A Rainbow for Chris
POIGNANT: RISING STAR CARRIES GERBER COLOURS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN Trainer Eric Sands reveals path that leads to the Met.
There were plenty of moist eyes at Kenilworth yesterday as rising star Rainbow Bridge romped to victory in the Cape Mile in the blue and yellow silks of Chris Gerber, the well-liked racing man who died recently.
Gerber owned and bred some good horses in his time, but whether any were as good as Rainbow Bridge is debateable.
The gelded son of Ideal World won this non-Black Type feature as easily as he pleased, maintaining a perfect record that now reads five from five and more than R600,000 in prize money.
Trainer Eric Sands, among those affected by the poignancy of the moment, outlined his star’s path from here on. And it wasn’t too complicated.
“The Green Point Stakes, then the Queen’s Plate, then the Met,” he said, taking in the prized jewels of the Cape summer season.
The strapping Rainbow Bridge looks more than capable of winning all of those three races, given the way he hammered a field of well-regarded horses here.
From the 1600m break, Bernard Fayd’Herbe got the 16-10 favourite handily positioned in midfield about five lengths off the pace being set by 26-10 second favourite Silver Maple. The Slade, Fifty Cents, Copper Force and Rocket Countdown did the chasing around the left-hand turn.
With 200m to go, Fayd’Herbe loosened his rein and the big stride that is rapidly becoming famous carried Rainbow Bridge past Silver Maple in a matter of seconds. Thereafter it was hand and heels and an elegant execution.
Silver Maple held on doggedly for second, with Platinum Prince running on well into third, ahead of Rocket Countdown and Eyes Wide Open.
Afterwards, Fayd’Herbe said Sands would have some difficulty in getting him to relinquish the ride on Rainbow Bridge.
Sands described his charge as “phenomenal” and said his only worry was how worked up and sweaty the big fellow got on race day.
In the main feature of the day, the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes, a 1100m sprint for fillies and mares up the straight, Anime registered an impressive pillar-to-post victory for trainer Dennis Drier and jockey Sean Veale.
Anime started at 9-1, while Casual Diamond was the 11-2 favourite in an open-looking contest. Next on the boards were Magical Wonderland and Ostinato at 8-1.
Freedom Charter (18-1) and Casual Diamond made good late runs but couldn’t overhaul the flying leader.