Paarl based trainer Glen Kotzen pulled a J&B Met prospect out of the hat for staunch owner Hugo Hattingh when the Western Winter gelding Light The Lights came home too strongly for Summer Cup runner-up Deo Juvente to win the R400 000 Gr2 Peninsula Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Light The Lights (Stuart Randolph) runs on powerfully to hold long-time leader Milton (MJ Byleveld) and Deo Juvente (Gavin Lerena) in an exciting finish (Pic – Wayne Marks)
You can’t keep a good man and the professional Woodhill Racing Team down and Kotzen was full value for a fine exhibition of programming for Light The Lights, who now looks likely to build on his early promise.
With the distraction of some big names in the line-up, the Kotzen 4yo was largely ignored by punters and many may have missed his powerful flourish from way back to run on and grab fifth place and only 2,90 lengths behind Heartland in the Listed Jet Master Stakes just three weeks earlier.
Stuart Randolph – confident ride
Jockey Stuart Randolph, who rode Light The Lights to win his maiden at his third outing, executed a perfect tactical ride and, in typical good pilot style, showed fine judgement in the windy conditions.
“Now that he been gelded he is a much better horse. We were caught a bit wide but that worked in our favour and protected us from the wind. He turned it on well and we enjoyed a good clear run up the straight,” he said.
The handily weighted Milton, albeit in under sufferance, tried to make every post a winning one as he strode out well ahead of his field to lead the beautiful grey French Revolution, with Helderberg Blue and Silicone Valley further back, just ahead of The Conglomerate.
Bylveleld came into the headwind and looked to have judged the pace well as Milton continued to dig down deep inside the 300m marker.
But the son of Lateral was treading water as Stuart Randolph produced Light The Lights with a beautifully sustained run up the outside, with Joburg raider Deo Juvente taking off a stride later.
With nothing getting to him, Light The Lights cruised past Milton and went on to win going away by 0,40 lengths in a time of 111.54 secs.
The Billy Prestage-trained Milton held on well for second, 0,75 lengths in front of Deo Juvente, who ran a cracker from a wide draw at his first start at Kenilworth.
The weak 4-1 favourite The Conglomerate faded right out.
Glen Kotzen – nice day with a double
Trainer Glen Kotzen, who won the opener on the card with the maiden Princess Jane, confirmed that they had tried to race Light The Lights as a colt.
“We really wanted to try and not geld him, but after that KZN feature where he was uncontrollable, we decided that was it. He is a different horse and can now show his true ability. He was really well coming in to this race. It was a massive team effort and I must thank my owners Hugo and Suzanne Hattingh of Tripple H Trust. They have been so patient and I don’t know what we would have done without their loyal support,” he said.
The Hallmark Thoroughbreds bred Light The Lights is a son of Western Winter out of the six-time winning Northern Guest mare, First Arrival. This is the same family as exported Gr1 winner In The Fast Lane (Jet Master).
The handsome specimen was purchased for R450 000 at the National Yearling Sale.
He is now a winner of 3 races (including a PE stakes feature) with 6 places from 18 starts and R543 550 in stakes.
And now that he has learn to settle in his races, Light The Lights, who has only won up to a mile so far, should readily get the 2000m of the Met – and the big race picture gets some further exciting depth!
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Gr2 Peninsula Handicap (SAf-Gr2)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 9, R400k, 1800m, turf, good, 1.51.54
1 – LIGHT THE LIGHTS (SAF), 55.0, b g 4, Western Winter (USA) – First Arrival (SAF) by Northern Guest (USA). Owner Tripple H Trust (Nom: Mr H Hattingh); Breeder Hallmark Thoroughbreds; trainer GS Kotzen; jockey S Randolph
2 – Milton (SAF), 52.5, ch g 4, Lateral (GB) – Missing No More (USA) by Unaccounted For
3 – Deo Juvente (SAF), 58.5, b g 4, Trippi (USA) – Circle Of Life (SAF) by Complete Warrior (ANY)
Margins: 0.40, 0.75, 1.00
