Thirteen runners from eight different stables, including two Highveld raiders and a solitary KZN representative, will contest the 162nd renewal of the R2 million World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 27 January.
The top notch field, which includes a quintet from the powerful title-holding Justin Snaith yard, will bid for glory in the 2000m weight-for-age event on the World Pool raceday, a traditional horseracing and social highlight on the Cape calendar.
The line-up was unveiled at a function at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesdayevening, where the general consensus was that the barrier gates mean little on the very fair Southern Suburbs track, given the size of the field.
Michael Roberts – saddles the favourite See It Again (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Trainers Justin Snaith, Ricky Maingard and Michael Roberts agreed that the draws did not matter much, but Brett Crawford begged to differ, saying that the ‘closer one is to the rail, and the easier opportunity to take the shortest route home, had to be an advantage.’
Michael Roberts said that the long back stretch and an experienced jockey in the irons means that the draw is largely academic.
Current favourite is his 2024 L’Ormarins King’s Plate runner-up See It Again (draw 11), who bids to give six-times national champion jockey Piere Strydom his second Met winner after Angus in 2003.
Strydom had his first ride in the Cape showpiece in 1988 on Western Wind for Stanley Greeff, and certainly ranks as the most experienced rider in the class of 2024.
1st R1187500, 2nd R380000, 3rd R190000, 4th R95000, 5th R47500, RCIS R100000
WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE TOWN MET (Grade 1)
Open to horses at Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-6kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Waterberry Lane | 60 | 113 | A | Denis Schwarz | Ricky Maingard | |
| 2 | 2 | Double Superlative | 60 | 118 | A | Daniel Muscutt | Justin Snaith | |
| 3 | 3 | Pacaya | 60 | 111 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Justin Snaith | |
| 4 | 4 | Anfields Rocket | 59.5 | 117 | A | Luyolo Mxothwa | Brett Crawford | |
| 5 | 5 | Bless My Stars | 57 | 119 | A | Richard Fourie | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | 6 | Mucho Dinero | 59.5 | 110 | A | Grant van Niekerk | Justin Snaith | |
| 7 | 7 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 60 | 126 | A | Raymond Danielson | Ricky Maingard | |
| 8 | 8 | Royal Aussie | 59.5 | 124 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Justin Snaith | |
| 9 | 9 | Without Question | 59.5 | 117 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Justin Snaith | |
| 10 | 10 | Sugar Mountain | 60 | 109 | A | Aldo Domeyer | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 11 | 11 | See It Again | 59.5 | 132 | BA | Piere Strydom | Michael Roberts | |
| 12 | 12 | Montien | 59.5 | 119 | A | Anthony Andrews | Piet Botha | |
| 13 | 13 | Rascallion | 60 | 122 | A | Bernard Fayd’Herbe | Vaughan Marshall | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (1,7) (2,3,6,8,9) | ||||||||
Winning Form-sponsored Richard Fourie is set to partner Sean Tarry’s Bless My Stars (draw 5), the only member of the fairer sex in the 2024 line-up.
Fourie won his first Met last year, while Bless My Stars’ trainer Sean Tarry has waited 19 long years for his second Met victory, after Alastor won under Garth Puller in 2005.
The last filly to win the Met was Oh Susanna for Grant van Niekerk and Justin Snaith in 2018.
Snaith has a typically varied and powerful hand, with recent L’Ormarins King’s Plate third-placer Royal Aussie something of a surprise inclusion.
Justin Snaith pulls a big 2 for Double Superlative (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Snaith’s dark horse looks likely to be the Trippi gelding Pacaya (draw 3), who has enjoyed a perfect prep, after winning the WSB Gr2 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville last season.
Milnerton trainer Piet Botha doesn’t have the biggest string around, and the inclusion of the Louis The King gelding Montien in the final line-up is a feather in the cap for the former jockey.
Montien ran out of his skin when fifth behind the now retired Charles Dickens in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, and will have his supporters as a possible quartet kicker, despite his 12 draw. He will be ridden by Anthony Andrews, a son of the part owners, Terry and Annabel Andrews.
South Africa’s only female jockey Rachel Venniker earns her first Met ‘cap’, with a ride on Without Question, while English-based rider Danny Muscutt flies in to ride stablemate Double Superlative.
