Afrikaburn is looking more and more like the complete racehorse. Dean Kannemeyer’s Trippi colt stepped out in the R600 000 Gr1 Golden Horseshoe on Saturday and gave his rivals a galloping lesson to maintain his three run unbeaten record.
Kannemeyer has enjoyed a purple patch with owner Fred Crabbia and the overseas based businessman was on course to lead Afrikaburn in.
The handsome only made his debut on the same course and distance just over a month previously but after being slow away and running wide and green, he came home hard against the steel at 10 to 1.
At his very next start, he ran over the Clairwood 1200m and once again delivered the goods with a professional victory.
While his trainer said that he would have preferred a mile, he ran another great race on Saturday, after a slow start.
Going off at 7 to 2, Afrikaburn was settled midfield after the start and then scythed through down the inside rail to meet Mike De Kock’s filly One Fine Day on a forward move at the 200m.
Unflustered, Neisius straightened Afrikaburn and he drew off to beat the De Kock filly by a length in a time of 85,10 secs.
Piere Strydom brought Harry’s Son with a late rattle to grab third a quarter length further back, with another De Kock runner in recent maiden winner Anjaal staying on for fourth.
Gold Medallion winner Guiness showed some pace but had nothing to come and fell away to finish eleventh.
Watch the race here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HYFNKGG1kg&list=UU9ORjIFQdgFiJpV_Yz-UgXQ
Afrikaburn is unbeaten in three starts and on his biggest payday took his earnings to R476 875.
He was bred by Drakenstein Stud (who also bred the runner-up) and is by Trippi out of the three time winning Peintre Celebre mare, Aquatint.
Fred Crabbia went to R900 000 for Afrikaburn on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 and the lovely colt looks likely to fulfil all expectations. Crabbia quipped afterwards that Afrikaburn was his ‘Rocket Man of the distance races!”
His next start could well be the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes on Super Saturday. That race is run over a mile.
It was a great day at the office for Dean Kannemeyer. He earlier saddled the Gr2 Gold Vase winner Hot Ticket, although Capetown Noir was not to end up staying the 2200m of the July.