A race report of second best, third best and second best, does little to inspire confidence in punters when looking to have a dip. The comments conjure up an impression of a horse of modest ability or, more damning, a horse lacking in intestinal fortitude so one tends to be cautious when placing a bet.
Those comments were pencilled in behind Dawn Calling for the second at Greyville yesterday but those that took to ignore the advisories came off best. Placed in all three starts, the comments were hardly flattering but she put the record straight in a smashing victory with Muzi Yeni looking around a furlong from home for the opposition. Five-and-a-bit lengths was the official winning margin but it could well have been double that for Duncan Howells and owner David Maclean.
Dawn Calling (Nkosi Hlophe)
It was not a strong field but the manner of victory suggests that Dawn Calling may have further calling in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship come the first Saturday of June.
Dean Kannemeyer has made spectacular use of his satellite yard in KZN mostly due to the backing of Lady Christine Laidlaw racing under the brand of Khaya Stables. Kannemeyer is in contention for Champion KZN trainer after just one season and he added two winners to his fast growing list with the Khaya Stables-owned Paperback Writer in the Greyville opener and Last Tiger in the seventh.
The dogs were barking when Paperback Writer made his debut at Scottsville but he disappointed finishing down the field. The money was on again yesterday and any losses were recouped as Anthony Delpech sent him up the inside fence to a comfortable victory over the one-eyed favourite Qeyaadah who made a beeline to the outside fence that was on his good side.
Delpech was back in the winner’s enclosure with another clinical display of riding on the Dennis Bosch-trained Dynamic Force. The race never looked more than a match between Dynamic Force and the consistent but money-draining Nuntius, both trying blinkers for the first time. Nuntius had the call coming into the straight but Dynamic Force always had his measure and got home with something to spare.
Roy’s Marciano got the better of a protracted stretch battle with Lancat in the fifth with Kom Naidoo’s runner finishing just the better. Shortly after the line Lancat broke down unshipping rider Muzi Yeni.
Brown Sugar, after showing early promise and never far back, finally snapped her run of places with a well-deserved win under Warren Kennedy for Brian Burnard in the seventh.
Delpech and Kannemeyer have formed a lethal combination since Delpech split as stable rider to the Mike de Kock yard and they were to the fore again as Last Tiger out-duelled Mike Bass’s runner Mountain Master in the seventh with Mackdesi coming from way back for a smart third.
The boot was on the other foot in the closer where Secret Waring under Anton Marcus for Charles Laird was driven home to deny favourite Tanjiro, Delpech and Kannemeyer another winner.
By Andrew Harrison
