Kiss Me Hardy wins the Flamingo Park Sprint (JC Photos)
Trainer Corne Spies and his regular jockey Francois Naude enjoyed a winning double in the Northern Cape on Monday. The pair scored a runaway victory in the afternoon’s feature, the R100 000 Flamingo Park Sprint, when the smart Kiss Me Hardy registered an overdue third career win.
The enterprising Corne Spies is never scared to race his horses wherever he sees the opportunity and the only 3yo in the field was having his sixth outing in two months.
The very fit son of Captain Al was well supported into 13 to 20 against some hardknocking locals.
The 1200m race was a routine affair with Kiss Me Hardy being eased back after jumping smartly from his 1 draw as Tribal Code and Soldiersailor went around him to show the way.
Corne Spies – nice double
Around the turn Kiss Me Hardy appeared to strike the rail but hardly flinched as he cruised into the lead at the 300m marker and simply punched out with the hands he came home an easy winner by a margin of 8,25 lengths in a time of 71,45 secs.
Tribal Code stayed on for second ahead of Soldiersailor and Kirtling Towers.
Local hero Code Red never showed and ran closer to last after failing to get into the mix.
The 3yo Kiss Me Hardy has now won 3 races with 4 places from 11 starts and R294 125 in stakes.
Kiss Me Hardy was bred by Varsfontein Stud and is a R500 000 National Yearling Sale graduate.
A son of Captain Al, he is out of the three-time winning Jet Master mare, Kiss And Fly.
Kiss Me Hardy looks to have plenty to come.
Earlier in the day, Naude booted home the Daring Bid gelding All The Bids in the 1600m Pinnacle Stakes to secure the first leg of the stable double.
The 3yo was ridden with more restraint than usual, but won convincingly.
