The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Trippi three-year-old Summer Sky showed the benefit of gelding at Scottsville on Sunday and offers the hope of a SA Champions Season classic contender for the top yard.

Kannemeyer said Summer Sky had become a real handful during the summer and he had battled to saddle him in his previous start on Sun Met day. He wore first-time blinkers that day and produced a late surge to win a MR 78 Handicap over 1400m by a short-head under Anthony Delpech. Kannemeyer was then granted permission by owners Drakenstein Stud to geld him.

On Sunday Summer Sky was well drawn in three and Delpech soon had him in a handy position. He galloped on resolutely in the straight and won easing up by five lengths from a field which consisted mainly of older horses, including the Listed winner Way Of Light. Summer Sky was a bit keen in the running and Kannemeyer confirmed he would improve for the outing. However, he said he would not be ready in time for the Gr 3 Byerley Turk over 1400m, which is usually used by classic contenders as a springboard into the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas.  The Byerley Turk will be run at Scottsville next Sunday and the Daisy Guineas is on May 7 at Greyville. However, Kannemeyer said he would nominate him for the Guineas and decide at the time whether it would be wise to run him. That race will represent Summer Sky’s last opportunity to run in a classic as races beyond a mile will likely stretch him.

Kannemeyer’s SA Champions Season string looks a “bit thin”, but this was also the case two years ago and he ended up winning the Vodacom Durban July with Power King.

His string thus year has been weakened by one of his July runners from last year Mambo Mime having a bout of colic, which has put him out for the season.

He admitted his chances of winning the July this year, or even having a runner, looked remote but added, “You never know what can happen.”

Last year he arrived in KZN thinking his five-year-old Dynasty gelding Solid Speed would campaign in staying races. However, this classy sort ended up jumping as joint-third favourite for the July, where he unfortunately went wrong and had to be retired.

A horse with a similar profile is Kannemeyer’s four-year-old Ideal World gelding Cape Speed. Kannemeyer said he would be aimed at the big staying events and defending his Gr 3 Track And Ball Derby crown will be one of his goals. Four of Cape Speed’s five career wins have been in KZN and he is a horse to keep an eye on.

Another Kannemeyer horse who thrives in KZN is his Gr 1-winning sprinter Real Princess.

He said her last start when finishing last in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m on Sun Met day could be ignored as it coincided with a virus in his yard and she returned with “muck” in her lungs.

She hasn’t run since, but Kannemeyer put her on the Summerveld grass the other day and she went well. He will prepare her for the defence of her Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint crown.

Real Princess’s six career wins have all been in KZN and five of them have been at Scottsville.

By David Thiselton