The final fields for the Gr2 Merchants and Gr2 Concorde Cup to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday 23 November have been published.
African Warrior, ante-post favourite for both the Concorde Cup and the Cape Merchants at Kenilworth on Saturday week, will stick to his own age group in the mile race.
Top-rated African Warrior (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Dean Kannemeyer told Gold Circle’s Michael Clower: “African Warrior runs in the Concorde. I placed him well in Durban and then really exposed him for the first time in the Matchem. He was badly drawn but it was a fantastic run and I think his best performance so far, fifth behind horses like One World.
“He had good workout round the turn at Kenilworth before the first race last Saturday. Keagan de Melo rode him and he did pacework from the 1 400. He went well and I was pleased with him.
“I think he should get the mile of the Concorde, being by Vercingetorix out of a Jet Master mare. He is tough and sound and, although only small, he is as hard as a rock.”
Kannemeyer won the Concorde’s predecessor, the Selangor, six times in his first nine years as a trainer. “That was a long time ago – they still had black and white movies in those days,” he quipped.
He also saddles Seventh Gear, who will be ridden by Piere Strydom. It will be the first time that the multiple champion dons the Khaya Racing Silks since Last Winter flew late to chase Oh Susanna home in the 2018 Gr1 Sun Met.
The fields:
1st R218750, 2nd R70000, 3rd R35000, 4th R17500, 5th R8750
CAPE MERCHANTS (Grade 2)
Handicap
WFA: 3yrs-5kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 16 | Pack Leader | 60 | 114 | A | M Winnaar | Glen Kotzen | |
| 2 | 7 | Pleasedtomeetyou | 59 | 112 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Andre Nel | |
| 3 | 3 | Sergeant Hardy | 58.5 | 111 | R Khathi | Justin Snaith | ||
| 4 | 6 | Rocket Countdown | 58 | 110 | A | D Dillon | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 5 | 13 | Bwana | 57.5 | 109 | AM | C Orffer | Brett Crawford | |
| 6 | 10 | Russet Air | 57 | 108 | A | A Domeyer | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 7 | 14 | Bishop’s Bounty | 56.5 | 107 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 8 | 4 | New Caledonia | 56.5 | 107 | A | A Andrews | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 9 | 9 | Traces (AUS) | 56.5 | 107 | AM | A Marcus | Brett Crawford | |
| 10 | 5 | Catkin | 55.5 | 105 | BA | O Noach | Joey Ramsden | |
| 11 | 11 | Ready Steady Go | 55.5 | 105 | A | C Zackey | HWJ Crawford/M Rix | |
| 12 | 12 | Machiavelli | 55 | 104 | A | C Murray | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 13 | 8 | Elusive Trader | 54 | 102 | A | M Byleveld | Greg Ennion | |
| 14 | 17 | What A Winner | 53 | 100 | A | G Cheyne | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 15 | 1 | Frank Lloyd Wright | 52 | 95 | A | …………… | Justin Snaith | |
| 16 | 2 | Photocopy | 52 | 95 | A | L Mxothwa | Paul Reeves | |
| 17 | 15 | Cabo Da Cruz (IRE) | 52 | 94 | A | Reserve 1 | Dennis Drier | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (3,7,15) (4,6,12,14) (5,9) | ||||||||
1st R218750, 2nd R70000, 3rd R35000, 4th R17500, 5th R8750
CONCORDE CUP (Grade 2)
For 3 year-olds
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 6 | African Warrior | 60 | 115 | A | K de Melo | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 2 | 2 | Viva Rio | 59 | 108 | A | M Winnaar | Glen Kotzen | |
| 3 | 4 | Macthief | 59 | 103 | A | C Orffer | Brett Crawford | |
| 4 | 5 | Snow Report | 59 | 102 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 5 | 7 | Cane Lime ‘n Soda | 59 | 101 | A | A Marcus | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 6 | 9 | Seventh Gear | 59 | 100 | A | P Strydom | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 7 | 10 | Prince Of Persia | 59 | 99 | A | D Dillon | Glen Kotzen | |
| 8 | 11 | King Of Gems | 59 | 98 | A | A Domeyer | Brett Crawford | |
| 9 | 3 | Sachdev | 59 | 94 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 10 | 1 | Hexatonic | 59 | 89 | A | M Byleveld | Glen Kotzen | |
| 11 | 8 | Arctic Drift | 59 | 87 | A | C Murray | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,6) (2,7,10) (3,8) (4,11) | ||||||||
