Justin Snaith struck gold at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth for the second year running in South Africa’s richest race when he made it two from two in the R7,5 million Cape Racing Gold Rush, after Grant van Niekerk steered the Danon Platina gelding Rapidash to a thrilling victory.
Grant van Niekerk steers the Danon Platina gelding Rapidash to a thrilling victory(Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The mile contest, broadly based on The Everest, is restricted to eligible graduates of the 2022 CTS Cape Yearling Sale. Berths are owned by ‘prospectors’, who purchase their starting rights for R400 000 each.
Snaith won the inaugural running with Royal Aussie who beat Dave The King (then with Vaughan Marshall), and the same two yards dominated the show on Saturday with Rapidash beating his draw and a gallant effort by the innovatively ridden Coastal Commander, who just failed to sustain the move to grab the outside track.
Grant van Niekerk rode a superb race on Rapidash (10-1), whose run was timed perfectly as he held off the 100-1 Coastal Commander by 0,20 lengths in a time of 99,27 secs.
The luckless Tail Of The Comet (33-10) finished with a rattle after being interfered with, and was not disgraced in third, where he earned R600 000 for his efforts.
Just Be Lekker did some of the donkey work, and held on for fourth, while the fancied Infrared earned the final cheque of R400 000 in fifth.
Raced by Nic Jonsson and first-time owner Doug Ross, Rapidash was bred by Kilimanjaro Bloodstock, and is a son of Danon Platina (Deep Impact) out of the one-time winning War Pass mare, My Lovely.
Now a winner of 2 races with 4 places from 7 starts for stakes of R5 148 575, Rapidash was not winning out of turn and proved a serious return on investment on his purchase price of R350 000.
Enjoy the replay…
