Bouncing back fresh from a four month break, and having his first start back in KZN, Dean Kannemeyer’s Mount Anderson closed off a terrific same evening stakes double for Maine Chance stallion Vercingetorix when he cruised to an easy victory in the R150 000 World Sports Betting Listed The Sledgehammer at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Racing in the silks of the late Mike Rattray and his wife Norma, Mount Anderson took advantage of a galloping weight and a decent draw in a race where everything went his way.
Winless since his promising success in the 2020 Listed Christmas Handicap at the same venue, Mount Anderson (13-2) found the gap at the 300m and drew off under Keagan de Melo to beat the enthusiastic Origami (10-1) by 1,90 lengths in a time of 112,39 secs.
It was a pleasing victory for trainer Dean Kannemeyer who is looking to build on his Cape Summer season and entered four runners in the R5 million Gr1 Hollwyoodbets Durban July earlier this week.
Kegan de Melo and Mount Anderson leave them trailing (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
On a quiet evening for the Snaith yard, Native Tongue (4-1) just held on for third, ahead of the fast-finishing Gainsford (13-2).
Bred by Millstream Farm, Mount Anderson was a R650 000 National Yearling Sale graduate. He is out of the high-class Al Mufti mare Golden Minaret, who won five times from 1000m to 2000m.
South Africa’s Leading Sire by stakes for the 2021/22 season so far, Mount Anderson’s sire Vercingetorix was responsible for Lyrical Dance, who won the Listed Scarlet Lady earlier.
Vercingetorix has 50 yearlings on the BSA National Yearling Sale this coming week. The son of Silvano has produced eleven black type winners this season, with his tally headed by the Gr1 winning three-year-olds Chansonette and Pomp And Power.
Vercingetorix also enjoyed the distinction of a Hong Kong winner on Wednesday, when Super Commander (formerly Fearless Warrior) won the Po Lam Handicap at Happy Valley.
Watch the Sledgehammer replay here:
