Dean Kannemeyer and Craig Zackey were amongst the Grade 1 winners on Cape Town Met day, but the duo showed their versatility across the spectrum on the Summer Country Championships finals day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when winning the opener.
Craig Zackey guides Rich Folks Hoax down the inside rail to a poular win as Azzurri (Chad Little) plugs on gamely. Fourth placed Iconic Destination (Corne Orffer) rounds off the quartet (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Cape Racing’s initiative to highlight genuine race and earning opportunities and to illustrate that lower-rated horses in the Cape have the ability to earn considerably in the province, has worked a charm and well patronized fields for the five Summer Country Championships R200 000 finals on Saturday underscored that in no small measure.
The Country Championships caters for the lower merit-rated horses in the province, which race predominantly in Class 4 and Class 5 races, but the lightly exposed 3yo Rich Folks Hoax could have bigger fish to fry and he showed courage and good ability when cutting a swathe down the inside rail from some lengths back in the run for home to win the R200 000 Summer Country Championship 1600 Final.
Under a confident ride by Zackey, Rich Folks Hoax (3-1) carried too many guns for the game year older Azzurri (14-1) to beat him by 0,40 lengths in a time of 100,92 secs.
The grey Master Of Paris (7-1) descended on the leaders from the clouds to gain an eye-catching third, a further 0,30 lengths back, with Iconic Destination (5-1) rounding off the quartet.
A R275 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, the winner was bred by Rathmor Stud and races in a partnership of Mauritzfontein, Noelene Malherbe, George Ragunan and Wayne Thompson.
A son of Mauritzfontein’s Deep Impact stallion Danon Platina, Rich Folks Hoax is out of the twice-winning Trippi mare Jane S Piddy. She raced in the Willempie Englebrecht Jnr silks for Glen Kotzen, and was named after a terrific school-days song of the 1970’s on the Rodriguez Cold Fact album, if sentimental memory serves the writer correctly.
Rich Folks Hoax has now won 2 races with 4 places from 8 starts for stakes of R226 038.
Rich Folks Hoax was a popular tote favourite and the net Pick 6 pool of R493 062 saw 175 181 tickets surviving, with a minimum opening leg dividend of R2,80.
