Know your runners: The inside track on the Cape Town Met
Here's everything you need to know about the horses that will be in action in the Met on Saturday.
Rainbow Bridge, winner of the 2021 Cape Town Met, has been forced into retirement. Who will step up and take the title at Kenilworth on Saturday? Picture: Liza van Deventer
It’s the Cape Town Met at Kenilworth on Saturday and here’s everything you need to know about the horses that will be in action.
1 DO IT AGAIN
Trainer: Justin Snaith
Jockey: Bernard Fayd’Herbe
Draw: 11
The Met has not been a happy hunting ground for this ageing champion who has twice won the Durban July. Ignore unplaced run last time when lame and will make them all go at best.
Lifetime: 26 Runs; 8 Wins; 13 Places.
3 Earnings: R8,980,350.
2 CIRILLO
Trainer: Sean Tarry
Jockey: Craig Zackey
Draw: 5
Front-running Joburg raider. Better over shorter distances, but did place in the 2000m Champions Challenge at Turffontein last year. Not out of it if allowed to dictate at a slow gallop.
Lifetime: 37 Runs; 5 Wins; 19 Places.
19 Earnings: R5,433,600.
3 ROCKIN’ RINGO
Trainer: Piet Botha
Jockey: Corne Orffer
Draw: 2
This six-year-old looks totally out of his depth in this contest in which weights carried are determined by age and not ability. On paper he faces a nigh impossible task at the weights.
Lifetime: 42 Runs; 9 Wins; 18 Places.
Earnings: R524,787.
4 JET DARK
Trainer: Justin Snaith
Jockey: S’manga Khumalo
Draw: 9
Top Cape trainer Justin Snaith has another champion in this four-year-old, who produced a dramatic late charge to win the recent 1600m Queen’s Plate. Further now but hard to look past him.
Lifetime: 11 Runs; 6 Wins; 3 Places.
Earnings: R2,081,600
5 KOMMETDIEDING
Trainer: Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix
Jockey: Gavin Lerena
Draw: 1
Top-class four-year-old as he showed when winning last year’s Durban July from a wide draw. No match for JET DARK in the Queen’s Plate but will prefer this 2000m distance. Be there.
Lifetime: 9 Runs; 5 Wins; 4 Places.
Earnings: R1,984,000.
6 LINEBACKER
Trainer: Vaughan Marshall
Jockey: Grant van Niekerk
Draw: 6
One of the best and a close second in last year’s Durban July. Unplaced for first time in career in recent Queen’s Plate, but safest to ignore that blip and now reunited with his usual jockey.
Lifetime: 11 Runs; 4 Wins; 6 Places.
Earnings: R1,837,750.
7 – HOEDSPRUIT
Trainer: Justin Snaith
Jockey: Luyolo Mxothwa
Draw: 4
Another budding Snaith star and landed biggest success to date when produced at right time in the recent 1800m Premier Trophy. Much tougher task now but can improve again. Consider.
Lifetime: 15 Runs; 6 Wins; 5 Places.
Earnings: R643,975.
8 SECOND BASE
Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren
Jockey: Warren Kennedy
Draw: 10
Joburg challenger and not much inferior to the best. Won his preparatory race for the Met so comes into this contest on a high and will stay well. Should not be far away at the business end.
Lifetime: 16 Runs; 6 Wins; 6 Places.
Earnings: R921,150.
9 PUERTO MANZANO (ARG)
Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren
Jockey: Keagan de Melo
Draw: 7
This smart four-year-old ran well for a long way when sixth in the Summer Cup in November. But the opposition is much stronger now and he’s likely to battle under these weight conditions.
Lifetime: 10 Runs; 4 Wins; 4 Places.
Earnings: R261,300.
10 MARINA
Trainer: Candice Bass-Robinson
Jockey: Aldo Domeyer
Draw: 8
One of the best fillies but now pitted against the best males for the first time. Likely to find a couple too good for her, but she’s still improving and will relish the distance. Don’t write off.
Lifetime: 14 Runs; 8 Wins; 4 Places.
Earnings: R458,400.
11 – DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE
Trainer: Justin Snaith
Jockey: Anton Marcus
Draw: 3
Youngest of the Snaith four and gets chucked in at the deep end here in only his sixth run. But this Guineas winner is promising and three-year-olds have a solid record in the Met. Expect a big run.
Lifetime: 5 Runs; 2 Wins; 3 Places.
Earnings: R539,600.
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