Afrikaburn seen winning the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe – he really looks something special!
Dean Kannemeyer’s name doesn’t exactly feature prominently on the recent honour roll of the R600 000 Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes. That is probably because the Milnerton conditioner doesn’t step on his 2yo’s. But Fred Crabbia’s Trippi colt Afrikaburn has turned that policy on its head and the Drakenstein Stud-bred colt looks all set to maintain his unbeaten record.
The Kannemeyer approach, with all their horses – the good and the ordinary- has always been notoriously conservative.
Revelation
If they bring 2yo’s to KZN for the winter, they are there to get the sun on their backs and maybe get one run under the belt, if they show the right signs. But the recent Gr1 Golden Horseshoe winner Afrikaburn has been a different story. A revelation in every respect!
The handsome bay made his debut at Greyville over 1400m seven weeks ago and despite doing everything wrong still managed an impressive win against the steel. He came out two weeks later (not Kannemeyer style again) and put up an impressive performance to overcome a tardy start and beat the rated Zinnavar over 1200m – a trip short of his best.
His win in the Golden Horseshoe on that sensational July day was impressive. Slow away again, he hung and ran about a bit but found the inside rail and his trademark finish to draw clear and beat the filly One Fine Day with something in hand.
Stand Out
Is this a one-horse race? As we all know, that is seldom the case, but Afrikaburn beat six of the thirteen rivals he meets here comprehensively and fairly and squarely in the Golden Horseshoe, so we may need to find an alternative potential threat. But let’s first consider those he beat on July day.
In Their Place
Alec Laird’s Amazing Strike was beaten into sixth and 2,80 lengths in the Horseshoe. He was well drawn, ran handily and had every conceivable chance. He now has to cope with gate 11. The Mike De Kock-trained Anjaal put up a good post-maiden effort in the Horseshoe when flashing late and running into fourth and 2,50 lengths behind the winner. He has won over a mile and the jockey-trainer combination is worth taking. Sean Tarry’s Captain Clipper is ridden by Anton Marcus for the first time and has won 2 of 4 starts. He never showed in the Horseshoe and finished 4,70 lengths back in tenth spot.
Excuses
Paul Lafferty’s Australian-bred Harry’s Son gets the services again of Piere Strydom from a good draw. He has earned at all of his five runs and ran on after switching late in the Horseshoe for a 1,25 length third place. He has run third three times (twice in Gr1’s) and his six-time winning dam won up to 2100m. That suggests that she could go close, but is fast running out of excuses, if he is as good as has been touted.
Improvement
Weiho Marwing’s Lateral colt Illuminati was slow off when ninth and 4,65 lengths back in the Horseshoe. He is drawn very wide and needs big improvement to play a serious part. The second of the three De Kock runners is the Jet Master colt, Jayyed. He is still a maiden after two starts and ran green before staying on for fifth and 2,55 lengths behind in the Horseshoe. Jayyed provides some collateral between Afrikaburn and the unbeaten Vaughan Marshall-trained colt, Mljet. He was beaten 1,50 lengths on debut by the Marshall runner and a very raw deduction from that puts Afrikaburn in a positive light.
Top Sort
But it is not that simple. There is no question that Mljet looks a top-class sort in the making. He came out first time of asking and beat winners in a Juvenile Plate over 1450m at Clairwood. Amazingly he started at 25 to 1 on that debut but was backed to odds on at his second start last Saturday. He eventually came home strongly to beat Light The Lights by 2,25 lengths. It was worrying that he appeared all at sea and his appearance here could prove a baptism of fire on the right-handed Greyville track. He is also drawn 13 and will have to be special and on his toes to get to Afrikaburn.
The Unknowns
Of the balance, Corne Spies’ Fire Horse has won 2 of his 3 starts unextended, and steps up to Gr1 level at his first outing in KZN. The Goldkeeper colt Imperial Gold won well at his only start beating Snowman over 1200m at Clairwood a fortnight ago. Glen Kotzen’s Light The Lights has drawn awfully and has earned at all his four starts. He almost gave Mljet a fright at his last start, but was well beaten and looks to have a place hope at best.
Polytrack
Lock Him Up ran 10,40 lengths behind the filly Same Jurisdiction in the KZN Yearling Sale Million on July day. He has not repeated his smooth debut win in his second and third starts. Mootahadee is the third of the De Kock runners. This well bred colt appears held by Light The Lights and has run his two most recent starts on the polytrack. He finished third and 1,55 lengths behind Black Jaguar last Wednesday when outrun of things late, and will need to show more if he is to challenge the top two in a race at this level. Mike Azzie’s Rock Me Var shed his maiden at his eighth start and did not deliver at his previous Gr1 effort.
Special
Afrikaburn looks to be something special. Unbeaten in four starts, a Gr1 winner at his last, he should handle the extra 200m in his stride. Mljet is the obvious potential challenger and he is yet to be tested at this level. The rest look likely to be fighting over place money.
