Double Superlative was apt name for the Twice Over colt who delivered a massive feature double for owner Mr Nick Jonsson, who took home the R7,5-million Gold Rush in the race prior with Danon Platina gelding, Rapidash, bred by Kilimanjaro Bloodstock.

Double Superlative gamely fought off a strong finishing Rascallion under Daniel Muscutt, the Newmarket based international jockey and son of Peter Muscutt.

Coming off a 14 month layoff and having spent time at the stable of Mike Stewart in the Noordhoek sea, to heal an injured tendon, Double Superlative is a dead-ringer for another of Nick’s champions Do It Again – Nick has enjoyed tremendous success with Klawervlei-based sire Twice Over, trained to multiple Gr1 victories by the famous Sir Henry Cecil and a stable mate to the mighty Frankel for a time. It is the third individual Gr1 winner for the owner by Twice Over and the second for Double Superlative who won the Gr1 Cape Guineas as a 3yo, with Anton Marcus aboard who hailed the horse as one of the best he had sat on.

Double Superlative wins from Rascallion in the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met. Image: Candiese Lenferna

It was also a special moment that brought together two families associated with the powerful multiple champion sire Jet Master – Nick Jonsson’s family had bred him, and Patricia and the Late Henry Devine owned him during his racing and stud career. Patricia Devine bred Double Superlative out of her mare Come Fly With Me.

Double Superlative sold for R375 000 at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and has won 3 races with 6 places from 13 starts for stakes of R1 962 800.

Princess Calla smashed it out of the park once more to win her 5th Gr1 race, winning by three lengths from a brave attempt from Rascova in the Gr1 City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes. With Richard Fourie in the irons for trainer Sean Tarry and owner Mr Mario Ferreira, our current Equus Horse Of The Year by Flower Alley won her 12th race. Bred by Maine Chance Farms, the mare out of Captain Al’s Princess Royal took her earnings to R5 432 176.

Richard Fourie cruises home aboard Princess Calla. Image: Candiese Lenferna

On the Thursday prior to World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day, Justin Vermaak signed for Lot 63, a Hawwaam colt out of Princess Royal for R2-million at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

Her 2023 half brother by Vercingetorix sold to John Freeman at the National Yearling Sale for R1,250,000.

Lucky Houdalakis travelled his speedy Dyce to the Cape to contest the Gr1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship. The son of William Longsword is out of a Galileo mare, bred by Titanium Racing and owned by Mr Dave Shawe. It is interesting to note that as far as broodmare sires go, Galileo produced two winners on the day as did Fastnet Rock. A prior Gr2 Epol Umkhomazi Stakes winner and more recently the Gr3 New Turf Carrier Merchants winner, it was the geldings toughest ask to date and after going hesitantly to the start, he mowed them down in the race to win by just under half a length under Craig Zackey, finishing ahead of another Gauteng resident, Thunderstruck, justifying his Merit rating of 130.

Dyce took his earnings to R1,733,875.

Emotional scenes for the connections of Dyce. Image: Candiese Lenferna

The balance of the features on the day started with the impressive Roman Agent, winning back to back victories for Mr Nick Jonsson, this time in the World Sports Betting Summer Juvenile Stakes (Listed). This grey colt is certainly going to be one to follow with his exciting Varsfontein pedigree, by Vercingetorix out Secret Of Victoria by Goalkeeper, the family of Bela-Bela and Mystic Spring.

Green With Envy gave another feature win in the Gr3 Schweppes Politician Stakes for owner and breeder Lady Laidlaw, the Gimmethegreenlight colt out of Miss Coco by Galileo, born and raised at Varsfontein and ridden by Craig Zackey for trainer Dean Kannemeyer.

Ripple Effect, an Erupt filly bred by Avontuur and Zenzele Stud in partnership and owned by the newly formed Paardeberg Stud, won the Pongracz Olympic Duel Listed, trained by Glen Kotzen and ridden by Raymond Danielson. The filly is out of Sea Of Calm by Quiet American, a mare that has produced many winners including the smart sprinter Chantyman.

The final feature of the day came in the form of the New Turf Gr3 Western Cape Stayers, which saw Sabine Plattner owned and bred Master Redoute win by a head from Triple Time. The five year old Querari gelding out of a Redoute’s Choice mare won gamely over the 2800m on offer, his fourth win to date and second Gr3 on his record, trained by Andre Nel and ridden by Corne Orffer.

Congratulations to all concerned.

An exciting juvenile colt to follow, the grey Vercingetorix Roman Agent. Image: Candiese Lenferna