Sandringham Summit out; De Kock springs surprises

A showdown between crack Joburg three-year-olds Main Defender and Sandringham Summit won’t be happening in the rescheduled Got The Greenlight Stakes (Grade 3) at Turffontein this week.

Sandringham Summit has been scratched and, instead, Tony Peter-trained Main Defender faces a different, unexpected, two-pronged challenge from the Mike de Kock stable.

On Sunday, a Highveld thunderstorm washed out the last five races on the city track card, including three features – the Got The Greenlight (1400m), the Grade 3 Mother Russia Stakes (1400m) and the Listed Wolf Power 1600.

4Racing moved these important races to this coming Saturday’s Turffontein meeting but, instead of shifting existing fields to the later date, the operator reopened nominations and held new barrier draws. This created a new dynamic, which some observers sharply criticised.

A cat was among pigeons.

Gimmeanotherchance

For starters, trainer David Nieuwenhuizen nominated Sandringham Summit for both the Got The Greenlight and the Wolf Power – getting draws of 13 and 1 respectively, with fleeting speculation that he might defect and go for the latter.

However, at the declaration stage on Tuesday, Nieuwenhuizen withdrew his colt from both races.

De Kock, who was originally due to saddle the two leading contenders in the Mother Russia Stakes – Champagne Cocktail and White Pearl – nominated the duo for both that race and the Got The Greenlight.

When Champagne Cocktail cracked a No 4 draw, the Randjesfontein master opted for the latter race – pitting the unbeaten filly against males for the first time. White Pearl landed pole position in the Mother Russia, which was chosen over a No 15 draw in the (mainly) boys’ event.

De Kock blindsided most racing fans by entering his promising colt Gimmeanotherchance in the Got The Greenlight – and accepting to run. He has gate No 7; one place inside Main Defender.

The Got The Greenlight now has a nine-horse lineup, as opposed to seven having been due to race a week earlier – which might gladden the hearts of officials who prefer bigger fields as they mean bigger betting pools.

The great reshuffle is a tad confusing, with races being named after retired horses and current horses switching around among them. But it’s safe to say Main Defender and White Pearl will be popular banker choices for the exotics, while the Wolf Power is a wide-open betting prospect.

FINAL FIELDS

(Draw, name, weight, MR, trainer, jockey)

Got The Greenlight Stakes (Grade 3, 1400m, R350 000)

1 Barbaresco 58 91 JA Janse van Vuuren Gavin Lerena
2 Royal Edition 58 88 Phillip Labuschagne Chase Maujean
3 Princeofgreen 58 92 Paul Matchett Philasande Mxoli
4 Champagne Cocktail 55.5 102 Mike de Kock Muzi Yeni
5 Hotarubi 58 95 Sean Tarry Kaidan Brewer
6 Wyzeact 58 97 Corne Spies S’manga Khumalo
7 Gimmeanotherchance 58 112 Mike de Kock Diego De Gouveia
8 Main Defender 60 121 Tony Peter Calvin Habib
9 The Africa House 58 106 Sean Tarry Serino Moodley

Mother Russia Stakes (Grade 3, 1400m, R300 000)

1 White Pearl 60 109 Mike de Kock Gavin Lerena
2 Elegant Ice 60 98 Lucky Houdalakis Kaidan Brewer
3 Mia Moo 60 87 Sean Tarry Serino Moodley
4 Key Element 60 98 Paul Matchett Rachel Venniker
5 Mary’s Greenlight 60 97 Mike de Kock Muzi Yeni
6 Betula 60 100 Stuart Pettigrew Philasande Mxoli
7 Let’s Go Now 60 99 Sean Tarry S’manga Khumalo
8 Lady Fallon 60 94 Lucky Houdalakis Diego de Gouveia
9 Garlandsofgreenery 60 91 Sean Tarry Calvin Habib
10 Woman Of Power 60 88 Mike de Kock Malesela Katjedi

Wolf Power 1600 (Listed, 1600m, R225 000)

1 Another Level 53.5 98 Candice Dawson S’manga Khumalo
2 Willow’s Wish 52.5 96 Sean Tarry Jarryd Penny
3 Silver Hills 54.5 100 Sean Tarry Serino Moodley
4 Silent War 54 99 Tony Peter Calvin Habib
5 Brave Viking 52.5 90 Joe Soma Chase Maujean
6 Pyromaniac 56.5 104 Sean Tarry Philasande Mxoli
7 Hoedspruit 59.5 110 Tony Peter Kaidan Brewer
8 Unzen 56.5 104 Robbie Sage Muzi Yeni
9 Shoemaker 60 111 Mike de Kock Gavin Lerena