High drama and some potentially dangerous race-riding cast a dark cloud over the inaugural running of the R5 million HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the Royal Raceday on Sunday, with the red-hot internationally bound favourite One Stripe being badly hampered in a concertina movement when making his run down the home straight and running out of the money.
Grant van Niekerk steers All Out For Six to victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Gavin Lerena, who partnered One Stripe, said that he took a few bumps from eventual winner All Out For Six early.
“The gap was always there after I had managed to balance him up nicely in the straight. The incident was very unnecessary and unsafe. I am sorry for the public and the connections for what happened to this poor horse. Please God he pulls up sound in the morning,” added a bitterly disappointed Lerena.
The incident that Lerena was referring to is the subject of an Inquiry, and which could see Grant van Niekerk in the spotlight.
All Out For Six can be seen moving across on to the original pacesetter The Grey King in the hands of Craig Zackey.
The rules do not allow a horse running sixth, as One Stripe did, to object.
Trainer Vaughan Marshall (left) chats to Anthony Delpech and Devin Heffer after a dramatic race (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
But let’s wait for the Stipes Report and take no credit from the winner and stablemate to One Stripe, the talented All Out For Six (25-1) who ran on well to beat La Pulga (33-1) by 1,75 lengths in a time of 85,38 secs for the 1400m.
Great Plains (14-1) came on powerfully late for third, ahead of The Grey King (10-1).
The gallant One Stripe (1-3) ran a six length sixth.
Labelled a ‘bitter sweet’ victory by an emotional Ken Truter, who raced One World and is a member of the winning syndicate, All Out For Six ironically carried the Big Cap slot ticket of Hollywood Racing, with Rikesh Sewgoolam holding the voucher for One Stripe.
Ironically, Grant van Niekerk said All Out For Six would have won even easier, without the interference and had he gotten to the front early. Many will see that as a bizarre observation.
Happy winners – The One World Syndicate (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Raced by the One World Racing Syndicate, All Out For Six was bred by Drakenstein Stud and is a son of Champion Freshman One World out of the one time winning Trippi mare, Howl.
All Out For Six has won 3 races with 5 places from his 10 starts for eyecatching stakes of R3 503 801.
The slot-holders and where they ran:
- Hollywood Racing – All Out For Six
- Triple 8 Clothing – La Pulga
- Nic Jonsson – Great Plains
- Snaith Racing – The Grey King
- Dyalan Chinsammy Racing – Empire State
- Rikesh Sewgoolam – One Stripe
- MF De Kock Racing – Coastal Commander
- Sean Tarry Racing – Tail Of The Comet
- Maine Chance Farms – Paschendelle
- Nic Jonsson – Makazole
