Van Niekerk Fined For Feature Error

Sequel to Riding High Together Gr2 Gold Bracelet

Grant van Niekerk’s nervous final strides of the very last graded stakes feature of the 2023/24 SA Champions season have seen the popular Cape rider incur a fine for his error.

A late replacement for the indisposed Aldo Domeyer, we reported at the time that Grant van Niekerk did everything perfectly for 1975m of the 2000m of the R500 000 Riding High Together Gr2 Gold Bracelet on the Cape raider Red Palace. The race was run on the season feature finale, the World Pool Gold Cup day.

Fright night! Grant van Niekerk glances across as Corne Orffer and Saartjie cut down Red Palace’ lead – it ended well! (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

Van Niekerk had the well backed Candice Bass-Robinson trained Red Palace stalking the leader Lady Of Power two lengths off the gallop.

Into the home run, Rascova moved past the leader and made a dash for glory, with Van Niekerk making his run down the middle.

Red Palace sailed past Rascova and was going away – that’s until Van Niekerk erred, dropping his hands just metres from the line.

Despite the mistake, Red Palace (5-2) hung on by a diminishing neck to beat the courageous Saartjie (7-1), who had made up a load of lengths under Corne Orffer from way back off a bad draw, in a time of 122,74 secs.

The National Horseracing Authority charged Van Niekerk under rule 62.2.3, because, as the rider of Red Palace he failed to ride this horse out to the end of the race to the satisfaction of the Stewards. He was fined R2500.

Van Niekerk rode his fifth winner of the new season at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Friday, when Jou Lekker Ding scored at 16-1 for Vaughan Marshall and the Hollywood Syndicate.

Grant van Niekerk steers Jou Lekker Ding to victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday (Pic – Cape Racing)

Have Your Say - *Please Use Your Name & Surname

Comments Policy
The Sporting Post encourages readers to comment in the spirit of enlightening the topic being discussed, to add opinions or correct errors. All posts are accepted on the condition that the Sporting Post can at any time alter, correct or remove comments, either partially or entirely.

All posters are required to post under their actual name and surname – no anonymous posts or use of pseudonyms will be accepted. You can adjust your display name on your account page or to send corrections privately to the EditorThe Sporting Post will not publish comments submitted anonymously or under pseudonyms.

Please note that the views that are published are not necessarily those of the Sporting Post.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
33 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Share:

Facebook
WhatsApp
Twitter

Popular Posts