While the official start of the 2025 SA Champions Season is just over a month away, trainer Dean Kannemeyer cast the foundation for an exciting few months ahead when he saddled Teflon Man to win the weather delayed R165 000 KwaZulu-Natal Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday.
Teflon Man (Craig Zackey) stays on convincingly to beat second-placed African Skyline (#8) under Serino Moodley (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
A winner of the 2024 Durban Dash at the same venue when accounting for the very capable King Of Gauls, Teflon Man was travelling hard against the steel off a slow pace as Celtic Beauty led Mr Master Starter and Shipholia early.
In the stampede to the line, Teflon Man (15-10), despite spreading a shoe in running, always looked to be going best and stayed on convincingly to beat the low-flying African Skyline (25-2) by 0,40 lengths in a time of 72,06 secs.
The winner’s stablemate Mr Master Starter (14-1) came right back at them to run third and only 0,30 lengths behind the runner-up.
Complimenting Hollywoodbets Greyville track management, jockey Craig Zackey said he was confident of winning the 1200m non black-type contest and felt that the slow pace had initially jeopardized his prospects, but that a solid effort by Teflon Man had made the difference.
Dean Kannemeyer, who saddled the Fillies Guineas prospect Give Me Everything to make it four on the trot when winning her first start in the province a half hour earlier, said that Teflon Man had shown the benefit of gelding and had quickened up smartly.
“Mr Master Starter also ran a cracker to finish third. Thanks to the owners and my team for a job well done,” added Kannemeyer.
Teflon Man was bred in partnership by Klawervlei Stud and late former part owner David Abery and is a son of Querari (Oasis Dream) out of the once-raced Irish-bred Dark Angel mare, Lost In Love.
A R275 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate and a winner of 5 races with 5 places from 17 starts, Teflon Man has won R544 620 in stakes and is raced by the Abery Family Trust, Mike Fullard, James Drew, Dean Kannemeyer, Ernie Rabe & Lee-Anne Drew.
