New hold up tactics have paid off for the Kumaran Naidoo-trained five-year-old Albert’s Hall gelding Albert and he finished strongly off his lowest ever merit of 75 to win the 1200m final under Warren Kennedy. The Mike Miller-trained Clear Sailing had looked the winner when striking the front at the 300m mark but had no answer to Albert’s finish. The favourite Varbration led early but was found afterwards to not be striding out on his left hind and faded out. Commodity Strike finished third and was followed by Libertine and Mr Harry. Albert, owned by the Sukhraj family, was bred by Cecil and Gary Baitz, who ironically own Clear Sailing.
The Doug Campbell-trained five-year-old Miesque’s Approval gelding Kentucky Guest looked a picture going down to the start of the 1950m final and after travelling comfortably in midfield throughout he ran on resolutely to win by an easy 1,5 lengths under Donovan Dillon. This horse was battling until stepped up in trip and looks to have a whole new career ahead of him now as he is relishing the extra ground. De La Danza pipped the second favourite Zhivago for second. Delamere and Good Idea were next best. The favourite Buck Shot was unsettled in the preliminaries and overraced badly, so was eventually pulled out of the race.
Kentucky Guest winning at Scottsville yesterday (Nkosi Hlophe)
Kentucky Guest was bred by Campbell and he also owns him in partnership with Raymond and Paula Deacon, BE Miskin, Morgan Pillay and AR Rapp.
The Duncan Howells-trained five-year-old Spectrum gelding Zestful caught the eye going to post in the 1600m final and after being settled well by Stuart Randolph produced a strong run down the inside to win comfortably despite carrying topweight. Sacred Jewel pipped the joint favourite Auction King for second. Translunar and Big Bird were next best. Zestful is owned by Albert Boshoff and Andre Hauptfleisch and was bred by Highlands Farm Stud.
King’s Gold was the highest points earner in the series and earned R28,500 for his trainers Greg and Karin Anthony. Royal Colours and Royalsecuritypower were joint second and earned R10,750 for trainers Paul Gadsby and Kumaran Naidoo respectively.
Mike de Kock completed a fine weekend when his odds-on first-timer by Captain Al, Captain’s Cup, converted stable confidence over 1200m in the second race under Anthony Delpech. On Saturday De Kock not only won the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Guineas with the brilliant Majmu over, but also the Listed Advance Fire Systems Secretariat Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein with the Australian-bred Northern Meteor colt Mitraad, who just got up under Randall Simons despite carrying topweight. All three of the aforementioned winners were owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. De Kock added another winner yesterday when his Western Winter gelding Rockaberry Lane won a 1200m handicap under Delpech.
Howells and Randolph also had a double at Scottsville yesterday as King Of Torts won a competitive Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m.
There were also maiden race wins yesterday for Michael Roberts and Brandon Lerena with Aqaba, Dennis Bosch and Muzi Yeni with Surfing Belle and Tony Rivalland and Athandiwe Mgudlwa with Listen And Learn. The latter caused a major 33/1 upset in the last leg of the Pick 6.
