Black Arthur, for some time considered an Investec Derby contender, could start his classic hunt next month after making it two out of three when ridden by Keagan de Melo in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Justin Snaith said: “He will now have a nomination for the Grand Parade Cape Guineas and with a good draw he could be a serious contender.”
So could runner-up Mambo Mime who was conceding 5kg and was only beaten half a length but Dean Kannemeyer, who has won five of the last 11 Cape Guineas, sounded a little hesitant.
He said: “I’m not sure about the classics although when Anthony Delpech won on Mambo Mime last time he said ‘This horse is better than you think.’ Personally I thought the handicapper was very hard on him with a rating of 95 but he was right.”
Jo’s Bond, who made all under Shadlee Fortune to spring an 18-1 surprise in the 1 000m conditions plate, will run in the Southern Cross Stakes on December 5 before having a crack at the CTS Million Dollar (Jan 23).
Snaith, who initiated a treble with the Fayd-Herbe ridden Dixie Express in the Plumblink Handicap, said: “Her work in the week was super impressive and I thought she was my best bet on the card.”
Mike Bass went racing for the first time since his near-fatal illness struck three months ago and, considering all he has been through, he seemed in remarkably good shape.
He said: “I go to the track in the mornings and, although it’s a bit of a mission to get here, I will keep coming racing.”
Bass had the satisfaction of seeing Cavallino scoring under Robert Khathi while Tevez, despite starting almost unbacked at 20-1 and returning with a bleeding mouth (presumably from hitting the pens), came within less than half a length of winning the Cape Merchants for the third successive year.
Exelero, backed from 7-1 to 4-1 joint favourite, could manage only 12th. MJ Byleveld came in convinced something was wrong and the vet found the gelding to be striding short.
But for Dennis Drier the race proved a triumph of planning as well as a belated first Cape winner of the season. His previous 18 runners all lost with many seeming as if they needed the run.
Drier, who last won the Merchants with Consent To Conquer in 2002, said: “I was a little worried by that but I was a bit more confident after the horse’s last gallop at Kenilworth ten days ago. When he got beaten on July day I’d said to Braam van Huyssteen that he could be our Merchants winner so this race was the mission.”
Sean Veale, riding his first Kenilworth winner for seven seasons, added: “I thought I had the measure of Tevez in the last 200m but he stuck to me like glue.”
Brandon Morgenrood, having sprung a 66-1 shock on the Paul Reeves-trained Rising Sunset in the Comwezi Security Maiden, was unlucky on favourite Silicone Valley in the Chattels Handicap. He was repeatedly denied an opening and was beaten a length and a half by 25-1 shot Albarakah. Corne Orffer, who rode the Glen Kotzen winner, also struck in the last on Speedy Chestnut for boss Brett Crawford.
By Michael Clower
Picture (Liesl King): Triptique (Sean Veale) winning the Cape Merchants at Kenilworth on Saturday
