Racegoers enjoyed a bonus Friday, with Fairview and a twilight meeting at Turffontein on the menu.
Results went largely according to plan in the R175 000 non black-type November Stakes, the headline contest on the eight race East Cape programme, when topweights Khaya’s Hope and Port Louis dominated the 1400m contest.
Starting at 8-10 on the strength of his impressive last victory, the classy Khaya’s Hope was given a confident ride from off the action by Louis Mxothwa.
Khaya’s Hope (;Louis Mxothwa) is too strong for the obscured Port Louis (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Allowed to relax early, Khaya’s Hope turned on the jets after long-time pacemaker Al Qaasim had cried enough and carried too many guns for the former Cape-based Port Louis (16-10).
A neck separated the top two, with Khaya’s Hope never looking like getting beaten, as he showed his class to win in a time of 81,75 secs.
Tarantino (50-1) came on best of the rest for third, a further 2,25 lengths back, with Narcos (14-1) a further neck back in fourth.
Once described as the best of his generation in Gqeberha by the now Hong Kong-based Keagan de Melo, Khaya’s Hope, who races in the nationally recognized yellow and black of Khaya Stables, is a son of Moutonshoek Galileo stallion The United States out of the UK-placed Danehill Dancer mare, Miss Khaya.
A winner of 7 races with 7 places from 15 starts, Khaya’s Hope has banked stakes of R708 125.
Enjoy the replay:
Winning Form-sponsored jockey Richard Fourie rode a genuine hat-trick on the card earlier in the day and maintained his upward curve on the national jockey log as he extended his lead total (89) to 16 wins over Stone-Stamcor’s Muzi Yeni.
