Leading freelance rider Richard Fourie celebrated an early Christmas at Kenilworth on Saturday when he booted home five winners, including the Var colt Speedpoint to win the R150 000 Need For Speed Sprint.
Richard Fourie (red sleeves) gives Speedpoint his head as Shufoog chases under JP van der Merwe (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Troy Finch leads the winner in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Fourie is riding with almost nonchalant confidence at the moment and his powerful unflustered style suits a range of horses – and trainers it seems, with his five winners being provided by four different yards.
His ride on the long overdue Speedpoint for Joey Ramsden in the non black-type support feature was superb.
The Var colt, who has played a frustrating bridemaid and had only won once previously, was relaxed in midfield as What A Winner and Shufoog showed good toe early.
The latter, a flashy chestnut daughter of Star Witness, showed resolve under her handy galloping weight as she moved forward strongly down the rail in the final stages, but Fourie didn’t even need his crop as he pushed Speedpoint to lead inside the distance.
A chuffed Joey Ramsden asks his jockey for an opinion (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The 33-10 Speedpoint charged home to register 58,71 secs for the 1000m and beat the gutsy Mike de Kock filly Shufoog by just over a half length.
The joint topweight Al Mariachi nosed the other De Kock runner Mujaafy out of third position.
Recent post-maiden winner What A Winner showed good pace but faded right out, while Barrack Street and Johnny Black also failed to inspire.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, the well named Speedpoint is a son of Var (Forest Wildcat) out of the ill-fated Durban July winner Big City Life’s full-sister, Cash Register (Casey Tibbs). The latter, a dual stakes winner, won the Gr3 Final Fling Stakes at her peak when trained by Glen Kotzen.
A R700 000 buy from the 2016 Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale, Speedpoint races for Brian and Kathy Finch and has won 2 races with 4 places from 8 starts for stakes of R240 725.
Fourie’s other winners were Twin Falls (Glen Kotzen), Doublemint and Above Eleven (both for Justin Snaith) and Brave Move (Adam Marcus).
