The field for the R1 million Gr1 Cape Town Met was unveiled without any pomp and splendour today.
That’s the non social nature of the new normal, and sadly even the once popular tradition of the Met gallops has fallen by the wayside.
The 2000m contest will be run at Kenilworth on 30 January under weight-for-age conditions and the class of 2021 looks to be a typically high-class representative one.
With the return to Johannesburg of Gauteng star Summer Pudding, the anticipated interprovincial needle has failed to materialise but Cape Champion trainer Justin Snaith nevertheless comes to the party with a powerful three-pronged attack headed by the current favourite Belgarion, past Queen’s Plate and July winner Do It Again, and the Cape Winter Series star, African Night Sky.
Snaith, who won his maiden Met with Oh Susanna in 2018, told Gold Circle’s David Thiselton this week that he was very happy with his trio after they put in their final big workouts this week.
Met favourite Belgarion heads Snaith attack. (Pic- Chase Liebenberg)
“I will be very surprised if Belgarion and Do It Again don’t both finish in the first four. Belgarion’s performance in the Green Point was brilliant but he was running fresh and before that I had never believed him to be a Queen’s Plate horse as it is over a mile and he is by Silvano. We were hoping, make no mistake, but the pace in the Queen’s Plate turned out to be on the slow side and he was shown to not be a miler.”
There are three members of the fairer sex in the eleven horse line-up.
Fanie Bronkhorst is a welcome raider with recent London News Stakes winner Running Brave, while Mike de Kock’s Paddock Stakes winner Queen Supreme and Adam Marcus’ exciting 3yo Princess Calla make up the trio.
The girls have won the Met five times in eleven runnings, and they all rate serious contenders.
1st R600000, 2nd R250000, 3rd R100000, 4th R50000
CAPE TOWN MET (Grade 1)
Open to horses at Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-6kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 6 | Rainbow Bridge | 60 | 132 | A | L J Ferraris | Eric Sands | |
| 2 | 9 | Do It Again | 60 | 131 | CA | A Marcus | Justin Snaith | |
| 3 | 11 | Belgarion | 60 | 130 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 4 | 10 | Cirillo | 60 | 126 | A | G Lerena | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | 4 | African Night Sky | 60 | 115 | A | R Khathi | Justin Snaith | |
| 6 | 3 | Sovereign Spirit | 60 | 106 | BA | A Domeyer | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 7 | 2 | Golden Ducat | 59.5 | 128 | A | W Kennedy | Eric Sands | |
| 8 | 7 | Silver Operator | 59.5 | 112 | A | S Mbhele | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 9 | 8 | Queen Supreme (IRE) | 57.5 | 126 | A | K de Melo | Mike de Kock | |
| 10 | 5 | Running Brave | 57.5 | 119 | A | G Cheyne | Fanie Bronkhorst | |
| 11 | 1 | Princess Calla | 51.5 | 116 | A | G van Niekerk | Adam Marcus | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,7) (2,3,5) | ||||||||
In an exciting boost for the Met meeting, Hollywoodbets has announced that its Punters’ Challenge has been extended to incorporate the Cape Town Met race day – this is in addition to all the usual KwaZulu-Natal race meetings at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and Hollywoodbets Greyville.
This special edition of the challenge will give punters the chance to win their share of R1,375 Million in prize money on Met day.
The Punters’ Challenge is a free to play tipping competition, requiring players to select one horse from each of the carded races on a race day.
Points are awarded depending on where the selection finishes, with bonus points being awarded for all winners tipped. The game is open to everyone from the shrewdest form studier, to those enjoying horse racing for the first time. All that is required to enter is an active Hollywoodbets account.
In this special Cape Town Met edition, a total of at least R200 000 will be won, with the winner receiving R100 000, and a further R100 000 shared amongst the rest of the top 50 finishers. In addition, Hollywoodbets has its Million Mania promotion, where R1 175 000 could be won by any lucky punter who manages to tip every winner on the race card.
