Saturday’s R400 000 Gr2 Selangor Cup threw the proverbial cat amongst the Cape Guineas pigeons as trainer Glen Kotzen celebrated a scintillating success with the Trippi colt Gold Standard coming from last to score a surprise win for many.
Richard Fourie gets Gold Standard to the front as Edict Of Nantes (Corne Orffer) and Table Bay (Anton Marcus) are well beaten (Pic – Wayne Marks)
There looked to be no excuses – a good pace in a small field producing a result to mull over, in advance of the classics.
The traditional Guineas trial was expected to be a penalty kick for Joey Ramsden’s facile Cape Classic winner Table Bay, who looked to only have fellow Redoute’s Choice son Al Fahad to be concerned about.
Table Bay was running at level weights off his merit rating of 108, against the likes of PE feature winner Gold Standard (86) and Cape Classic hard-luck story, Edict Of Nantes (94) – and the result was to show again that this game tames tigers – and plenty of experts, on any given day.
The nine horse field was led at a solid clip by Joey Ramsden’s second stringer A New Dawn, who was tracked by Table Bay and The Slade.
Al Fahad was stalking the trio of leaders, as Edict Of Nantes and Gold Standard raced relaxed at the rear.
In the run for home, Marcus took Table Bay down the inside and the colt looked to have plenty in the tank as Gold Standard (on the inside) under replacement rider Richard Fourie, and Edict Of Nantes (on the outside), launched a pincer movement coming into the final 250m.
Richard Fourie – riding with confidence
With Table Bay appearing to hit a flat spot, Edict Of Nantes looked to have saved the day for Mayfair Speculators – but Fourie had other ideas.
The crack freelance lightweight, who had ridden the first double on the programme, pushed Gold Standard through a gap and the son of Trippi finished powerfully to hold the very decent Edict Of Nantes to 0,40 lengths in a time of 96,82 secs.
The odds-on favourite and impressive Cape Classic winner Table Bay had nothing to come and held on for third, 2,25 lengths further back.
On a rare blank day, Mayfair Speculators rounded off the Selangor minor cheque cleansweep with A New Dawn in fourth.
The previously unbeaten Gauteng raider Al Fahad had every chance but could only hold on for a 4,15 length fifth.
Langerman runner-up Our Mate Art showed that all is not well when he finished with only one behind him.
Glen Kotzen – has a nice sort on his hands
Glen Kotzen went to R725 000 at the 2015 Val De Vie Yearling Sale for Gold Standard, who races in the Chrigor Stud’s interests for his longstanding staunch clients, Suzanne and Hugo Hattingh.
Bred by Kotzen neighbours, Carl and Amanda de Vos, the winner is by SA champion sire Trippi out of the Model Man mare Olympic Dam – a half-sister to Gr 1 Daily News 2000 winner Flying Duel.
After a Durbanville maiden win and a Listed PE feature, the low-profile Gold Standard caught many napping at 20-1.
Now a very lively Cape Guineas candidate, he took his career earnings to R409 375, with his third win from five starts – he has earned at every start.
He also banked the very welcome BSA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R102 500.
The Cape Guineas is developing into something special!
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Gr2 Selangor Cup (SAf-Gr2)
Kenilworth, South Africa, November 19, R400k, 1600m, turf, good, 1.36.82
1 – GOLD STANDARD (SAF), 60.0, b c 3, Trippi (USA) – Olympic Dam (SAF) by Model Man (SAF). Owner Chrigor Stud (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mrs S Hattingh); Breeder CF & Mrs de Vos; trainer GS Kotzen; jockey R Fourie
2 – Edict Of Nantes (SAF), 60.0, b c 3, Count Dubois (GB) – Pagan Dance (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
3 – Table Bay (AUS), 60.0, b c 3, Redoute’s Choice (AUS) – Gabriella (GB) by Cape Cross (IRE)
Margins: 0.40, 2.25, 0.50
