David Thiselton

VODACOM DURBAN JULY hero Kommetdieding heads back to Cape Town today and trainer Michelle Rix said reality might finally sink in when she got home.  

She said, “It is surreal,” 

She described her father and training partner Harold Crawford’s reaction, “He was very emotional, he never thought he would even have a July runner and I loved it that I could share this win with him.”

The Crawford/Rix yard became the first small yard to win the big race since Mauritian-born KZN trainer Pat Antelme’s win with Gondolier in 1985.

To underline how massive an achievement it is, only five trainers who could be considered to be “small yard” had previously gained a place in the July this century, St. John Gray, Colin Lee, Stan Elley, Tyrone Zackey and Weiho Marwing. 

Michelle said jockey Gavin Lerena had planned as long as eight days before the race to slot in behind Do It Again from their draw of 18 out of 18.

He duly found cover behind him in the back straight.

However, he was then shuffled outward rounding the Drill Hall and found himself without cover.

Michelle said, “You would think I would have then have been worried but I wasn’t because Gavin had taken a lot of time to know the horse and we had also made sure the horse had gone into the race fit enough to handle it.”

Lerena travelled down to KZN four times to ride Kommetdieding including in the official July gallops.

Michelle continued, “Billy Jacobson was riding him work regularly too and when you have confidence coming from two jockeys it is definitely an asset.”

She continued, “Kommetdieding has an incredible turn of foot and it is instantaneous and Gavin knew he had to use it at exactly the right time. This horse also loves to be around horses too because he loves a challenge so I knew he was better than his runs in the WSB Guineas and Daily News 2000 where he ran on his own on the outside and then on the inside.”

Kommetdieding was allowed to make up the ground steadily while racing wide from the Drill Hall onward.

Lerena’s astutely drew alongside Do It Again as they approached the straight and this led to this dangerous contestant being stuck in a pocket for much of the straight. 

Lerena then got onto the back of Sovereign Spirit and got the sling shot effect as he spun off the latter’s heels.

He only produced the whip at the 200m mark, by which stage his twice conqueror Linebacker had ranged alongside him on the inside and the favourite Got The Greenlight was moving up on his outside.

As Rix had foreseen the response was instantaneous and he stole a narrow but important advantage on Linebacker. With two challengers on either side of him he was never going to be beaten from then onward due to the size of his heart and having been produced to his absolute peak. Lerena also produced a text book, lightning quick change of whip hand at the 100m mark to prompt a change of leg thus ensuring there would be no fatigue effecting his mount. The three-year-old Elusive Fort colt won full of running.

Harold Crawford took out his license in 1976 and this was his yard’s first ever Grade 1 winner.

Michelle worked for four years with trainer Andre Heyns before becoming an assistant to her father and they became an official partnership in August 2019.

They were both at the Klawervlei farm sale of 2019 but it was Harold who spotted Kommetdieding.

Michelle said, “He saw something he liked.”

Harold is also a fan of Elusive Fort having had success before with the like of three-time winner Fort Agopian. 

Kommetdieding’s Captain Al dam Adorable was a Listed runner up and although she had not produced much to date she is out of Russian Fox mare who was a half-sister to the dam of the Captain Al three-time Grade 1 winner Captain America.

Michelle in fact advised John Koster of Klawervlei not to sell Adorable after Kommetdieding had begun displaying promise but he unfortunately did not heed the advice. Koster must be rueing this decision especially as Kommetdieding’s Querari half-brother won easily second time out at Turffontein Inside yesterday, fittingly under Lerena.

Kommetdieding was not a flashy purchase coming off a farm sale but is soon became quickly apparent he was something special. 

Owner Ashwin Reynolds took an immediate liking to “Oom Harold” when first meeting him and has thus thrown a lot of support into the yard.

Crawford and Rix’s hard work paid off this SA Champions Season and they are likely to gain further support after converting a nice story into a rags-to-riches fairytale.      

David Thiselton

THE VODACOM DURBAN JULY result proved that the gap between the merit ratings of the top weights and the ultimate chief protagonists is too wide and the handicapper is going to have a problem narrowing it.

