The gusting South Easterly wind at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday whipped up the emotions early on, with Craig Bantam the villain of the piece, but nevertheless registering his seventh winner of the term in the process.
“We have no control what happens when the horse leaves the parade ring. And after months of hard work and preparation, he gets taken down like that,” groaned trainer Gareth van Zyl after Bantam had taken the Hollywood Syndicate’s Wissa’s On Fire down to the start for the second race with his head in the air.
Craig Bantam has Wissa’s On Fire in full stride out front (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
But the second event on the eight-race card, R110 000 Maiden Plate, was to turn out happily for the Hollywood Syndicate, despite the fact that their 28-10 favourite Igugulethu (Candiece Bass-Robinson) was to run midfield at his eighth start in the maidens.
And despite his pre-race teeth grinding, Van Zyl seemed satisfied that things had panned out well and said he was happy to give Bantam a winner and said that he could take criticism well.
Bantam had Wissa’s On Fire (5-1), whose name is a play on Freed From Desire, which is a song sung by the Brentford fans after their striker Yoane Wissa scores a goal, in the vanguard early from his 3 draw.
At the 300m marker, The US Of A (5-1) made his move up the outside, but was proving a handful for Richard Fourie, and it seems that at this point Wissa’s On Fire goes in search of company and he crosses Cliff Swallow quite dramatically from the inside.
Louis Mxothwa had to check , but Cliff Swallow (9-2) was beaten 2,25 lengths into second
Mxothwa was clearly upset, expressing his disappointment with the Stipes’ absence of a race review:
“Bantam was drawn 2 and he lands up on the outside. Where are the Stipes? I’m disappointed,” he added.
The US Of A had nothing to come late and was beaten in third. Reconsideration may be given to running him in blinkers again.
A Klawervlei bred son of Captain Of All (Captain Al), the winner is out of the General Nediym mare Generous Anna, who won three times.
Wissa’s On Fire has now won once in 4 starts with 2 places and stakes of R131 563.
