The Rider Cup Inter-Provincial Jockeys Challenge took place at Scottsville today and the three teams of four fought to an exciting conclusion.

The teams entered the final of four legs with the Cape Eagles and Highveld Hawks locked together on 102 points and the defending champions the KZN Falcons also right there on 99.

The 1200m handicap then produced a blanket finish with the Chris Erasmus-trained Jason Argo, ridden by Eagles captain Grant Van Niekerk, pipping stablemate Panza with Hawks captain S’Manga Khumalo up. Karl Zechner of the Hawks was third on Shogun. However, more drama followed as Khumalo objected. The subsequent upheld decision proved crucial to the outcome of the inter-provincial.

The Highveld Hawks had thus emerged victorious on 139 points to the Eagles on 133 and the Falcons on 132.

In the first leg Aldo Domeyer of the Eagles converted favouritism on the Duncan Howells-trained Gordon’s Cungee. Corne Orffer and Khumalo earned second and third-placed points on the Mark Dixon-trained pair Honorary and Dundrum respectively.

Anton Marcus then got one back for the Falcons, who were captained by Anthony Delpech, when the Mike de Kock-trained two-year-old Very Vary proved too good for a weak maiden field over 1200m. An objection by third-placed Kimberley, ridden by Van Niekerk, against second-placed Escovitch with Zechner up was unsuccessful.

The Eagles led at this stage on 79 points with the Hawks on 70 and the Falcons on 53.

In the third leg Marcus converted favouritism again on the Dennis Drier-trained Wealthy, although the runner up Silver Rose with the Falcons’ Keagan de Melo up was baulked for a run and possibly unlucky. However, with Starret City earning third-placed points for the Hawks’ JP van der Merwe, an exciting conclusion was assured. The other jockeys competing were Muzi Yeni (Falcons), Andrew Fortune (Hawks) and Teaque Gould (Eagles).

David Thiselton