Racing Express, Monday 28 February: Romp for Pomp And Power

Pomp And Power got a dream run down the inside rail to get the better of long-time leader, Universal and win the Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby (Grade 1) over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday. The chestnut son of Vercingetorix was bred at Maine Chance Farms and is trained by Justin Snaith.

Snaith also saddled 9-10 favourite Double Superlative, but he lacked extra after racing handily and was only able to finish third, beaten 4.75 lengths. Perhaps he regressed after a tremendous effort versus elders in the Met and did not quite have the spring in his legs of stablemate Pomp And Power on whom Richard Fourie rode a shrewd tactical race. Full credit to the 9-2 priced winner who is both a valiant and versatile thoroughbred able to sustain a strong gallop over 1600m and, as it proved, also totally at ease over 2000m.

For the full version of Monday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

Pomp And Power is a winner of five from eight starts, including The Langerman as a two-year-old, the Concorde Stakes early at three and now this prestigious Cape Derby. Universal tried hard to go all the way but could not withstand Pomp And Power’s finish. Still, there was honour in defeat for the Gimmethegreenlight colt who looks set to have a highly productive career. His trainer, Adam Marcus, was to gain some compensation later when odds-on favourite, Princess Calla romped in the Prix du Cap (Grade 3) over 1400m – the Flower Alley filly proving much the best after a series of sterling placed eff orts in stronger Grade 1 class races.

Cosmic Highway has always hinted at top-notch ability, earning monster speed figures as a juvenile, and he enjoyed the return to sprints after a few admirable eff orts up to 1600m, as he took out the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes (Grade 2) over 1200m. Sired by Gimmethegreenlight, the bay colt was well prepared by Dean Kannemeyer and duly put a decisive margin between himself and pursuers Trip of Fortune and Rio Querari.

Trainer Kannemeyer quipped afterwards, “Don’t try make them stay” as his decision to bring Cosmic Highway back to sprints was vindicated. Rio Querari was not moving that fluently, according to jockey, Grant van Niekerk and raced too far back to make an impact. Trip Of Fortune closed ground smartly to sneak second in an Exacta for the three-year-olds, but Cosmic Highway had the race sewn up thanks to a neatly judged ride by Keagan de Melo who used his mounts turn of foot to optimal advantage.

Cosmic Highway started at 9-2 after being heavily backed from 10-1. Piet Steyn is a vastly experienced horseman with an expert eye for athletic specimens that don’t cost the earth. He achieved a notable 33-1 double with We’re Jamming in the Cape Nursery (Grade 3) and blinkered Epsom Girl who led all the way to claim the Fillies Nursery (Grade 3) over 1200m. “I liked them both very much,” revealed Steyn who snaffled the juveniles for bargain sums of R15,000 each. We’re Jamming used stalk-and-pounce tactics on a quick track, and when hot favourite Trompie unexpectedly caved in, was ideally poised to seize control. Epsom Girl tends to run a zigzag course, but fitting blinkers has helped her to run straight and true – she dominated from the front to win untroubled.

For the full version of Monday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

The successfully staged Cape Town Seafood and Jazz Racing Festival concluded with a novel contest – the Work Riders vs Jockeys Challenge. The professional pilots dominated as The Tinkerman (De Melo) bolted in from Silent War (Fourie), Dean Street (Anton Marcus) and Masterful Guy (Van Niekerk) with senior jockeys’ mounts filling the first four placings. – 4Racing.