Four winners, including a Gr1 victory, is probably a quiet Met day by Justin Snaith’s standards.
But the SA champion would have gained particular pleasure with a superb plan come together in the shape of the Captain Al gelding Kasimir who was crowned the king of speed with a scintillating win in the R1 million Betting World Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
Richard Fourie has Kasimir in control (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The yard won the race last year with Sergeant Hardy, who ran unplaced on Saturday.
Fine planning and a well considered programme formulated six months earlier to capture the pinnacle of the Cape summer season speed programme fell into place in under 58 seconds when the 2018 Merchants winner catapulted through down the inside under Richard Fourie to catch the leaders Pleasedtomeetyou, Bold Respect and Pacific Trader.
Inside the 150m marker, Kasimir had taken control and the progressive 4yo showed the benefits of superior fitness and fine tuning to beat the Gr1 winner Bold Respect by an easy 1,75 lengths in a time of 57,56 secs.
The runner-up’s stablemate Search Party stayed on well for third, ahead of another Brett Crawford runner in Pacific Trader, who lacked punch late.
The consolation of three of the top four cheques would have been of some minor compensation to Brett Crawford who endured a mostly frustrating big day.
Sean Tarry’s 7yo Trip To Heaven came from the clouds to grab fifth slot in an eyecatching performance.
Father and son brain’s trust – Chris and Justin Snaith (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Kasimir is a R1,2 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate and took his earnings to R2 355 875 at his fifth win with 6 places from 13 starts.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, he is a son of deceased champion sire Captain Al (Al Mufti). This was the 4yo’s first stakes success. He is out of the top-class Gr1 producing three-time winner Aquatint (Peintre Celebre).
Kasimir will pay to follow in the SA Champions Season up in KZN, where the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint and Gr1 Mercury Sprint are likely targets.
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Gr1 Cape Flying Championship (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 26, R1 million, 1000m, turf, good, 57.56
1 – KASIMIR (SAF), 60.0, b g 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Aquatint (AUS) by Peintre Celebre (USA). Owner Messrs W P Drew & B Kantor, Mesdames A M Doyle, D Nagle & Paul Shanahan; Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer J Snaith; jockey R Fourie
2 – Bold Respect (SAF), 60.0, b g 4, Bold Silvano (SAF) – Respectable Lady (SAF) by Kabool (GB)
3 – Search Party (SAF), 60.0, b g 6, Captain Al (SAF) – Princess Magdalena (GB) by Pennekamp (USA)
Margins: 1.75, 0.50, 0.10
