A confident ride, and an uber cool display of confidence and experience, characterized national log-leader Richard Fourie’s 237th winner of the season as he got the well-fancied Snaith raider Lightning Glow up to win the Follow Gold Circle On Facebook MR 86 Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Family Day.
Nobody wants to see a 6-10 favourite going into the first bend with the jockey adjusting the bit and bridle, but as he has done so many times this season, Fourie kept a cool head and all’s well that ends well.
“It was his first time on a right-handed turn as he has only been on the left-handed course in the Cape. So the bit pulled through his mouth and I had to adjust the bridle,” Fourie told post-race interviewer Warren Lenferna almost matter-of-factly as he complimented new Snaith KZN assistant Gokhan Terzi and his team on a job well done.
Richard Fourie (pink cap) gets Lightning Glow home to beat Siphesihle Hlengwa and Etiquette in a rousing finish (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The reality is that with fellow 3yo Johnny The Thief rolling down on the inside rail and Lightning Glow looking to have a few lengths to find at the 250m, we had Richard Fourie at the controls and always had a shout.
“I thought I was winning the Hollywoodbets Durban July, such was the roar of the crowd,” added the top jockey.
A low-profile 3yo, the Vanessa Harrison-bred Lightning Glow was winning his third race on the trot, after placing over shorter at his first three starts.
“I thought it was brave of Justin (Snaith) to throw him straight into the deep end of a 1950m at his first start up here,” added Fourie.
But the public knew better and the 6-10 shot got the better of the hardknocking 6yo Etiquette by 0,20 lengths in a time of 119,14 secs.
Enjoy the replay:
The combination followed up in the very next race when another Snaith trained 3yo son of Vercingetorix in Get Impressed registered his second win after four frustrating post-maiden efforts.
The Millstream Farm bred gelding cost R1 million and races for Greg Bortz, Gina Goldsmith and Gary Player. He is a looker of note.
The Snaith – Sean Veale combination opened the day when the Danon Platina gelding Great Plains played up before the start, but came from last in impressive style to shed his maiden at his second start.
The Winning Form-sponsored Fourie cautioned the public to include everything that steps out under the Snaith flag the rest of the season.
In the chase to beat the long-standing Anthony Delpech magic marker of 334, Fourie is now on 238 and just 20 winners off his career best of 258 winners.
The R1 million offered by Hollywoodbets for the first rider this season to beat the Delpech record looks well within reach for the 38 year old, with just under 25 winners required each month until the end of the season.
Five players were 7 from 7 in the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge going into the final race but the combination of the dramatic late scratching of Swiss Paradise and Smanga Khumalo at his best on the 8-1 chance Harley’s Fate meant no all-or-nothing jackpot winners.
There is another chance at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday, with the first off at 12h30.
The next KZN racemeeting is on Wednesday 3 April – first off at 12h35.
Richard Fourie has 15 rides over the next two racemeetings.
