While the dust may have settled in the Western Cape after the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, it will be business as usual when racing returns to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday 31 January for an eight-race card that is likely to be dominated by trainer Candice-Bass Robinson, and jockeys Craig Zackey and Gareth Wright on the riding front.
The latter struck up a good rapport with four-year-old gelding Tambourine Man and ought to get the meeting off to a winning start aboard Adam Marcus’ son of Twice Over in Race 1 over 1200m. In his last four starts, all of which have been under Wright, Tambourine Man has twice finished second and third, so he wouldn’t be winning out of turn.
Talented three-year-old Callmegetrix fits a similar profile in that she has improved her finishing position in each outing under the South African Jockey Academy alumni. Bass-Robinson’s charge was drawn wide with Wright aboard when a fast-finishing fourth over 1400m in her first start with blinkers and made the expected improvement stepped up to 1600m by finishing a staying-on third under the former KZN-based rider before confirming her liking for the ‘mile’ trip by winning last time out.
She returns to the scene of that course-and-distance success in Race 2 to renew her rivalry with stablemate Rainbow Lorikeet and Brett Crawford-trained Princess Izzy, both of whom are better at the weights. However, given the manner of that win five weeks ago, and despite starting from the widest No 11 barrier, progressive Callmegetrix is good value to defy her four-point penalty and the resultant weight turnaround by following up under Wright for a third career win from seven starts.
Bass-Robinson has admitted to still “getting to the bottom of” well-related Foudre, who is a son of Fire Away and three-time Broodmare Of The Year Halfway To Heaven – this makes him a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winners Golden Ducat, Rainbow Bridge (2021 Equus Horse Of The Year) as well as Champion Three Year Old Colt and first-season sire Hawwaam.
Foudre finished second on debut over 1250m and third in his second start over 1400m before being turned over at prohibitive odds (3-10) when second over 2000m which prompted connections to ‘cut’ their highly regarded three-year-old.
Craig Zackey, in his capacity as retained rider for owner Lady Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables, has ridden the Fire Away gelding in each of four starts, the latest of which was over 1400m with Foudre finishing a staying-on fourth (5.70 lengths) behind Solomons Seal, who has subsequently run well to finish fourth at a higher level in a Graduation Plate.
On the evidence of his most recent, Foudre will undoubtedly be a better horse over ground so the step up in trip to 1600m in Race 3 should unlock the improvement needed to see him open his account under Zackey.
The decision to fit blinkers to lightly raced Rosh Kedesh could prove a masterstroke by trainer Dean Kannemeyer, whose talented charge has been leaving himself too much to do before rattling home too late in recent outings. This son of Vercingetorix has been running on late to finish just off the winner over 1600m in his last two starts but is likely to be sharper and nearer the speed with headgear equipped for the first time. Furthermore, a return to 1400m – the distance over which he has registered both career wins – and the likelihood of a quicker tempo, should also suit Rosh Kedesh, who was a R450,000 buy as a yearling.
Zackey was aboard Kannemeyer’s runner when finishing a close-up eighth last time and retains the ride on the four-year-old gelding who has a bit to find on recent form if he is to turn the tables on both Carriacou and Future Prince. That said, Rosh Kedesh could make sufficient improvement in first-time blinkers to reverse that form at attractive odds!
At the meeting on 20 January, Bass-Robinson saddled four winners with each one ridden to victory by a different jockey – Wright, Aldo Domeyer, Sean Veale and Anthony Andrews – and that trend could continue with Morne Winnaar the likely beneficiary of her third winner on the day.
The latter steered highly rated Future Variety to victory when given an opportunity aboard the three-year-old gelding two starts back and is reunited with this talented son of Var in Race 8 over 1000m.
Clive Robinson
