Although it may have looked like something out of Racing Stripes and an Oh Shucks It’s Schuster remix, the Greyville sixth race on Sunday counted for all exotics and will go down in recent history as one of the most entertaining events to be run in this country.
All Alone – Serino Moodley and Run Rhino Run are on their own (Pic – Gold Circle /Candiese Marnewick)
There was little inkling of what was to come when the eight handicappers lined up at the 3000m.
Kumaran Naidoo
First time past the winning post Serino Moodley was already battling to hold Run Rhino Run, who was fighting with mouth wide open. At about the 2200m marker he ran off the track and then for all intents and purposes disappeared from the minds of the other seven jockeys in the race.
With the packed Durban View Room crowd on their feet, Run Rhino Run, who had been backed from 12’s to 17-2, kept rolling down the outside rail to win by about 200m – or 21,25 lengths officially. Given the fact that he ran a lot further than the carded 3000m, his time of 194.36 secs is reasonable.
“He’s got rocks in his head, this horse,” said a sheepish looking trainer Kumaran Naidoo
Owner Roy Moodley said that he had thought his horse ‘had pulled off somewhere’. “He had the crowd on their feet. They were looking for him,” he laughed.
Durban-based owner Roy Moodley
“I squeezed him at the 1000m and I let him run – I didn’t fight him at all,” said an exhausted looking Serino Moodley, who confirmed that he was expecting a tough ride when he arrived on track.
Multiple champion jockey Garth Puller, who saddled Main Player, one of the more fancied runners in the race, said that in hindsight the riders in the ‘second’ of the two races should have played to the whistle and not assumed that the saddle had slipped or the lead bag had fallen out.
“The winner has a history of antics on the track but there is no doubt that he has some ability given his highest rating of 92 once upon a time. My jockey is an inexperienced guy, so I can’t blame him. Ideally he should have upped the pace from the mile as my horse is a long strider – we would not have won but would have gotten closer. The other more experienced jockeys though should have known better. If this was Mauritius they would probably all have been given six months,” he said.
The Stipes Reported:
RUN RHINO RUN (*S Moodley), the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Trainer K Naidoo advised. (GF)
RUN RHINO RUN (*S Moodley) over-raced and was hanging out. Raced to the front and raced wide throughout.
All the riders who participated in this Race appeared before the Board individually and were questioned with regard to their riding instructions and the racing tactics applied during the running of this Race. Having gathered all the information, the Board has adjourned to review the evidence.
Click below to watch the race
Run Rhino Run is a R240 000 KZN Yearling Sale graduate and a winner of 4 of his 24 starts.
