The talented five-year-old bay gelding – one of the best-fancied runners – cantered home with a bloody nose in last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July. After the race Kannemeyer, owner Lady Christine Laidlaw and Jehan Malherbe, racing manager for her Khaya Stables, discussed the matter and decided to retire Solid Speed.
Said Kannemeyer: “He ruptured blood vessels in both nostrils. He was travelling exceptionally well at the 1200m but was suddenly off the bit. Jockey Stuart Randolph started pushing but finally just put his hands down.
“Lady Laidlaw is absolutely passionate about her horses and, given Solid Speed has had issues before, we all felt strongly he had done enough. He has been very good to us.
“We fancied him in the Durban July, but unfortunately these things do happen.”
Solid Speed (left) & Mambo Mime at the VDJ Gallops (Nkosi Hlophe)
Solid Speed will be staying with Kannemeyer to become schoolmaster to his babies and in the paddock. “I love all my horses, but he’s a stable favourite,” said the Cape-based trainer. “I don’t think he knows how to kick or bite – but he certainly knows how to run. He’s a magnificent, big, beautiful horse. He’s a special one.”
Solid Speed, a gelded son of Dynasty, ran only 15 times in his career for eight wins from 1600m to 2400m, including the Grade 2 Betting World 1900 in May. His four places include a third in last year’s Grade 2 Gold Vase and a fourth in the stayers’ race on Met Day.
Kannemeyer also saddled Mambo Mime in the Durban July. He is happy enough with the colt’s 3.85-length 10th behind The Conglomerate. “It was a very good run, given the grey filly rolled on to him in the final 100m. Jockey Keagan de Melo said he thought Mambo Mime was coming through to win the race. Without the interference, he would have been closer.”
Mambo Mime might have one more run this season, in the Grade 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville on Saturday 30 July.
The Champions Cup is run on Gold Cup Day and Kannemeyer has two horses lined up for the country’s biggest marathon – Balance Sheet and Solar Star, who both ran in last Saturday’s 3000m Gold Vase.
Balance Sheet started favourite for the Gold Vase but finished second last, while Solar Star ran a “great race” in fifth behind the Mike de Kock-trained Quartet: Enaad, Smart Mart, Kingston Mines and Kinaan.
Kannemeyer said punters should “put a line” through Balance Sheet’s Gold Vase run. “He stopped to nothing but knocked himself and was a bit swollen the next day. He’s back to normal now.”
So, he could well recoup losses in the R1.25-million eLAN Gold Cup (Grade 2) over 3200m at Greyville at the end of the month.
TABnews (Nicci Garner)
