Since cutting formal ties with the powerful Mike de Kock yard and going freelance early in the season, Anthony Delpech has not looked back. He is an important cog in the Dean Kannemeyer operation that has been a main source of his many winners but along with agent Deez Dayanand, they have cherry-picked with great success.

It was an up-and-down afternoon at Greyville yesterday when favourite Gregorian Chant failed to deliver and found to be lame post-race after the first and hot favourite Tripandie dug in his toes and refused to load for the seventh. But these were mere hiccups as he was in front of the microphone for the third and followed up just for good measure.

Tripandie, looking for his fourth win on the bounce, was in short order for the 99 Divided Handicap but refused point blank to take his place in the line-up resulting in him being scratched.

But whether he would have matched the finishing effort of the Mark Dixon-trained Captain Chaos is debateable. Since arriving in the Dixon yard for the season from Ronnie Sheehan in Cape Town, Captain Chaos has taken time to find his feet, but back to a sprint he landed running yesterday.

“Today was the first time I was happy with the horse. He had put on condition, his coat had come right and his work on the poly was phenominal. With myself and Kegan we said if he doesn’t run well today then we are really in trouble,” he said.

“He arrived with a big reputation,” said Kegan de Melo, “but he was not putting in what he was showing in work. I think the blinkers did the trick.”

Highway Explorer pinched an early lead at the top of the straight but was running on memory at the furlong marker as Captain Chaoas was produced with a telling finish by De Melo. Psycho Syd gave MJ Byleveld a torrid ride but stayed on to finish a well-beaten second.

Doug Campbell, in the second box after the first as King Of Scots found the De Kock-trained Coyote, a pick-up ride for Anton Marcus, just too good was lavish in his praise after Delpech produced Golden Fort with a perfectly timed run to out-do Roy’s Sailor and Just Positive. “It’s wonderful to have a top jockey,” said Campbell and it appeared that he needed him. “He’s a big boy, very strong,” said Delpech of Golden Fort after punching the gelding out to the line hands and heels. “He still doesn’t know how to race. He has his head in the air and I didn’t want to hit him. It doesn’t do these types of horses any good.” By Elusive Fort, Golden Fort was home-bred by Claire and William Meyer on their farm outside of Mooi River.

Delpech was back in front of the cameras 30 minutes later but having to work much harder on the Des Egdes-trained Just Rap who held off the attentions of Brave And Bold and peace-making favourite La Gitano. “It was a cracking ride by Anthony,” enthused Egdes who is always lavish with his instructions. “Des told me to stay out of the kick-back so I was happy to be three wide,” said the rider, “but I had to work hard for this one.”

Silver Inspiration was given a patient ride by Warren Kennedy for Chris Erasmus and owners Koos de Klerk and Bruce le Roux in the fifth.  Being Julia tried a repeat of her end-to-end victory last time out but came up empty as Silver Inspiration ran her down and Airtime finished off her race nicely to relegate her to third.

Hardly a meeting passes without apprentice Lyle Hewitson making a visit to the winner’s box and he picked up another on a chance ride for Pal Lafferty and prolific owner Roy Moodley. Admittedly the scratching of the fancied runners Surrey and Shenyang opened the door for Roy’s Strike Force but the son of Lecture quickened away smartly at the top of the straight and won unchallenged.

Andrew Harrison