Cape Racing’s ongoing tussle with Mother Nature in what has been a wet July to beat all July’s, produced a fairytale at a sunny, but very chilly, Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Thursday, when Milnerton stalwart Peter Wrensch celebrated a rare double out of his small yard.
“I think the fact that we raced at all on Thursday after Wednesday’s conditions was a bigger surprise than our double!” exclaimed Peter in a chat with the Sporting Post on Friday.
Peter Wrensch and his partner Juliet Brink flank winning rider Xavier Carstens (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“Full marks for an incredible job to Dean Diedericks and his track management team. And the unrelenting pursuit of the administration team to deliver a meeting deserves an accolade. Second-guessing the weather and track conditions is a thankless job, and they are kind of damned if they do and damned if they don’t, aren’t they? But Justin Vermaak has done a great job of changing the dynamics of what we are used to when it comes to abandoning and recreating meetings in record time!”
The top former Cape Hunt amateur jockey, who rode what must be close to a record of over 40 000 horses in work at Milnerton in his over forty winters in the saddle, achieved his Thursday double with two horses new to his yard.
It was an emotional moment for the man whose 96 year old Mom Norma, his biggest fan and a passionate racing enthusiast, passed away in late June.
Peter’s two winners are both Wrensch Racing newbies. Mela Strength arrived from Lunga Gila in Philippi on 1 July, while the former Rix-Crawford charge Xplicit Content arrived two weeks ago.
“A change of environment has often given horses a new lease of life,” adds Peter modestly as he points out that the lifeblood of racing is pedigree.
“We’re very grateful to get an opportunity with a Silvano and a Vercingetorix. It’s been a tough time for everyone without racing, gallops and tracks, but us horse people are a resilient and optimistic bunch! Our two world-class grooms have kept the horses mobile and happy, which is why my runners were happy to be at the course. It is true that happy horses give their best, which was the most satisfying aspect of the double.”
Mela Strength, the 66-1 bomb in a field of six to open the Pick 6, benefitted from a balanced and powerful ride by Robert Khathi. Peter Wrensch beat some illustrious colleagues, including Met and July winners Eric Sands, Brett Crawford and Justin Snaith.
Xavier Carstens rode Xplicit Content to win the eighth race,
“At only his sixth start, Mela Strength was all guts and will to win. Xplicit Content oozed confidence being saddled and cantering sedately to post.Credit to the horses because they delivered. It’s emotionally heartwarming to experience their honesty. Great 2 draws and the underfoot conditions were an advantage which enabled two flawless rides. Wonderful for Robert Kathi and Xavier Carstens who have both just emerged from suspension issues,” concluded Peter.
Saturday’s scheduled Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting has been postponed to Wednesday 31 July.
Xplicit Content, you beauty! Peter gives his charge a kiss (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
