David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer’s fine horsemanship and loyalty to the underrated jockey Grant Behr were behind the shock win of Russian Rock in Saturday’s Grade 1 Cape Guineas. It was Dean’s sixth win of the prestigious race and the yard’s ninth as his father Peter also won it three times.

Kannemeyer said about the Klawervlei Stud-bred grey colt by Pomodoro, “He is claustrophobic and had begun box walking, so when spring came around I built him a new box in the paddock which allowed him to go out and eat when he wanted to. He became a completely different horse.”

However, the other problem which needed solving was his soft mouth, which had caused him to throw his head up and get the tongue over the bit in a 1400m race at Durbanville on October 17 and he then threw his head up again over 1200m on December 2.

Kannemeyer fitted a softer bit piece and his instructions to Behr were to get the horse’s head down and settled.

Russian Rock only threw his head up for a stride or two down the back straight and he was otherwise settled although he did take a strong hold.

Kannemeyer described the pace as steady and consistent, which aided his cause.

Russian Rock has stamina in his pedigree and had proved his speed in his previous start, so when he reached the top of the straight on the back of a perfect passage in a slow run race he was suddenly an interesting proposition. His in-running odds would have been a lot shorter than his 100/1 starting odds.

It was no surprise to see the Vaughan Marshall-trained Linebacker emerge as the likely winner half way down the straight as his form should have seen him in the top three in the betting rather than the 33/1 offered by some bookmakers. He is a big rangy type who was always going to appreciate the long straight of the New Course and Donovan Dillon had managed to relax him despite being caught wide from a wide draw.

However, it would have been a surprise for most to see Russian Rock appearing on the scene full of running.

He was even able to afford to be snatched back and switched when sandwiched at the 250m mark.

The latter occurrence was due to the hanging outward antics of the pacemaker Seeking The Stars.

Malmoos was also hampered, but was not looking like a winner,  and Rascallion, who eventually rallied back for third, was also affected.

Russian Rock rallied back gamely but was tending to hang inward.

Dillon, with the benefit of hindsight, possibly cost himself the race by continuing to whip Linebacker instead of straightening him. Linebacker consequently drifted inward meaning Behr did not have to worry about straightening his hanging mount.

Russian Rock got up on the line after a late surge and was without doubt the deserved winner on the day.

Kannemeyer said, “I was thrilled for Grant Behr who has had to play second fiddle in the Kannemeyer yard for about 100 years. If he had not won it would have been a tragedy. But he did not panic and pulled him out and got up. He was very cool and I take my hat off to him. I have always said that pound for pound Grant is as strong in a finish as any other jockey in the country. He always comes and rides work and has ridden a lot of winners for us, there is no doubting his ability.”

Luyolo Mxothwa had taken a while to get to the front on the expected pacemaker Seeking The Stars but once there had restrained him rather than let him stride freely as he had done in his last two impressive wins over 1400m. The explanation would likely be the stamina doubt about the Vercingetorix colt. Nevertheless, it led to the slowest Cape Guineas since 2005.

Time will tell whether the slow pace led to a false result.

Kannemeyer admitted he had fancied his other charge Silvano’s Timer but added, “Russian Rock’s previous race had been very good. His work had been so good too and he was absolutely popping out of his skin. I had heard so many times this season about horses who were going to win the Guineas but you’ve only won the Guineas when the trophy is on the wall. Bad horses do not win the Guineas. But the result is going to have the handicapper scratching his head.”  

Kannemeyer was especially thrilled to have won a classic for one of Cape Town’s most popular and prolific owners Marsh Shirtliff, who had requested he win one for him many years ago. At the beginning of the season Kannemeyer thought he might do it for Shirtliff with Lion’s Head, but it was fitting he did it instead with a horse Shirtliff had chosen himself at the Sales. Shirtliff had asked Kannemeyer what he had thought of Russian Rock shortly before he had been due to enter the ring. Marsh had liked the colt on both conformation and pedigree and Dean had assessed him as a “nice, balanced horse”. They agreed to bid and got him for R200,000.

Kannemeyer said, “Marsh was kind to bring in his partners Ian Longmore and Bryn Ressell.”

The Cape Guineas is known as a stallion producing race and Russian Rock is still an entire.

However, Kannemeyer always looks at racing first and usually gelds when it becomes necessary. He said, “What percentage of horses are good enough to make it as sires and what percentage of those make it?”

Kannemeyer said Russian Rock’s next race would likely be the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m.

SA Derby and Vodacom Durban July-winner Pomodoro will give him some stamina and Russian Rock’s half-brother Deposition (Rock Of Gibraltar) has won two races over 2200m and 1950m respectively.

Russian Rock’s dam Elisium (Procolomation) is in fact a half-sister to Hoity Toity, the grandam of European Horse Of The Year, Minding.