Saturday’s R750 000 Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint favourite Cosmic Highway is in good shape for a big run on the occasion of the 2022 renewal of the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed raceday.
The 3yo’s have a good record in this race – winning 70% of the past ten runnings.
Cosmic Highway – Golden Horse favourite is ready! (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The winner of the Khaya Stables Gr2 Diadem Stakes at the end of the Cape Summer Season, Cosmic Highway finished under a length behind Zapatillas in the Gr2 World Sports Betting Guineas on 7 May and has come on since that good showing.
“He is in good shape, although I would have enjoyed a few gates lower than his 15 draw. One never knows whether they will race from the inside, middle or outside down the strip at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. But, either way, he is an easy horse to ride and Keagan (De Melo) will have had four earlier sprints on the day to help him make his tacticalcall,” said Kannemeyer.
Cosmic Highway has only had one previous start in the Capital City – that when a three length third behind Good Traveller in the 2021 Gr3 Godolphin Barb.
“That was only his third start and the race was over 1100m. He was all at sea and outpaced. He has learnt to race and, as stated, he is an easy horse to ride.”
When quizzed on his yard’s Hollywoodbets Durban July prospects, Kannemeyer said that 3yo Waterberry Lane, who competes in the famous Rattray silks, would run after his recent Daily News 2000 showing.
“He was finishing his race off well in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and while we could not have beaten the winner on the day, we were only a minor margin behind the second and third horses. We were at 16 on the latest big race log published on Tuesday, so we remain hopeful of getting a run.”
The Milnerton veteran also has Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock and the lightly exposed Silvano’s Timer – a winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday – entered in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Grant Behr raises his hand after the Cape Guineas victory by Russian Rock (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“Russian Rock ran a cracker in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes when he ran on well for second. He had no luck in running, with a horse on his inside pushing him out on the turn. I am going to let him take his place in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on 11 June, and he would probably need a top 3 finish there to show us he is ready to run in the July.”
Kannemeyer feels that while Silvano’s Timer’s win in a Conditions Graduation Plate on the polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday was a pleasing indication that he is on the right track after a long time off, the Hollywoodbets Durban July may just come ‘too soon’ for the 4yo.
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Silvano’s Timer had been off for 16 months after he pulled up with a hairline fracture of his pelvis in the Gr1 Cape Guineas behind stable companion Russian Rock and spent six months recuperating on Jane Thomas’s farm in Mooi River.
“A lot of work has gone into this horse,” Kannemeyer told Gold Circle’s Andrew Harrison. “It was a win full of merit.”
He is an entry in the Cup Trial on Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge day, and the top trainer says that decisions will be made thereafter.
“While he has been given plenty of time and Lady Christine Laidlaw has shown immense patience, I feel that we may just be short of time for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. But let’s make that call in a few weeks,” he concluded.
