Monsieur Karis. Jockey Teetan rode a double today.
This surely cannot be a difficult game to market. The exotic pools sent a clear message to our industry captains at Kenilworth on 27 July. Spice the stew with a touch of interest and sprinkle with a dollop of needle. Simply put, punters are tired of eating out of the same old pot week in and week out and a little flavouring really goes a long way. An interesting afternoon, indeed!
It may have taken a little while, but the penny appears to have dropped. The operators have now warmed to the idea of the customer interest created by the jockey duel. And while Anthony Delpech may be yearning for a nice holiday away from the public rib poking and ragging from the half-empty pockets of the faithful, the emotional pressure of the endless saddles on the backs of favourites must be taking its toll on both him and Anton Marcus..
Delpech made a good point after his runaway winning ride in the fourth race on the Greg Ennion-trained and very well related, Spring Orchid. It was pointed out to him by Tellytrack interviewer Grant Knowles that the tote was benefitting from the increased pools, thanks to the interest generated by the public ifascination by the jockey championship tussle. Delpech responded by saying that it was also the Bookies that were actually the real beneficiaries as he and Marcus were automatically priced up shorter, irrespective of what they were riding. Fair comment, and after today’s results, maybe the public will start wising up to the artificial odds!
Spring Orchid’s win in the third was a reprieve from a career in PE for the Ennion filly, who won like a horse with a future. She showed a beautiful turn of foot at the top of the straight, and won by a mile in the Hassen Adams silks. In one of those racing twists of fate, Ennion explained that a phone call from Delpech’s agent Ray Curling was the only reason Spring Orchid missed the float and stayed for the race. Strange how things pan out in racing.
Long Odds Again! Monsieur Jay is led in by the happy Hass family.
Paddy Kruyer also celebrated a double on the day and after Monsieur Jay had won his maiden at 100-1 at Durbanville at the end of May, he was not exactly fancied to follow up in the Jackpot opener, a MR 76 Handicap over 2400m. He started at 40-1 and scythed through the pack to win going away under Karis Teetan. His elated owner, Mr Reinels Hass, whose blue and red silks were carried to famous victories by the brilliant Vesta, was on course to lead his gelding in. Not too many other people shared his glee, sadly!
Teetan rode the second Kruyer winner two races later, when the ultra consistent Forest Of Dean won his third race in a row, and his seventh of his career. Not bad for a horse who once battled to win his maiden! He beat Facing Federer, who was amazingly fresh after his Durban return trip and and the flashy League Of Honour, who stayed on well.
The visitors didn’t have it all their own way with Marcus edging his rival 2-1 and locals Richard Fourie and Karis Teetan riding a smart double each. The day started on a sour note for Marcus when he got beaten on the odds-on Dandyman Can in the Qualified Maiden Plate over 2400m. This was a shockingly weak five horse field and an almost apologetic winning jockey Glen Hatt said afterwards that Dandyman Can had shown much better work than his own mount, Florentina. The Tamburlaine filly, running in her trainer Joey Ramsden silks, took over at the top of the straight and beat Dandyman Can as the patently better horse on the day. No excuses. Commiserations to those punters who burnt their fingers, but the Silvano gelding showed again that he is not the kind of horse that can be relied on – especially in the red.
Dazzling debut! Palo Santo was an impressive winner of the second.
Richard Fourie may have encountered a winner drought in his recent Mauritius riding stint, but the youngster is riding with renewed energy and power since his return to a more familiar hunting ground and he was seen to good effect when getting the tiny Palo Santo up on the line in the second race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m. The daughter of Tiger Ridge was making her debut here and shrewd money saw her backed in from 33-1 to 8-1. It wasn’t easy money though as the Marshall filly Appeal Allowed looked to have the race sewn up with twenty five meters to run. Stephen Page’s assistant Erica Beck was on hand to lead the filly in. Glen Kotzen’s debutante Molly R, who was the talking horse of the race, was unlucky not to win it and she looks a good thing next time out. Fighting but exciting talk from the Snaith yard came to nought when Perfect Diamond fell away to nothing late, under Anton Marcus.
Fourie rode the second leg of his double on the Snaith-trained Victory Moon colt Great Fox who ran out an east winner of the third race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m. It was an aggressive display of galloping that saw the opposition run off their feet. The Kannemeyer’s son of Dynasty, Taipan stayed on best to run second, while the fancied Money For Love ran a never threatening third, but saved the day for PA punters.
Marcus strikes. Caravaggio won the last impressively.
Marcus rode the last double and he won’t ride an easier two winners in a half hour for a very long time. His first was on the Graham Beck Dispersal Sale graduate General Assembly, who won the MR78 Handicap over 1000m with ease. The long-striding National Assembly gelding,well chosen by his sharp-eyed trainer Billy Prestage, was never under pressure and looks a nice sprinter in the fashioning. He beat the flying Isidingo, who stayed on well for a change. The log-leading jockey then won the last on Dean Kannemeyer’s promising National Emblem colt Caravaggio. The result was never in doubt and this Fieldspring Racing colt looks a smart sort in the making. Even though he ‘only’ beat the Bookies best friend- a certain De La Rey!
