Grant van Niekerk and Justin Snaith sprint to a double
STABLEMATES ROMP IN AT 15-1 AND 45-1 TO BATTER EXOTIC BET PUNTERS IN CAPE TOWN
Sir Frenchie dubbed ‘a sprinter to follow’ after narrow victory in the Sophomore Sprint.
Grant van Niekerk continued his devastating recent form with a quick-fire feature sprint double at Kenilworth on Saturday for Justin Snaith, although neither winner was greeted with rapture by the majority of punters.
Both came from a long way back. First, Australian import Sir Frenchie (15-1) just got the better of a luckless Bold Respect in the last stride to take the Listed Sophomore Sprint.
Runner-up Bold Respect was similarly beaten in the R2.5-million Lanzerac RTR race – appearing to have seen off all challenges before being collared by a horse who has been getting going too late over further.
As a juvenile, Sir Frenchie did score a Grade 3 second over 1100m to Woljayrine, who was third here, so, with the benefit of hindsight, it is slightly surprising that this was his first sprint outing as a threeyear-old.
Post race Van Niekerk marked Sir Frenchie as “a sprinter to follow”, while trainer Snaith said that “’he won’t be running on Met day, and won’t be appearing again in the near future”.
The bomb really dropped in the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes though when Bishop’s Bounty (45-1) finished best of all after being slow away to get the better of freewheeling stablemate Sergeant Hardy and veteran Tevez in an exciting finish.
Powerful frontrunner Sergeant Hardy only knows one way and was still going great guns passing the 200m pole.
Diminutive Tevez was first to throw down a challenge but wider out Van Niekerk produced the full brother to Red Ray and Nania at the perfect time to win going away.
Favourites Trip To Heaven and Dutch Philip were never able to get into the fray.
The victor has always appeared capable of winning a graded race, but on paper was badly out at the weights in this contest. Add in a couple of poor efforts since gelding and it was hardly surprising that he was friendless in the betting market.
His jockey admitted it was an “unexpected” win as he was presented with his trophy on behalf of sponsors Khaya Stables by Karl Neisius, who won this race a remarkable 10 times during his illustrious riding career. The usually bullish Snaith was also forced to admit that this was “something of a surprise”.
Earlier, Joey Ramsden’s outstanding juvenile form continued when Lucky Dancer under Anton Marcus scored comfortably in the opener.
“JR” has now had eight two– year-old runners this campaign for three wins, two seconds and three fourths.
Assistant trainer Ricardo Sobotker indicated afterwards that this one would line up for the R350,000 Kuda Sprint in a fortnight, where he will likely be a lively challenger.