Platinum Prince set to rule
PLATINUM Prince looks like becoming the latest star to carry the famous Devine colours after sauntering home for his fourth successive handicap win at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Justin Snaith-trained threeyear-old was raised 16 points (8kg) for his previous three victories and the handicappers may well test the eightpoint rule limit at today’s conference call.
All four wins have come in the hands of Aldo Domeyer who finishes the season one short of his century despite the time off that back problems have cost him.
Merysagos
Those problems seem to be solved because they came through an uncomfortable test put to them by the antics of the unruly Merysagos on the way to the start of the Racing Association Juvenile Plate.
She even threw him off at one point. She certainly won like a good ’un whereas runner-up and main market rival Midnight Moonlight, eased to the back soon after the start, ran in snatches – sometimes pulling, sometimes being pushed.
Snaith Racing completed a quick-fire treble in the Champagne when 25-1 shot Nordic Breeze found more close home to shade stable companion A Time To Dream and give Brandon May his first taste of Graded glory.
Ken Truter and owner-breeder Veronica Foulkes confirmed their filly will race on next season.
The race was delayed ten minutes by a false start, and then by Ahoy Me Matey bursting through her gate.
South Side
Karl Zechner reported that the fancied South Side was hindered by this and then failed to stay.
But that was before he heard that the veterinary examination ordered by the stipes revealed that the filly was not striding out on her left fore.
Race three was delayed nearly a quarter of an hour.
The gate onto the course was mysteriously locked and the vet, the farrier and the starting staff found themselves unable to get to the pens!
Greg Cheyne, given the choice of 19-10 favourite Bendy Bullet and second favourite Rush Hour Girl in race three, correctly picked the Paddy Kruyer filly as his mount.
This was his 150th winner of the season (he scored on Spending Spree for Brett Crawford) and he is the Western Cape-based jockey with the biggest total whereas Richard Fourie is the rider with the highest number of winners (95) in the province.
But Cheyne will be sidelined from Wednesday for a week as a result of an interference offence at last Tuesday’s meeting.
Jason Smitsdorff was also in trouble that day, in his case for taking his cellphone into the jockeys’ room.
There were mitigating circumstances – he has been requested to return there as a replacement rider – and so his R2 500 fine has been suspended for six months.
Smitsdorff
Smitsdorff got his name in print for the right reasons when leading throughout the Fillies Maiden Juvenile on Over Again.
The winner started at 25-1 but Ronnie Sheehan, asked if this was a surprise, was indignant.
“Surprise?” he exclaimed. “This horse has had two bloody god runs. I told the jockey he couldn’t lose.”