While the 159th renewal of the Met in 2021 will go down as the most testing emotionally in the long history of the race, the absent often almost 50 000 people from halcyon years past on course – the gates were actually closed in 2002 – unsurprisingly accounted for an undeniable lack of atmosphere and a buzz.
Veteran Dave Mollett wrote in Business Day during the build-up week that for the majority it would be a case of the 2021 Met being a sporting event that would be easily forgotten.
The well read veteran Dave Mollett
While the Ferraris and Sands families may dispute that contention, the challenges facing the event were tackled head-on: some successfully, others less so.
Mollett suggested that officials would try to conjure up as much hype as possible, but that the empty stands would send a chill similar to watching an episode of ‘Dead Men Walking’.
Dramatic – and it wasn’t really that scary!
“It was like a weekday meeting for us in terms of crowd noise. When we turned for home in the Met in the past, one got that rush of adrenaline – that ‘oomph’ – as the crowd roar picked up intensity as we got closer to the winning post. On Saturday in running I could hear a few guys shouting amongst those that were there on course. But the funny thing is, we have gotten almost used to the behind closed doors racing,” said enthusiastic Winning Form rider Robert Khathi, who rode in his third Met on Saturday.
The oldest race in South Africa, the Met has been postponed twice — once in 1986 due to equine flu, and once in 2004, as a result of African Horse Sickness. But it went ahead against all odds on Saturday.
While Molly’s op ed was spot-on in many respects, he clearly didn’t catch the quartet judging by his observation that the two six-year-olds — Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again — ‘were hoping to prove they are not past their sell-by date’.
He suggested that it looked likely the pair may have to play second fiddle to younger rivals.
As it turned out the two old men were right there.
Rainbow Bridge deservedly won the race with the lacklustre good-looking former SA Horse Of The Year Do It Again securing fourth, five lengths away.
Chase Liebenberg captured this pic of Rainbow Breidge and Luke Ferraris
July winner Belgarion was given every chance when he pinched all the TV thunder and shot clear down the beautifully manicured emerald green home strip. But sadly his top jockey Richard Fourie remains without a Met credit and the Foster’s son of Dynasty will have to come back next year.
Candice Bass-Robinson and her third-placed Sovereign Spirit connections will be on the edge of their seats as the NHRA’s Vee and Lennon decide what to do with the 100-1 shot’s 106 rating!
With only two sponsors in JB and Sun International over the past 42 years, it was bizarre, but hardly surprising, to have no commercial brand attached to the Met this year– with alcohol and the accommodation leisure rand amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic over the recent ten odd months.
And Usain Bolt’s showy and ostentatious arrival by chopper in 2018 now seems like a chemical dream from a parallel universe.
The Met’s economic impact and spend of R80 million for the Mother City was also a lost cause.
The occasion historically gave the South African fashion industry a big boost in what is traditionally one of its quietest months. Many South African designers dedicated entire ranges to the theme.
While we have no figures from Saftote to confirm the success or otherwise of the local betting turnover on the day, word is that the Hong Kong simulcast turnover of HK$240 million – they were beamed eight races – was 25% up year on year.
That’s good news that we want to hear. But nobody tells us and they should be more proactive – now more aware than ever – given the tote betting uproar three weeks earlier!
In the old days, when Molly wore that prized but gaudy J&B Met jacket of his, we attended the post-race press conference in the parade ring marquee.
We met the winning connections and were given the numbers by management – betting turnover, crowd numbers, beers sold, cars in the parking area etc. If they didn’t know, they probably made it up. But they bloody well communicated!
Racing management needs to get back to the transparency of providing the public with all the news – as we saw on Saturday, it’s not all bad all the time.
