Kommetdieding could prove to be one of the biggest bargains in last year’s Klawervlei Farm Sale after running out a convincing winner of the R225 000 Graduate Race on debut at Kenilworth on Tuesday.
The Elusive Fort colt cost Ashwin Reynolds a mere R55 000 and he started at 16-1 but Sihle Cele’s mount proved two lengths too strong for hot favourite Tanzanite Queen with 30-1 shot Captain Dizzy all of four and a half lengths back third.
Michelle Rix, asked if the win came as a surprise, replied: “Definitely not. He opened at 25-1 and there was money for him. We have always known that he was special and we have thought highly of him from day one – although we were worried that he might jump a little slowly, not having been to the track before.”
Glen Kotzen might have been out of luck with Tanzanite Queen but he could do little wrong early on, winning three of the first four races even though victory didn’t always come from the one he expected.
Fairy Warrior was the one he – and most punters – thought would win the Kuda Maiden Juvenile but the 5-2 favourite managed only fifth behind 33-1 newcomer My Bestie. “Mr Kotzen told me to school My Bestie and give him a good experience,” said Sandile Mbhele. “But he was travelling comfortably and picked up nicely.”
“I have always loved this colt but I was a bit disappointed with the favourite Fairy Warrior,” admitted Kotzen. “Last time he came from off them, and I don’t know why Morne Winnaar took him to the front today. He said the horse was very green up front – and I’m not surprised.”
Winnaar, though, was soon back in the Woodhill trainer’s good books with first reserve Caya Coco leading a furlong out to spring a 16-1 surprise in the www.proboost.co.za Maiden Juvenile. “This is a smart filly and we have rated her from day one,” said the trainer. “But first time they walked out of the pens and her run was too bad to be true.”
Kotzen’s stable jockey promptly doubled up with Flower Of Saigon who led just under a furlong out for owner-breeders Martin Wickens and Gisela Burg in the Coup De Grace/Snaith Racing Maiden Juvenile.
Justin Snaith reached his 16th successive century with Parktown (Richard Fourie’s 86th winner of the season) and Spirit Festival who was ridden by Winnaar’s son Joshwin Solomons in the last.
Robert Khathi rode a fine waiting race in front on the Michael Robinson-trained Sudden Star in the New Turf Maiden, keeping more than enough in reserve for the final furlong.
Horses of tremendous potential seldom make their debuts in work rider races but Look To appears something special, leading over a furlong out in the Cornerstone Vet & Vetscape Maiden to score by a staggering nine and a half lengths under Lungisani Geledu.
Adele Allsop, Vaughan Marshall’s assistant, said: “We thought highly of her as a two-year-old but she got injured and had to have an operation. She is a lovely filly.”
When Peter Wrench ran Troop The Colour under a huge amount of sufferance in the Kenilworth Cup the handicappers raised the five-year-old a staggering 13 points and some knowledgeable critics said the horse would never win again. But it only took him two runs, and a five-point drop, to spring a 10-1 surprise under Ossie Noach in the Vaughan Marshall Racing Handicap.
By Michael Clower
