Stipes probe tactics

The Kenilworth stipes, envisaging angry punters all over South Africa, were quick to hold an inquiry into the Christmas Market Pinnacle on Saturday. The race was won by 20-1 rank outsider Milton with the riders of the other four runners seemingly making no attempt to bridge the gap when Corne Orffer poached a 10-length lead.

What made it worse in the eyes of punters and public was that the winner is trained by Billy Prestage who frequently instructs his jockeys to try and pinch a commanding lead. The shocks he has brought off with these tactics include Red Peril in the Settlers Trophy and Milton in the Premier Trophy, both last year.

He could hardly believe his luck this time and exclaimed: “Were they mad letting my horse go like that?”

The stipes promptly summoned Richard Fourie, rider of odds-on Made To Conquer and the leader of the “chasing” pack, to ask him to explain his riding. As they heard what he had to say, and looked again at the film of the race, they realised that there was no case to answer. From a long way out Milton’s pursuers were cooked as completely as a Sunday braai.

Fourie said: “If I could have sat closer I would have done so but they (the three Justin Snaith runners) were unfit horses and they had only had one 1400m gallop.”

Senior stipe Ernie Rodrigues, taking this writer through the film, said: “Corne Orffer pinched the race at the 800m mark but the rest were gone by the top of the straight.”

The wily Prestage now has his sights set on a second Premier Trophy on 15 December while Snaith will split Durban July second and third Made To Conquer and Elusive Silva, and Cape Summer Stayers winner Strathdon, between the Premier and the 5 January Peninsula Handicap. –