The Cape Town Met first three Rainbow Bridge, Belgarion and Sovereign Spirit ran close to the relative form of that 2000m weight for age (wfa) event. Rainbow Bridge and Belgarion also ran quite close to their relative form in last year’s July.

However, they were beaten more than five lengths by Kommetdieding, who on wfa terms beat Linebacker by half-a-length and Got The Greenlight by 0,70 lengths.

This suggests that unless the Met can be considered a weak race the first three in the July were too lowly rated.

What adds to this reading of the race is the performance of Do It Again.

Despite being very unlucky he was beaten only 1,75 lengths carrying 57,5kg off a merit rating of 129.

Considering the bad luck he proved himself every inch up to 129 and perhaps better. 

Therefore the handicappers appear to have two options; 

1) to rate the race highly.

2) to rate it lowly while giving the top weights significant decreases in merit rating.

Handicapping guru Jay August summed it up, “The problem is that Rainbow Bridge has become detached from a proper handicap rating, and any horse who runs against him at wfa becomes similarly detached – this year’s July proved this adequately. While Rainbow Bridge remains in form at wfa level his rating is unlikely to reduce and any horse that races close up against him at wfa is then attracted into that higher level relative to those horses who bypass  such challenge.”

David Thiselton

KEAGAN DE MELO will have to be nicknamed the “knockout kid” after scoring the third Grade 1 of his career on the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained 75/1 shot Zarina in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on Saturday, the same race in which he scored his first Grade 1 win last year on the 40-1 shot Temple Grafin.

Respective meeting bankers War Of Athena and Celtic Sea were among the vanquished in those two races and both results caused massive Pick 6 knockouts.

However, the new darling of the South African turf War Of Athena was gallant in defeat and her close third would have clinched her the Equus Champion Three-year-old filly award as she had fellow twice Grade 1 winner, Captain’s Ransom, beaten by three lengths. Furthermore, she was just a short-head behind the perennial brides-maid Princess Calla, whom she had beaten by 2,10 lengths over her probable best trip of 2000m in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

War Of Athena showed in defeat just how huge her heart is and has to be considered unlucky as she was blocked off from her trusty pacemaker Only The Brave by Captain’s Ransom in front of her and Princess Calla outside of her. 

Captain’s Ransom did he opposite of what the connections’ pre-race comments had suggested by rushing forward from the off.

Perhaps they had predicted a slow pace but as it happened War Of Athena from pole position did not hang around and, furthermore, Caya Coco made a bee-line for the front from draw eight with Princess Calla from draw nine on her quarters.

Captain’s Ransom thus had to do a lot of work to get around the field. 

Meanwhile, Only The Brave’s intention was clear from the off and from her wide draw of 14 she galloped to the front and set fast fractions.    

Caya Coco was behind her and Captain’s Ransom then managed to slot in behind Caya Coco and in front of War Of Athena. 

Richard Fourie then gave Captain’s Ransom a breather and a gap of about three or four lengths opened between Caya Coco in second and Captain’s Ransom in third.

Muzi Yeni on War Of Athena could not shift outward as Princess Calla was sitting alongside his mount.

Princess Calla was thus able to enter the straight with plenty of momentum while War Of Athena continued to be blocked by Captain’s Ransom.

By the time War Of Athena got going down the inside she had a couple of lengths to make up on Princess Calla who was galloping strongly down the centre.

Captain’s Ransom was a spent force by the 200m mark.

Meanwhile, Keagan de Melo had settled Zarina perfectly from the off, finding a one wide position with cover in the back half of the field from draw five. 

One race earlier in the Vodacom Durban July on the Bass-Robinson-trained Supreme Sovereign De Melo lost his position rounding the Drill Hall when appearing to be forced outward by an incident and he was trapped wide thereafter.   

It was a different story in the Garden Province and De Melo entered the straight with plenty of horse beneath him.

Zarina crept forward and, after ducking outward to avoid a shifting Zimbaba, she began to make telling inroads.

The final 100 metres were thrilling.

Princess Calla was out in front and looked the winner.

War Of Athena was closing but not quickly enough.

However.  Zarina then joined her and the courageous little filly responded by finding hidden reserves.

Meanwhile, a desperate Lyle Hewitson was attempting to throw Princess Calla across the line.

