The World Sports Betting Cape Met day opened fittingly with a son of Erik The Red making his mark, as Red Spice captured Race 1, the JC Le Roux Summer Juvenile Stakes (Listed) – the very race his sire won as a juvenile. Owned by Messrs T Gujadhur, J M Lim Fat & the Wernars Family and bred by Terry Andrews, the colt is out of the Right Approach mare Ikebana, from the family of Shoe Shac, Green Keeper and World Focus. Ridden by Keagan De Melo, Red Spice is trained by Piet and Elbert Steyn in partnership.
Race 2 saw the Varsfontein-bred Note To Self deliver an impressive victory in the World Sports Betting C Stakes, racing in the same famed silks as his sire, Futura. Owned by Messrs J I Bloch, Jonathan Snaith and Nancy Hossack, the gelding gave Justin Snaith his first winner of the day. Out of Guiding Light by Judpot and ridden by Andrew Fortune, Note To Self now boasts five runs for two wins and three places. He hails from the influential family of sires Malmöos, Master Of My Fate and Erik The Red.
Justin Snaith secured a quick double when Ahead Of The Facts claimed the New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (Grade 3) over 2800m in Race 3. The four-year-old gelding, ridden by Richard Fourie, registered his fourth career victory for breeders Syrilla Stud and a large ownership group including Messrs Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith, J Murcia, D Musikanth and Garth Musikanth. By Futura and out of Nicety by Silvano, Ahead Of The Facts is a R100 000 graduate of the 2023 National Yearling Sale and descends from the family of Voodoo Charm, Flying Promise and Thrilling.
The Lepas C Stakes over 1200m went to Whirlwind, a Ridgemont South Africa-bred daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, trained by James Crawford and ridden by Richard Fourie. Racing for Ridgemont (Nom: Mr Craig Kieswetter) and Mr Devin Heffer, she is out of Icy Winter Air by Western Winter (USA) and is a half-sister to exported Gr1 winner Make It Snappy. This was her second win from four starts, and she comes from the family of Russet Air, Amphitheatre, Icy Trail and Ice Axe.
Race 5 produced a standout sprinting performance from All The Rage, a son of Rafeef trained by Candice Bass, who captured the Schweppes Winchester Sprint Cup under Andrew Fortune. Bred by Millstream Farm and owned by a partnership including Messrs GN Shirtliff & MJ Shirtliff, Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh, Greenacres Trust (Nom: Mr NM Shirtliff) and Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin), the R1.6-million 2024 National Yearling Sale graduate notched the fifth win of his career. Out of Gilded Minaret by Al Mufti, he is a half-brother to Mount Anderson and Keepingthepeace and hails from the female line of Outlaw King and Dollar Fortune.
Former Gr1 winner Snow Pilot returned to winning form in the SABC A Stakes, claiming his fifth career victory over 1400m. Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) and trained by Justin Snaith, the Lancaster Bomber gelding was partnered by Richard Fourie. Out of the dual Gr1-winning Captain Al mare Snowdance, whose lineage includes Mystic Spring and Eight On Eighteen, Snow Pilot is also a half-brother to Symphony In White.
One of the highlights of the day came with Double Grand Slam delivering a top-class performance to win the Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes (WFA) (Grade 1). The Varsfontein-bred Vercingetorix mare, trained by Justin Snaith and ridden by Andrew Fortune, recorded the tenth win of her career for owners Gary Player, Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert), Messrs D D MacLean and Gary Player Stud Farm (Pty) Ltd. A R1-million graduate of the 2022 National Yearling Sale, the mare is out of Princess Peach by Captain Al and has now amassed earnings in excess of R3.6-million, securing her third Gr1 victory. She descends from the family of Sentbydestiny and Badger’s Cove.
Klawervlei stallion Twice Over continued his remarkable Cape Met legacy when See It Again landed the WSB Cape Town Met (Grade 1), providing owner Mr Nick Jonsson with a fourth consecutive Met victory in the iconic pink and green silks. Closely related to champion Do It Again, See It Again is out of the Visionaire mare who is a half-sister to Jonsson’s former star. Bred by Drakenstein Stud and trained by Justin Snaith, the gelding overcame starting stall difficulties in his prior starts, and produced a strong finish under Andrew Fortune to secure his third Gr1 victory and eighth career win. Drawn tenth in the race,, he has now earned over R8.6-million after selling for just R125 000 on CTS Book 1. Snaith filled three of the top four places, with Blue Sky-bred Legal Counsel finishing second, followed by The Real Prince and Okavango.
Earlier on the card, Star Major claimed the HKJC World Pool Politician Stakes (Grade 3), giving trainer James Crawford a double on the day. The Querari colt, bred by Maine Chance Farms and ridden by Luyolo Mxothwa, is out of Star In The Sky by Silvano (GER) and was purchased for R500 000 at the 2024 National Yearling Sale. Owned by Neville Isdell, Mr J I Bloch, Mrs Prakashni Pillay and Kalinga, this marked his second career win.
The Windhoek Olympic Duel Stakes (Listed) saw Varsfontein-bred Babelicious narrowly defeat Princess Of Gaul. Owned by Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin) together with Mrs Vanashree and Mr Anant Singh, the Var mare out of Babe Paley by Fort Wood (USA) recorded her fifth career win. Gavin Lerena, recently returned from the USA following a notable performance aboard One Stripe at Gulfstream Park, was in the saddle. Babelicious hails from the female line of Athina, Nightingale and Rainbow Lorikeet.
The World Sports Betting Summer Fling Stakes (Grade 3) went to Time For Love, a six-year-old Time Thief mare bred by Nadeson Park Stud. Trained by Michelle Rix and ridden by Gavin Lerena, she recorded the fifth win of her career for owner Mr George Nagel. Out of the Jet Master mare Teresina, Time For Love is a half-sister to Ready Steady Go and a full sister to Terra Time, descending from the family of Young Rake and Along Came Polly. Her earnings now exceed R600 000.
The day concluded with the City of Cape Town C Stakes, where Foudre extended his winning streak to three consecutive victories. The Fire Away gelding, bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, is out of Equus Broodmare of the Year Halfway To Heaven by Jet Master and is a half-brother to Gr1 winners Hawwaam, Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat. Trained by Eric Sands and ridden by Craig Zackey, Foudre races for Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd. Sands has enjoyed a long association with this exceptional family, having trained Halfway To Heaven as well as Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat. Recent black-type additions include Gr2 winner Princess Of Gaul and Gr1 winner Kingdundee, both bred by Clive Murphy.
Feature image: Chase Liebenberg
