Kommetdieding and festive crowd make a memorable Met

The return of a colourful and festive crowd to the Cape Town Met at Kenilworth gave the South African racing industry a huge boost on Saturday.

Brilliant action matched the mood, with the hugely popular colt Kommetdieding winning the big race for humble, small-time owner Ashwin Reynolds and the tiny training yard of Harold Crawford and daughter Michelle Rix.

The victory completed a rare Durban July-Met double – achieved by just five horses in the past 50 years.

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ALSO READ: Cape Town Met: Kommetdieding does it again

A stunning performance by superstar filly Captain’s Ransom in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes was another memorable moment.

A few thousand people were allowed onto the racecourse to watch the famous old race and the atmosphere was rowdy and infectious following the partial lifting of a lengthy Covid lockdown crowd ban – which has hammered the racing game financially and spiritually.

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In elegant hospitality marquees, ladies in designer outfits and gents in loud shirts and jackets, transformed the venue, which had endured desolate empty grandstands for more than a year – including at last year’s Met, with its silent running for the first time since 1883.

Racing has recently been “relaunched’ with a new operator, a new TV channel and many new sponsors. The 2022 Met was, effectively, celebration of a rebirth.

A big cheer went up at the start of the first of the 12 races on the programme – a fillies’ contest won by Justin Snaith-trained Peut Etre Moi, brilliantly ridden by former champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo.

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Excitement was added to proceedings with eight of the races being “World Pool” events on the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s international betting programme – which hosts the biggest commingled betting pools in the world and has live television coverage of the local action beamed around the globe.

Punters had a good start to the day, with well-backed horses winning the first five races. But there were upsets to come.

The Grade 3 Politician Stakes, Race 6, saw heavily fancied Pacaya (at odds of 10-7) finish unplaced and the honours going to 5-1 shot Universal, for Adam Marcus and Craig Zackey, ahead of Master Redoute (20-1).

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A major upset came with a thrilling finish to the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship. Joburg raider Bohica (20-1), from the Azzie stable with the irrepressible Khumalo whooping in the saddle, got a photo-finish decision ahead of African Rain (40-1), Mr Cobbs (40-1) and Rio Querari (5-3 favourite).

Superstar filly Captain’s Ransom and top jockey Richard Fourie had the crowd – and pundits – speechless with a breath-taking turn of hoof to grab the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes, overhauling Chansonette, who’d looked likely to win comfortably with 75m to go.

Trainer Snaith described his charge as “one in a million” and said he wished he could tell her “how much I love her and respect her as an athlete”.

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Then there was Kommetdieding.

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By Mike Moon
Read more on these topics: Horse Newshorse racing news