Newmarket-based visitor Daniel Muscutt became the first overseas-based jockey to win the R2 million World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met when he rode a superbly polished race to get the Snaith longshot Double Superlative home to win the Cape flagship race in sensational style at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Visiting Newmarket-based jockey Daniel Muscutt and Double Superlative take the victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The 28 year Zimbabwe-born son of leading KZN trainer Peter Muscutt had ridden as an apprentice in the Cape, and was on a long overdue visit to see his Dad, and escape the unforgiving Newmarket weather in the African summer sunshine.
Looking like he was in a hurry to catch his British Airways flight out of Cape Town on Sunday to get home to his wife Claire and six month old daughter Florence, the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Muscutt rode a cracker of a race from off the pace on 2021 Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative, who made it a triumphant return to the winner’s enclosure after a 14 month lay-off which sabotaged much of the best part of his career.
The subject of some serious money in the week, Rascallion, who had run sixth behind Jet Dark in last year’s renewal, was taken to lead by Bernard Fayd’herbe from his wide draw, as those on his inside jostled for position.
Fayd’herbe, a thinking man’s jockey, looked to have pulled off a tactical masterstroke, as he came up the outside in the run for home and kept rolling. But Daniel Muscutt was following the game and he switched Double Superlative in for his run.
In a thrilling drive to the wire, Double Superlative (33-1) got up to beat Rascallion (25-2) to give Justin Snaith his third Met victory and a double for high-riding owner Nic Jonsson, who enjoyed a dream day. Jet Dark won in the same silks last year.
Double Superlative clocked 123,4 secs and beat Rascallion by 0,40 lengths.
Riding in her first Met in the same silks as the winner, newly qualified Rachel Venniker, South Africa’s only female jockey, got the 50-1 Without Question up for third, with the flat-footed See It Again (5-10) plodding into fourth, and 3,15 lengths off the winner.
Jono Snaith, Jabu Mdludlu and Nic Jonsson welcome Double Superlative and Danny Muscutt (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The favourite, who is still a colt, clearly hit a flat spot as he appears to have done in his last few starts, and jockey Piere Strydom, who described the pace as ‘horrible’, said that the winner had actually come from behind him, so had no real excuses.
“He may just run better fresh, but I will leave that up to the trainer,” added Strydom.
Described as a horse that is something of a ringer for the stable’s now retired multiple Durban July winner Do It Again, Double Superlative was bred by Patrica Devine Investments from Klawervlei sire Twice Over (Observatory) out of the Jet Master five-time winner, Come Fly With Me.
A R375 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Double Superlative has won 3 races with 6 places from 13 starts for stakes of R1 962 800.
Justin Snaith added that his charge was a champion 3yo, whom star jockey Anton Marcus, who won the Guineas on him, had described as one of the best horses he had ridden.
Double Superlative is still an entire, so who knows what the future may hold for the lightly raced 5yo?
The Pick 6 on the day failed to reach the target pool of R10 million, but paid a healthy R585 000.
Enjoy the replay!