They went across the line as one and the photo finish showed the Zarina to have got there by a hair’s breadth. 

Zarina’s groom Zanekhaya Mahesi received a R5,000 reward from Jonsson Workwear and Bass-Robinson and De Melo both received the same reward.    

The famous Bass yard had once again left a big racemeeting with a Grade 1 trophy. 

Zarina, a three-year-old filly by Master Of My Fate, was bred by Oldlands Stud and is owned by Marsh Shirtliff, Ian Longmore and Bryn Ressell.

She has won five of her ten starts and was generous odds considering the Bass yard’s reputation for bringing young horses on slowly but surely. 

Candice said one could hardly have expected Zarina to beat the two chief protagonists War Of Athena and Capain’s Ransom, considering their form, but her becoming a Grade 1 winner had not surprised her.  

Andrew Harrison

VODACOM DURBAN JULY day marks the sharp end of the season where reputations can be made, confirmed or consigned to the dustbin of history. The preceding eleven months are a dress rehearsal for the last ones standing in the final month of the season and the annual Equus Awards on the line.

This year’s crop of three-year-old males is a vintage one but it has also been a year marked by a lack of quality among the older ranks, especially in the middle distance category.

Rainbow Bridge, Got The Greenlight and Do It Again stand out but they have had their moments. In Saturday’s showpiece at Hollywoodbets Greyville there were hard luck stories for both Do It Again and Got The Greenlight but Rainbow Bridge just didn’t fire.

Gavin Lerena showed all his skills on VDJ winner Kommetdieding and literally scupper the chances of Do It Again recording a record third win in the race. Lerena rode shotgun throughout and when it came to the business end, he had Do It Again stitched up in a pocket.

Whether Do It Again could have won is a moot point, but his chances were compromised by some smart race riding from Lerena.

Joey Soma is never one to bleat in the second, or as on Saturday, the third box, conceding that Got The Greenlight was beaten fair square in third place but he thought that many of the jockeys may have anticipated a stronger pace than they got.

“That led to a concertina effect and some horses suffered. But the ifs don’t matter. Nothing changes the result. We all went in with our eyes open, we knew it’s a tough race and agonising with post-mortems are not going to change the result,” he told Sporting Post.

Triple Crown winner Malmoos ducked the July battle after a tough season and it was left to the two best sophomores to fight it out. Linebacker had twice got the better of Kommetdieding in the WSB Guineas and the Daily News 2000 and although he won those races with authority, Kommetdieding did not enjoy the best of passages in either contest.

The roles were reversed on Saturday with Kommetdieding getting a dream passage and Linebacker having to thread his way through traffic. Arguably a little unlucky but that’s racing and the result is in the record book.

As for Rainbow Bridge, Luke Ferraris looked to have ridden the perfect race even though the big gelding was a little keen in the early stages, but he emptied out quickly in the straight, finishing five lengths back to the winner. On the evidence of Saturday’s race and his previous July showings it may be conclusive that he does not quite see out eleven furlongs.

Rainbow Bridge, Do It Again and Got The Greenlight may well have a deciding battle in the Gr1 Champion Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the final Saturday of the current season, a race that could be further spiced if Kommetdieding, Linebacker and Rascallion accept the challenge.

The much-anticipated match-up between War Of Athena and Captains Ransom in the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes did not play out as expected. Captains Ransom did not come to the party and War Of Athena had to be content with third, although she galloped her heart out, beaten two short-heads by 75-1 outsider Zarina and Princess Calla, the result having to be decided by the judges.

Captains Ransom got first run on War Of Athena and looked to be going great guns, but she soon emptied out with War Of Athena battling up the inside with Princess Calla looming large. But just when it looked to be a two-horse affair, Zarina came roaring out of the pack making it a three-way duel to the line.

Zarina had previously won the Gr3 Prix du Cap but proved no match for Captains Ransom in their three other encounters or in deed her other meetings with second-placed Princess Calla.

War Of Athena was far from disgraced, beaten two short-heads, the spark that launches her usual gun for the line missing and instead she grinded it out on pure guts. Paul Matchett’s charge has entertained all season and deserves a lengthy break.

