The fireworks expected from a competitive field in Saturday’s R2-million, Grade 1 Daily News 2000 were reduced to a fizzle when the pace was slowed to a crawl and the 16 runners doddled through the first part of the classic event and turned it into a sprint in the home straight.

Rabada (left) It’s My Turn (right)-Nkosi Hlophe

It played into the hands of favourite Rabada whose jockey Anton Marcus admitted he had had some doubts about the Brave Tin Soldier colt staying a true-run 2 000m trip. But when settling in behind pacemaker Sylvester The Cat at a moderate gallop those fears were dispelled – only to be replaced at the top of the straight by a different point of concern when he dropped his stick and was forced to urge the beautifully prepared colt along with his hands and heels and the flick of the reins.

And the Mike Azzie-trained colt responded admirably to hold off the challenge from the Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn that was on the verge of giving trainer Justin Snaith and jockey Anthony Delpech a Grade 1 double on the day after their win with Bela-Bela in the R1-million Woolavington 2000 a half an hour earlier. Rabada also scuttled Delpech’s bid for a feature race treble after taking the Grade 2 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup on favourite Balance Sheet for Dean Kannemeyer earlier.

The pace will also have affected the chances of a few other runners that might otherwise have given a better account of themselves but trainer Azzie took the win as a confirmation of his long-held belief that his charge, who recorded his second Grade 1 win having been successful in the Premier’s Champion Stakes last season, would see out the trip.

While there was little to be learned from the state of the three-year-old colts and geldings there was much to be excited about by the Dynasty filly Bela-Bela that put up a scintillating performance in the Woolavington 2000 that finished off the race in a manner that had one feeling she had just jumped into the contest at the top of the straight. Coming from well back behind pacemaker Negroamaro Delpech gave the filly her head and the rocket boosters kicked in to see her fly past everything to win by nearly two lengths.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, as eye-catching as the performance was, it has to be seen in the light of the pace of the race which, like the main event that was to follow, was also more than two seconds slower than the class average.

Commenting after the race, Delpech said he had ridden some top fillies in his career and Igugu was the best but, referring to Bela-Bela, “she is the second best.”

Snaith hedged when questioned on the future plans for Bela-Bela as far as the Vodacom Durban July was concerned saying “we will have to make the right decisions. It is up to the owners.”

For Kannemeyer it was another great day at the office as his stable produced yet another feature winner in the season when taking the 2 400m Lonsdale Stirrup Cup with the Silvano gelding Balance Sheet ahead of Heidelberg Blue, No Worries and Crime Victim.

The four-year-old gelding is owned by Marsh Shirtliff and Bryn Ressell who also own Helderberg Blue, that is trained by Mike Bass, in partnership with Ingrid and Markus Jooste making it a one-two for the famous white, blue and pink colours associated with many top horses in the past including the great Pocket Power.