Highveld-based jockey Craig Zackey is riding at the top of his game, and made it four feature race victories in six days over three racing centres, when he got Kingdundee up in the last stride to give Gavin Smith a thrilling 1-2 in Friday’s R175 000 Listed Dahlia Plate at Fairview.
Craig Zackey times it perfectly to get Kingdundee up in the shadow of the post, to pip the game Happy Holly (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Zackey partnered Time For Love to win the Listed Ladies Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Sunday, then grabbed the Guineas double via Rascova and Green With Envy at Hollywoodbets Greyville in midweek, and delivered the goods in the Windy City on Friday.
While owner-breeder Clive Murphy will be over the moon with his Listed East Cape Nursery runner-up breaking the stakes ice in such courageous style, none will be happier than Moutonshoek-based Dr Bennie van der Merwe, whose Gr1 winning stallion The United States he has preached, literally from day one!
Doc Bennie has always said that they will improve with age, and Kingdundee, who started a 7-2 tote favourite, looks a smart prospect for next term after nabbing the free striding Heavenly Blue filly Happy Holly (7-2) in the final stride to win by a head in a time of 70,27 secs.
While beaten some 4,25 lengths away in third, Play Act (25-2) will have put a smile on trainer Cliffie Miller’s face.
Raced and bred by longstanding owner Clive Murphy, Kingdundee has now won 2 races with a place from just 3 starts and stakes of R192 500.
A son of Moutonshoek’s top-class Galileo stallion The United States, he is out of the one-time winning Duke Of Marmalade mare, Miss Marmalade.
This was the second leg of a double for the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Gavin Smith yard, after Calvin Habib kept Cherry Ano going to win the fifth, a Pinnacle Stakes, for owner Henning Pretorius.