Most impressive winner on the day and one who shot her hand up for Equus honours like little Johnny at the back of the class was Desert Miracle. Money came in torrents for Mike de Kock’s filly who started deep in the red for the Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper and it was money on the mark as she left her opposition for dead streaking clear to win by the best part of eight lengths.

De Kock indicated that she is a filly lengths better around a turn and you won’t be getting rich if she takes her chances over a mile in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes on Gold Cup day even if she draws in Marriott Road.

In contrast to the finish of the Golden Slipper, the Gr2 Durban Horseshoe was a cavalry charge for the line with Keagen De Melo blasting through on the inside to snatch victory aboard Waterberry Lane for Dean Kannemeyer and staunch owners Mike and Norma Rattray.

Kannemeyer has the smart Cosmic Highway in his yard and he may be eyeing the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Juvenile Stakes come the last Saturday in July.

Andrew Harrison

PUNTERS face a tricky card at Hollywoodbets Greyville this afternoon but a little homework could prove highly profitable.

In the first, a maiden sprint over 1000m Varistocracy made an eye-catching debut against older horses and if he can build on that he should prove difficult to beat and could get punters off to a profitable start. Danger could be Royal Virtue who has improved with each outing although he has been rested and takes to the poly for the first time. He meets little of note.

In the second, a maiden over 1200m, Quenanza has shown recent improvement although her last run was possibly a touch too far and she can do better this shorter trip. Princess Sabrina made sudden improvement second time out on the poly for her new stable and can build on that. The surprise package could be Space Oddity who caught the eye when chased up from a wide draw in her debut for her new stable and with blinkers on could surprise.

The third is a maiden over 1400m where Double Edge looks the part. He made a smart debut and is sure to come on from that effort from a favourable draw. Of the balance, Diedi has improved at recent outings and steps up in trip. He has shown form on the poly track. Guy Fox finished in front of Double Edge when last they met but he has already had nine starts and the experience can see Double Edge turn the tables.

In the fourth, a maiden over a mile, is loaded with horses of modest ability however, Papillon was touched off over further last run and could prove more effective over this shorter trip. Hiroshima has shown some recent improvement and although a wide draw is a concern she can still go close with and in-form Muzi Yeni aboard. Embarras de riches was a touch unlucky last run and she has done well on the poly. Ruby Sky switches to the poly and has shown some ability.

In the fifth, a lowly fillies and mare handicap, almost the entire field is in with a chance. However, Panna Cotta caught the eye first time out for her new stable and although she has drawn a touch wide the drop in trip should suit. Royal Kitty has also drawn wide but has useful form over course and distance and a claiming apprentice should help. Flower Season caught the eye in her first run for a new stable and can do better here.

The sixth is another wide open handicap. Perfectly Putt has not been far back at recent outings and with a 4kg claimer up he carries 48kg which will make him very dangerous. Coup De Tete needed his last run and is lightly raced but he had shown some promise in PE. Land Of Mystery has been rested and has his first run for a new stable. This may be a touch short and he may need the run but is one to watch.

The seventh is a 1400m handicap and Gold Season ran way below best in the soft last time out. Prior to that he was touched off over course and distance and the poly appears to be his forte. Montana Sky goes very well over course and distance and his last run over a mile when favourite may have been just too far. Straight Six was a recent maiden winner from a wide draw. He is lightly raced, shown steady improvement and can follow up.

Sofia Erin has been rested and changed stables but ran a cracker on the poly last time out. She should still be competitive in an open handicap. Is the likely favourite but returns from a lengthy break. She had useful form in good company before that. Although she may need the run, she meets modest opposition. Harper’s Dream has not been far back at recent outings and goes well on the synthetic surface while Arctic Princess is way better than her last two. She has a difficult draw but with some luck in running can win it and should not be left out of any calculations.

The last is another handicap lucky packet. Fly The Coup is lightly raced but his best recent effort has been on the poly. He takes a big drop in class. Leslies Pathtofame has been runner-up at his last two. He goes well on the poly and can score another win. Justaguything has come to hand of late and should go close in this line-up while Winter Waves is a lot better than his last effort. He showed up well in his penultimate start behind the highly thought of Ashford Castle and a repeat of that effort will see him in the money.