Aldo Domeyer keeps Muscatt at it to win the second race at Kenilworth (Equine Edge)
The R1 million Gr1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship to be run at weight for age over 1000m at Kenilworth on 25 January has developed into one of the potential highlights of the Summer Of Champions season after the sensational comeback win by the Mike Bass trained Muscatt on New Year’s Day.
The Victory Moon colt returned after a year rest since his 2012 Need For Speed Sprint win to score a cracking victory, in what was an admittedly modest MR 88 Handicap.
Muscatt was formerly trained by Gavin Smith in Port Elizabeth and is owned by the internationally successful Newbury Racing Pty Ltd , of Gael and Dennis Evans.
The terrifically fast colt led for most of the 1000m trip in the kind hands of Aldo Domeyer, and showed his superiority to beat the well performed Dressed In Cotton by a neck in a time of 58,73 secs.
Muscatt took his impressive career record to four wins from five starts after today’s excellent performance. His sole defeat (a narrow second to November Rain) was attributed to an error of judgement on the part of his young rider.
The year long break followed Muscatt’s knee surgery and aborted plans to export him to Singapore, where the Evans’ have enjoyed such major success.
Bass assistant Candice Robinson said that they were thrilled by Muscatt’s win and confirmed that he would come on with the benefit of the run. Muscatt has been with the yard for only five weeks, and a spider bite on his leg had created a desperate chase to get him fit for the Cape Flying Championship.
He could have another prep run in a Pinnacle Stakes before the Cape Flying engagement.
The Cape’s big summer sprint is run at weight for age, and after the Gauteng mare Welwitschia lowered the colours of the locals in last Saturday’s Diadem Stakes, Muscatt looks set for a possibly very rewarding summer.
Muscatt was bred by Milkwood Stud and is by deceased stallion Victory Moon. He is out of the speedy two-time winning Hard Up mare Lone Sailor.
He was purchased at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale for what looks to be a bargain R100 000.
The Cape Flying Championship entries close at 11:00 on Wednesday, 8 January. Supplementary entries close at 11:00 Wednesday, 15 January, on which date weights will be published.
Declarations for the race are by no later than 11:00 on Thursday, 16 January.
