Trainer Andre Nel marked his twentieth anniversary in the employ of leading owner Sabine Plattner with one of the feature knockouts of the year at Kenilworth on Saturday as longshot Vikram silenced the stands with a career peak success in the R175 000 Gr2 Cape Merchants.
Running over a distance marginally short of his best, and fresh off a 40 week break after doing a tendon when winning his last start on 13 February, Vikram turned his 13 draw into a lucky charm for the remaining six Pick 6 ticket holders that survived the blowout.
The outsider of the thirteen-strong field in the 1200m handicap that has produced its fair share of upsets over the years, Vikram finished like an express train under an enthusiastic Sandile Mbhele and got the better late of the consistent 4yo Bereave (10-1) by 0,40 lengths in a time of 72,06 secs.
Sandile Mbhele drives Vikram ahead of Anthony Andrews and Bereave (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The 5-2 KZN raider and favourite Captain Fontane, suffered his first defeat, but was not disgraced at his maiden Cape start when running third a further length back. The handsome son of Captain Al remains on track for a bid at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, via the Green Point Stakes.
Trainer Andre Nel, who also saddled the fourth-placed finisher in a memorable race for the Rondeberg team, said that Vikram had only had one short gallop as he had not wanted to risk further damage to his tendon.
“I had a feeling he’d run a good race today,” Nel told presenter Fiona Ramsden of the 6yo past winner of the low-key Founders Trophy at Fairview, who paid a few cents short of R50 for a win on the tote.
“Going into the final stages, I thought, hey, we can steal this if he keeps this up – it was a good win and I am thankful to Mr Nel, Mrs Plattner and their team,” said Mbhele, a jockey who often hasn’t had the greatest luck in his career so far.
Bred by Lammerskraal Stud, Vikram is a son of champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the four-time winning Western Winter mare, Vermillion.
Vikram, who had previously won from 1400m to 1800m, cost R675 000 on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and took his stakes tally to R440 788 with his fifth win and ninth place from eighteen starts.
Credit to Chief Handicapper Lennon Maharaj and his team. Just over 6 lengths covered the entire field.
OFFICIAL RESULT
| TRAINER | JOCKEY | DISTANCE | BETTING | |||
| 1ST | 8 VIKRAM | WA Nel | S Mbhele | 50/1 | ||
| 2ND | 13 BEREAVE | AN Marcus | A Andrews | 0.40 | 0.40 | 10/1 |
| 3RD | 9 CAPTAIN FONTANE | GB Puller | S Khumalo | 1.00 | 1.40 | 5/2 |
| 4TH | 7 PLEASEDTOMEETYOU | WA Nel | G van Niekerk | 0.40 | 1.80 | 20/1 |
| 5TH | 3 SHE’S A KEEPER | G van Zyl | B Fayd’Herbe | 1.25 | 3.05 | 17/2 |
| TIME OF RACE: 1 min 12.06 sec | ||||||
| Tote
Fav |
9 CAPTAIN FONTANE | GB Puller | S Khumalo | 1.40 | 5/2 | |
