Danny Muscutt heads back to Kenilworth

Recent Cape Town Met-winning jockey Danny Muscutt will be flying out from his UK home again – to ride for champion trainer Justin Snaith at the Cape Derby meeting at Kenilworth on 27 February.

Muscutt, 28, shocked South African racing fans when he steered 33-1 longshot Double Superlative to victory for Snaith in Cape Town’s premier race last month.

The son of Durban-based trainer Peter Muscutt is the UK’s reigning All-Weather Champion Jockey. He travelled to South Africa to visit family and pick up a few holiday rides in January.

Ride Hluhluwe

Fate saw him win the Met and earn a recall to ride Hluhluwe, Snaith’s leading runner in the 2000m, Grade 1, R1.5-million Derby. He will also partner veteran Rio Querari for Snaith in the Grade 2 Diadem Stakes, a 1200m sprint on the same card.

Snaith has three of the 11 entries received this week for the Derby, the other two being Harajuku, who was third in the Politician Stakes on Met day, and Rapidash, winner of the Gold Rush’s big money at the same fixture.

The small Derby entry, with no raiders from other centres, is a tad disappointing – especially given that the trip is not the traditional Derby 2450m but a less-taxing 2000m. However, some star names are among the 11 hopefuls – notably two-time Grade 1 winning filly Beach Bomb and Politician Stakes winner Green With Envy.

The Diadem has a somewhat healthier 19 entries, with the standouts including Trip Of Fortune, Thunderstruck, Mrs Geriatrix, Bereave and Surjay.

CAPE DERBY DAY ENTRIES

(draw, name, weight, MR, trainer)

Cape Derby R1.5m (Grade 1) 2000m (three-year-olds)

1 Willie John 60 88 Brett Crawford
2 Harajuku 60 101 Justin Snaith
3 Royal Swan Master 60 80 Dean Kannemeyer
4 Coastal Commander 60 101 Vaughan Marshall
5 Fatal Gem 57.5 94 Brett Crawford
6 Beach Bomb 57.5 117 Candice Bass-Robinson
7 Oriental Charm 60 87 Brett Crawford
8 Green With Envy 60 110 Dean Kannemeyer
9 Hluhluwe 60 111 Justin Snaith
10 Rapidash 60 103 Justin Snaith
11 Infrared 60 94 Brett Crawford

Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes R600,000 (Grade 2) 1200m (weight-for-age plus penalties)

1 Rio Querari 58 118 Justin Snaith
2 Cafe Culture 58 94 Lucinda Woodruff
3 Ponte Pietra 58 100 Dean Kannemeyer
4 Mr Cobbs 58 108 Candice Bass-Robinson
5 Surjay 58 119 Brett Crawford
6 Bereave 59 122 Adam Marcus
7 Mrs Geriatrix 54.5 112 Sean Tarry
8 Cosmic Highway 59 117 Dean Kannemeyer
9 Candy Town 52.5 101 Andre Nel
10 Shantastic 55.5 108 Dean Kannemeyer
11 Waterberry Lane 58 112 Ricky Maingard
12 We’re Jamming 58 110 Justin Snaith
13 Teflon Man 55 99 Dean Kannemeyer
14 Countdown 58 107 Glen Kotzen
15 Silver Falcon 58 116 Justin Snaith
16 Thunderstruck 58 124 Sean Tarry
17 Trip Of Fortune 60 127 Candice Bass-Robinson
18 Mufasa 58 107 Brett Crawford
19 Future Variety 55 106 Candice Bass-Robinson

Supplementary entries close on Friday 16 February. Declarations are on Monday 19 February.