Aldo Domeyer, forced to cry off his rides at Kenilworth last Wednesday, will also miss this Wednesday’s Cape Town meeting after managing just two rides there on Saturday.
He was second on both of them and, after seeing the racecourse doctor, he explained: “I am strained. I had a physio session on Friday and I thought that would put me right but when I woke up this morning the problem was back to what it was. I then thought that riding would make me OK but it hasn’t.
“I won’t be riding this Wednesday because I want to get myself right for the Cape season. I also need to find the right medication – my body is reacting to what I am taking at the moment.”
Piet Botha is aiming Captain’s Flo at the Listed race on Sun Met day after his R30 000 buy convincingly accounted for odds-on shot Thomas Henry in the first two-year-old race of the Cape season.
He said: “I knew she would run well – she is so forward and has been for quite a while. I have eight other babies, including some nice ones, but this is the only forward one amongst them.”
If Phumelela was able to bottle and sell the enthusiasm of owners like David Curran it wouldn’t have to worry about financial results while trainers and bloodstock agents would have customers queuing up.
“I am as nervous as hell when any of mine run but I can’t explain how exciting it is to have a winner,” said the Cape Town owner despite – or perhaps because of – having owned horses for a quarter of a century. And it’s not because his money is down. “I never have a cent on any of mine. I only gamble on other people’s horses which I know sounds ridiculous.”
Curran’s nerve ends were visibly tingling, and his face went from white to red, as he and Mike Stewart shouted home Richard Fourie and 12-1 shot Icon Princess in the Snaith Racing Handicap.
Ever wonder why so few Cape horses run in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run? Justin Snaith gave the answer after the Fourie-ridden Hurricane Harry made much of the running in Nic Jonsson’s colours in the Freemanstallions Handicap. “It’s such a trip up there with the altitude and then it’s three months recovery. It’s just not worth it,” he said. “Now this horse can have the whole Durban season.”
Snaith was also on the mark with the Robert Khathi- ridden Fleeced in the last and, ironically, this 6-1 chance missed her engagement in the CTS Ready To Run by ripping off a sizeable piece of skin as she was about to get into the float. She has now won three out of six for Veronica Foulkes.
Flame Tree will take her chance in Saturday week’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas after justifying 5-4 favouritism under Corne Orffer in the Pamela Isdell Handicap – Craig Carey: “It might be a bit sharp for her but you only get a run in that race once in a lifetime.”
Ridgemont were also on the mark with the Sean Veale-ridden Silver Plains in the Vaughan Marshall Racing Maiden despite the gelding’s seven-month absence. “He had a wind op before he started racing and earlier this year he had chips in his joints,” explained Eric Sands.
According to Glen Kotzen the Dillon-partnered Celtic Voyager was the 80th success for Green Street Bloodstock while the way Caribbean Sunset increased her advantage in the final furlong of the Wilgerbosdrift Stud Maiden suggested she has improved. However Paddy Kruyer believes appearances could be deceptive and reasoned: “I think her previous races were stronger but, that said, the difference this time was also that she relaxed in front.”
By Michael Clower
