The Justin Snaith-trained Erik The Red has had tongues wagging in Cape Town as he reeled off four straight wins during the Cape summer season.
That form has held up quite well but he faces the acid test at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday, 4 July, where he takes on most of the cream of the land’s two-year-old males.
Erik The Red – smart Cape raider (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Mike de Kock’s runners have come out of the blocks like Usain Bolt since the lock-down ended and he saddles the Australian-import Al Muthana.
The colt found strong market support on debut and ran out a comfortable winner. He could be anything but he will be fully tested here.
Dennis Drier has an exceptional record in this race and has a strong hand again with Tempting Fate and Pray For Rain, first and second respectively in the recent Godolphin Barb Stakes on this course.
Sean Veale steers Tempting Fate to victory in the Gr3 Godolphin Barb (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Stable jockey Sean Veale is aboard Tempting Fate whose form has held up and Drier could add another Gold Medallion to his bulging trophy cabinet.
Sean Tarry has skipped the Allan Robertson Championship with Slalom Queen to take on males here.
She finished second to Vernichey and ahead of Delta Queen and how these races pan out could give some indication as to the relative strengths of this year’s crop.
1st R203125, 2nd R65000, 3rd R32500, 4th R16250, 5th R8125
GOLDEN HORSE MEDALLION (Grade 1)
For 2 yo R60 000 Win BSA Bonus SeriesNo Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Pray For Rain | 60 | 0 | A | A Mgudlwa | Dennis Drier | |
| 2 | 2 | Validus | 60 | 0 | A | C Zackey | Ashley Fortune | |
| 3 | 3 | Karnallie | 60 | 0 | BA | M Yeni | Corne Spies | |
| 4 | 4 | Slalom Queen | 57.5 | 0 | T A | L Hewitson | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | 5 | Captain Oupie | 60 | 0 | A | G Wright | Paul Reeves | |
| 6 | 6 | No Laying Up | 60 | 0 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 7 | 7 | Princekresh | 60 | 0 | T A | D Dillon | Gareth van Zyl | |
| 8 | 8 | Light That Loose | 60 | 0 | A | G Lerena | Glen Kotzen | |
| 9 | 9 | Remus | 60 | 0 | A | S Randolph | Brett Crawford | |
| 10 | 10 | Erik The Red | 60 | 0 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 11 | 11 | Joseph Barry | 60 | 0 | BA | A Marcus | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 12 | 12 | Tempting Fate | 60 | 0 | A | S Veale | Dennis Drier | |
| 13 | 13 | Greenlighttoheaven | 60 | 0 | A | W Kennedy | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 14 | 14 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 60 | 0 | A | C Murray | Mike de Kock | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,12) (6,11) | ||||||||
Captain Oupie broke the ice in KZN for Paul Reeves when winning first time out and that form has since been franked with second-placed Garrulous winning next time out.
Vaughan Marshall saddles two runners in Joseph Barry and winner on debut, No Laying Up in what should prove a fascinating contest.
