A thrilling three-cornered finish capped South Africa’s premier 1800m weight-for-age race for the fairer sex at a sun-drenched Kenilworth on Saturday, with the favourite Captain’s Ransom pipping recent Cape Fillies Guineas winner, Chansonette.
The Snaith-Viljoen-Fourie combination grabbed a quick feature double after Hoedspruit won the Glorious Goodwood Premier Trophy a half hour earlier, but nobody could have reckoned with the desperate finish that would ensue after the favourite looked beaten 150m from home.
Richard Fourie gets Captain’s Ransom home ahead of fourth-placed Princess Calla (Anton Marcus) in an image that doesn’t capture the drama of the finish (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
After getting Captain’s Ransom (16-10) up in the last stride to stave off the gallant 3yo Chansonette (4-1), Richard Fourie said his favourite filly had made it difficult.
“She wasn’t quite herself today. But it was nice to see the Guineas winner acquitting herself so well. What a team the Snaiths are. Congrats to Basie and Suzette Viljoen,” he added, confirming that he believed the first time 1800m wasn’t an issue and that she’d go further.
Captain’s Ransom, who had won the Diana Stakes for the second consecutive year in her season debut in October, was said to be only 90% by trainer Justin Snaith, who didn’t seem convinced that she had enjoyed the 1800m.
“There’s an engine inside there. It just purrs – it never overrevs. She is the easiest horse in my stable. Well done to Suzette and Basie – and to John Freeman, and my brother,” added a relieved SA Champion trainer.
Captain’s Ransom clocked 110,43 secs for the 1800m and beat Chansonette a nose. Aldo Domeyer launched Marina (9-2) down the centre and the big daughter of Silvano took off to be beaten only 0,30 lengths.
Adam Marcus’ Princess Calla (6-1) was not disgraced a head back in fourth, in one of the great finishes to the prestigious race this century.
Captain’s Ransom is a winner of 9 races with 1 place from 11 starts for stakes of R1 510 250.
A R225 000 buy from the 2019 National Yearling Sale, she was bred by Moutonshoek and is a daughter of deceased champion sire Captain Al (Al Mufti) out of the unraced Red Ransom mare Cinna’s Ransom.
The latter, dam of multiple winners in Britain, is a half-sister to Gr3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner Black Rock Desert and multiple Japanese stakes winner Toyo Seattle.
Cinna’s Ransom’s own dam, the Plankton Stakes winner, City Dance is a full-sister to multiple Gr1 winner, and successful sire, Slew City Slew.
OFFICIAL RESULT
| TRAINER | JOCKEY | DISTANCE | BETTING | |||
| 1ST | 2 CAPTAIN’S RANSOM | SJ Snaith | R Fourie | 15/10 | ||
| 2ND | 8 CHANSONETTE | WA Nel | G van Niekerk | 0.10 | 0.10 | 15/4 |
| 3RD | 4 MARINA | C Bass-Robinson | A Domeyer | 0.20 | 0.30 | 9/2 |
| 4TH | 3 PRINCESS CALLA | AN Marcus | A Marcus | 0.40 | 0.70 | 7/1 |
| 5TH | 1 SHE’S A KEEPER | G Van Zyl | B Fayd’Herbe | 1.25 | 1.95 | 17/2 |
| TIME OF RACE: 1 min 50.43 sec | ||||||
| Tote
Fav |
2 CAPTAIN’S RANSOM | SJ Snaith | R Fourie | __________ | 15/10 | |
