch nervous in the early exchanges. The odds-on chance looked to be under pressure as Kaz From Alcatraz and Pink Skies put plenty of daylight between them and the rest of the field with Serino Moodley looking to keep Adam Azzie’s charge focused around the turn but a full ten lengths adrift of the pacemakers.
However, once homeward bound, Green Energy found his stride and the result was a formality a long way out. It was the colt’s first run on the poly and he won like a horse with a bright future with a mile well within his compass.
The addition of blinkers finally got Winter Blessing over the line with Dezahn Louw riding a confident race on the Michael Roberts-trained filly with the two-year-old Royal Quest a well-beaten second.
Bangladesh found strong market support and Natie Kotzen’s gelding obliged with a comfortable win under Craig Zackey who continues on his hot winning streak. It was the first run for Kotzen after the Buffalo Bill Cody gelding had shown up well in his first run under Frank Robinson. Xiphos finished a distant second but continues to earn for his owners.
Mountainsofthemoon found all the support in the first leg of the Pick 6 and it was money on the mark as Mauritian apprentice Anaa Mosaheb turned in a display worthy of the senior jockey to land the odds for Robbie Hill and his first winner in South Africa.
Lilac In Winter and Louw looked to have the race in hand as they moved in to challenge and looked to go a neck clear but Mosaheb kept his head down and pumping away with a minimal use of the stick, Mountainsofthemoon responded to get back the lead when it mattered. One of the first criticisms of apprentices when they start their careers, is that they can’t ‘push’ – Mosaheb certainly can.
Nicholas Patel is one of the hardest working riders in Summerveld and his efforts have been rewarded with strong support from MJ Odendaal and Gareth van Zyl. Once just regarded as just a journeyman rider, he is being rewarded with more and better rides. However, he has been the regular rider of Baasie Raakvat for Odendaal and he produced the gelding with a well timed finish to comfortably get the better of Many Waters to win the C Stakes over 2400m.
Numzaan has always been a dangerous front runner but not the most reliable. He was at his best on the last as Callan Murray was never for the catching on Frikkie Greyling’s charge as he comfortably held off the challenge from Next Of Kin with favourite Gallic Victory, friendless in the market, plodding on for third and possibly looking for a lot further.
