Gqeberha visitor Direct Hit retained her unbeaten record from two starts with a sensational victory in the R1 million SplashOut Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery in the opening feature of the 2025 Seafood & Jazz Racing Festival at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Direct Hit (Richard Fourie) came out firing on all cylinders to grab the day’s first feature (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
After a runaway win at home at short odds on debut, Direct Hit came out firing on all cylinders to prove that she is going places and scored in a race won last year by this season’s champion sophomore, One Stripe.
Showing pace from the jump as Pay The Palace led early, a green Direct Hit (28-10) turned on the charm inside the final 350m to beat a mixed sex field in the fashion of a promising sort.
After having travelled down the Garden Route and having her first run in the Cape, Direct Hit was easy to back – they always are in hindsight – and beat Winter Snap (11-2) by 2,75 lengths in a time of 69,47 secs for the 1200m.
The winner is raced by Ridgemont and Hollywoodbets’ Devin Heffer and maintained the momentum of what has been a great season to date.
Summer Coronation Plate winner Wild Wild Green (28-10) was a length further back in third, with Kotzen maiden Good For You (25-1) beaten a further 3,25 lengths back in fourth.
“Top-class,” added Ridgemont rider Richard Fourie.
“It was a last minute decision when we saw the field and I really thought this would suit her. There have been a few grey hairs, but we are thrilled and well done to the Kieswetters and Heffers,” added Alan Greeff who saddled 6 winners at home 24 hours earlier.
Bred by the high-riding Ridgemont team, Direct Hit is out of the six-time winning Great Britain speedball Wrecking Ball, who won the 2017 Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap.
Direct Hit is another remarkable example of precocious speed from Ridgemont resident Canford Cliffs (Tagula), who is enjoying a super season. He was Europe’s dominant miler at three and four, winning five consecutive Gr1 races over the trip.
His splendid Gr1 treble of the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes (over multiple Gr1 winner Dick Turpin) and Sussex Stakes (over champion Rip Van Winkle), saw him rated the top three-year-old miler in England and Ireland in his year.
Direct Hit’s broodmare sire is a former resident of the magnificent Ridgemont Robertson stallion barn in Great Britain, who had a TFR of 118 and won the Al Quoz Sprint, subsequently a Gr1 contest which has been won by stars like J J The Jet Plane, Ortensia and Shea Shea). As a son of July Cup winner Green Desert (by Danzig), was one of the best bred stallions in SA in his time.
Direct Hit is now a winner of 2 from 2 for stakes of R642 500.
The Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 31 May could well be in the plans.
