SplashOut Cape Derby (Group 1)
MET winner Eight On Eighteen predictably proved much too good for his six rivals in the Group 1 SplashOut Cape Derby at Kenilworth last Saturday
The son of the late Lancaster Bomber started at a prohibitive (and complicated!) 56/100 and faced only six opponents, four of which were his own stable companions.
Richard Fourie rode him with understandable confidence, sitting out the back door until well into the straight, and scoring by a length and a half from stable companion Sail The Seas (7/1) with 6/1 shot Garrix two and a quarter lengths further back third.
This was the fifth Cape Derby success for the record-breaking champion jockey who reported: “The pace was pretty moderate but this is a lovely horse who has done nothing wrong in his whole career.”
It was also the fifth Cape Derby triumph for Justin Snaith who said: “Eight on Eighteen has got the nicest nature but he is very immature and still a big baby. But when you’ve got horses like him it does make things a bit easier.
“People talk about races like this being weak but, trust me, they are hard. You try and beat these horses. Garrix ran the race of his life, and I also think highly of our Sail The Seas who ran his heart out, while our Native Ruler also ran a great race in fourth.”
Interestingly Eight On Eighteen’s time was nearly two and a half seconds slower than he took to win the Met against older horses over the same course and distance four weeks earlier. He is owned by Nic Jonsson and breeder Gaynor Rupert’s husband Johann.
Fortune in favour for return to action
ANDREW Fortune, champion jockey in the 2008/2009 season, is to return to the saddle at the age of 57.
He had been talking of doing so for some time but the National Horseracing Authority seemed reluctant.
However, the ruling body issued a press release last week announcing that, after meeting to consider Fortune’s application – and his subsequent interview with the Licensing Board, he had been given the green light. Mind you, there were conditions attached.
He had to sign an admission of guilt regarding certain “social media content which could be construed to discredit horse racing” and agree to a fine of R500,000 (€26,000).
One half of this will be suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of contravening conduct rules during that period.
In addition, he had to agree to ride only in South Africa and at not less than 58kg. He was informed that his “future professional conduct would be closely monitored”.
Fortune, an outspoken character if ever there was one, is one of the most talented jockeys I have ever seen anywhere in the world and his understanding of the minds of racehorses has few equals. His return will be a crowd-puller.
BLOB Jockey Sean Veale has been fined R80,000 (€4,169) - R50,000 suspended for two years - after admitting to betting through an unnamed (but specific) owner on at least three occasions, the most recent being at Kenilworth on February 15th.