05/12/2024
ELUSIVE WINTER DELIVERS KNOCKOUT BLOW AT KENILWORTH
Graeme Hawkins
Elusive Winter, sporting blinkers for the first time, blazed a trail in yesterday’s headliner at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, the Cape B Stakes over 1000m, and then showed great tenacity to hold off the attentions of the strongly supported favourite Tenango. Ridden by Gareth Wright for the training partnership of Michelle Rix and Harold Crawford, Elusive Winter (20/1)took the bull by the horns from the jump and was never headed. The leading pair finished well clear of All About Al, who ran his usual game race, with the 5yo mare Porque Te Vas rounding out the Quartet.
Louis Burke won Leg 1 of the Hollywoodbets Work Riders’ Series on Rafa Bay a few weeks ago and he maintained a firm grip at the top of the Log when taking out Leg 2 yesterday, a Maiden Plate over 1000m. Oozing confidence, Burke allowed the favourite Elsinore (13/10) to find his feet in the early stages and the Justin Snaith-trained favourite finished off the race well to beat the shrewdly supported Peanut Pops by a neck.
The second race, a Cape D Stakes over 1100m, produced a thrilling finish with Rougarouin (5/1) just getting the better of the ultra-consistent Electric Feels (33/10). The early leader, Explicit Content stayed on to finish third ahead of the tote favourite, Tambourine Man, who rounded out a popular quartet.
Only eight runners lined up for the third race, a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1400m, but it turned out to be a rough affair. Alex Miller and Meursault were the chief sufferers inside the final 100m as Tap Shoes (8/1), an own sister to Zapatillas, rallied strongly under Grant Van Niekerk to narrowly deny White Waters by a head, with Supreme Fate running on strongly to fill the Trifecta position.
Snaith struck for a third time in the fourth race, a Maiden Plate over 1600m, saddling the first two past the post. Native Ruler looked one of the better bets on the card but drifted alarmingly in the face of support for his stable companion Gran Canaria, who was eventually sent out as the tote favourite. Native Ruler and Gran Canaria joined issue with 200m to race but the former was always travelling the better and forged ahead to score readily.
Tothemoonandback (11/10) was all the rage to win the fifth race, a Class 5 Handicap over 1800m, and the Des McLachlan-trained 5yo son of Twice Over was the subject of a terrific ride by Grant Van Niekerk to gun down Summer Night City inside the final 50m. Summer Night City made an early dash for home but had no more to offer when challenged late by Tothemoonandback who got up to score by a neck.
Craig Bantam and Adam Marcus teamed up to win the sixth race, a Cape D Stakes over 1400m, with the well-fancied Dream Searcher. Bantam had Dream Searcher (7/2) in fifth spot as the field turned for home but the 4yo daughter of Erupt quickened up smartly and drew clear to score comfortably. Ischyro (12/1) plugged on for second with Black Path(12/1) and Gold Index (40/1) making up the frame.
Van Niekerk, sporting the famous black and white silks of Gary Player, posted his third victory of the afternoon when steering the Greg Ennion-trained Family Power to a comfortable win over Swiatek (9/4) in the seventh race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1400m. Family Power was trading at 7/1 in the ante-post market but solid race day support saw the 4yo daughter of Louis The King’s odds trimmed to 9/2 and the confidence proved spot on. Miraculous (9/4) was never comfortable in the early running and trailed in a distant fourth.
Image: Cape Racing / Chase Liebenberg Design & Photography
