Jockey Aldo Domeyer should have the edge over his riding rivals at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, as the 10-race card on Saturday 17 August contains three attractive betting propositions. And Domeyer, who achieved the highest win strike-rate (20.9%) of the riders in the Western Cape last season, is engaged to ride all of them.
He rode promising From A Distance in her three two-year-old appearances last season, finishing second in consecutive starts over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth aboard Candice Bass-Robinson’s inmate. Unsurprisingly, Domeyer continues the partnership with this daughter of Querari on her three-year-old debut in Race 1 over 1000m.
On the evidence of those back-to-back seconds, From A Distance needn’t have improved much in the 67 days since her last start to make a winning reappearance and shed her maiden tag in her first outing at the country course.
Stablemate King’s Quest has the benefit of track experience which will stand this Querari colt in good stead when lining up over 1250m – the same course and distance of his debut – in Race 2.
Domeyer was in the irons when King’s Quest finished an eye-catching third in a juvenile race on debut last month and, no doubt, would’ve been impressed by what he felt from the youngster who ought to have come on appreciably with that run under the belt.
Ideally positioned in stall gate No 3, with track-and-trip experience on his side and natural improvement expected, King’s Quest is one of the better bets on the card and it should pay to follow his progress.
Piet Botha-trained Radicchio made a winning Durbanville debut over 1600m on the opening day of the 2024/25 season (1 August). He lines up over the same course and distance in Race 5 under the minimum two-point penalty so looks good value to follow up, with Domeyer taking over the reins from Champion Jockey Richard Fourie who is on a well-deserved holiday.
Master Of Paris (0.5kg), Join The Dots (1.5kg) and All About About Ronnie renew rivalry on better weight terms but are unlikely to turn the tables on Radicchio, who won from the widest No 10 gate last time but is favourably drawn in stall No 2 on this occasion.
In the opening fortnight of the new season, KwaZulu-Natal-based jockey Sean Veale has laid down an early marker and is currently top of the National Jockeys’ Log with – at the time of writing – 14 wins from 56 rides at an impressive 25%.
He has a full complement of 10 rides on this Cape Town visit which should be made worthwhile with wins by Vaughan Marshall-trained Cumbre Vieja in Race 3 and Call To Unite, who he rides for Justin Snaith in Race 6.
Gareth Wright is another jockey worth following on the day as his rides in Race 4 (Pretty Precious) and Race 7 (Midway) – both for trainer Brett Crawford – also have strong winning credentials.
Clive Robinson
