With Met ambassador Usain Bolt’s helicopter landing during the R1 million Gr1 Majorca Stakes post-race interview, Grant van Niekerk’s chirp of ‘this one’s for you Usain, my man’ typified the confidence of a young jockey at the top of his game.
Snowdance cruises in under Grant van Niekerk (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Riding the crest of a wave and brimming with confidence in the Snaith team environment, and with his first Met win just under an hour away, the trauma of 2017, when he was booted from a good job with the Bass-Robinson team, and incurred a host of kamikaze-type interference sanctions, seemed a lifetime away. He is undoubtedly a jockey with a bright future, and a guy that horses obviously run for.
And even a slight error of judgement, when overconfidently probably hitting the front a few seconds early on the keen-to-run and highly vaunted Cape Fillies Guineas winner Snowdance, didn’t matter. Van Niekerk’s bravado and confidence, and the top-class ability of a filly that annihilated subsequent Sun Met winner in the Cape classic in early December, saved the day.
Simply, Snowdance didn’t start a banker of the day and at 1-8 for nothing, and she really was too good for a field that included a year older Cape Fillies Guineas winner, a KZN Fillies Guineas winner and some other very decent – older – stakes performers.
Chris Snaith gives Grant a congratulatory hug (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Always stalking the leaders, the good-looking Snowdance drew off in the straight and briefly hit a flat spot before drawing away to flatter her opposition with a 1,50 length winning margin – in a time of 98,2 secs.
The Victress Stakes winner Star Express finally drew well and she stayed on gamely, ahead of a fast finishing Rose In Bloom under German visitor Martin Seidl.
Silvan Star stayed on for well for fourth and 2,10 lengths off the winner. She was the fastest finisher and ran a cracker from a wide draw.
The big lead-in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Bred by Cheveley Stud, Snowdance, who races for Jack Mitchell and Drakenstein Stud, is yet another top-class filly sired by the late champion sire Captain Al (Al Mufti).
She is a full-sister to the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes and Lady’s Pendant winner Victorian Secret.
Snowdance is out of Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery winner Spring Lilac (Joshua Dancer) – a half-sister to Equus Champions Bela-Bela and Rabiya.
She has won 4 races with 1 place from 5 races for stakes of R1 566 000.
A half hour later during the Met jockey class of 2018 introductions, all the riders were smiling and hugging each other while the photographers clicked away – except Van Niekerk.
He chose Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters – see pic. That’s almost as easy as he is choosing his winning mounts these days!
_________
Gr1 Majorca Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 27, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.38.02
1 – SNOWDANCE (SAF), 55.0, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Spring Lilac (SAF) by Joshua Dancer (USA). Owner Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) & Mr W J C Mitchell; Breeder Cheveley Stud; trainer J Snaith; jockey G v Niekerk
2 – Star Express (SAF), 60.0, ch m 5, Silvano (GER) – Majestic Star (SAF) by Doowaley (IRE)
3 – Rose In Bloom (SAF), 55.0, b f 3, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Raise The Bar (SAF) by Goldkeeper (USA)
Margins: 1.50, 0.30, 0.30
