Vaughan Marshall’s 7yo Rascallion came out fresh off a 27-week break under an inspired ride by Gavin Lerena to win the R350 000 Gr3 Cape Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Rascallion (Gavin Lerena), Zapatillas (Kabelo Matsunyane, purple cap), Gimme A Prince (Craig Zackey, yellow cap) and Montien (Anthony Andrews, pink cap) fight out a thriller (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Snaith champion Jet Dark won the 2022 renewal of the Cape Mile before going on to win the Cape Town Met. Rascallion’s connections will be hoping for history to repeat itself after their hard-knocking gelding went down narrowly to Double Superlative in the 2024 renewal of the Cape flagship and could have another shot at the big prize on 25 January.
National log-leading jockey Gavin Lerena bounced back courageously after a fall behind the starting gates in the opener, and settled Rascallion in midfield as Itsrainingwilliam led defending champion Montien and Zapatillas.
Craig Zackey had the 9-4 favourite Gimme A Prince dropped in at the rear from his wide draw.
In the run for home, Rascallion built up steadily down the inside as Craig Zackey had Gimme A Prince flying wide out, having many lengths to make up.
In a grandstand finish, Lerena timed Rascallion’s (15-2) effort perfectly as the gelding forged ahead to hold off Zapatillas (25-2) and Gimme A Prince (9-4). Under half a length covered the quartet, with defending champion Montien (4-1) plugging on for fourth.
In shades of stablemate Gimmie’s Countess performance in the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship a week earlier, it was a terrific effort from a wide gate by Gimme A Prince, who showed that he gets the mile and is likely to go for the L’Ormarins Kings Plate on 4 January 2025.
A R350 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, Rascallion was bred by Dr Veronique Kritzinger, who was on course to enjoy thye moment. The winner is a son of Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the Jet Master mare, Sofala.
A winner of 6 races with 14 places from 27 starts, Rascallion took his total stakes earnings to R1 873 839.
Earlier on the bright sunny afternoon, the Andre Nel-Corne Orffer combination got favourite backers off to a good start in the 1200m Maiden Plate when the La Plaissance Stud product Cork Bay (33-20) stayed on to beat off a late challenge Circumbendibus (16-1).
The eye-catcher was Dean Kannemeyer’s Fire Away gelding Gurkha (66-1), who came from miles off to run into third under Serino Moodley.
Gavin Lerena was dumped by Elsinore behind the gates and the Snaith gelding was withdrawn. Gavin thankfully continued for the day.
Craig Zackey rode his fifth winner in 24 hours when he earned his commission on Dean Kannemeyer’s Rich Folks Hoax (5-2) to win the second, a 1400m Maiden Plate. The good-looking son of Danon Platina had to dig deep to hold off rare Cape visitor Chase Maujean and Green Garnet (8-1).
Snow Pilot was the most impressive winner of the day when he ran away with the laurels in the third race, a R135 000 Progress Plate. Read more here.
Kabelo Matsunyane and Brett Crawford got on the boards in the fourth race courtesy of the Master Of My Fate gelding Big Unit (5-1) who scythed through down the centre from his wide gate to open the Pick 6.
Big Unit beat fellow Master Of My Fate gelding Tout A Fait (33-1), who improved again for second. The 3yo Powerandtheglory was the 18-10 favourite to follow up on his recent maiden victory. The son of Gimmethegreenlight flattered to deceive and ran just out of the money.
Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie celebrated an early double when the improving 4yo Song To The Moon (11-10) beat stablemate Magic Verse (7-2) by 0,40 lengths in the 1800m Cape B Stakes.
Join The Dots (7-2) completed a fancied trifecta.
Snaith Racing was on target for the third time on the afternoon when Winx-sponsored jockey JP van der Merwe put the frustration of his runner-up status on Magic Verse in the previous race when he steered the consistent favourite Groovejet (1-1) up in the sixth race, a 1950m Cape C Stakes, to victory.
The next Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting is on Tuesday – the first carded for 12h15.
The opening of the Cape Summer Festival Of Racing, the CommunityFest raceday, featuring the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup, will be held on Saturday 23 November.
