MET JOCKEYS’ HIGHS – THEN THE LOWS

After playing their part in providing one of the most exciting Met finishes in recent years at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, jockeys Richard Fourie and Gavin Lerena will face Stipendiary Board inquiries into their respective use of the crop.

Fourie produced Jet Dark with a storming burst down the outside to catch Lerena and Kommetdieding, who looked to have done enough. A quick count confirms that neither rider appears to have much exceeded the 12 strikes limit.

And in what has become the norm this summer – although the inside seem 100% fine on Tuesday afternoon- it was sadly also yet another rather untidy affair up the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth home straight. Jockey Grant van Niekerk was called to the principal’s office, picking up a 14 day suspension for causing interference at the 400m on the fancied 3yo Cousin Casey.

The ‘victims’ were eventual winner Jet Dark and Zapatillas. The Stipes reported that at the 400m Jet Dark (R Fourie), which made its run on the outside running rail shortly after entering the straight, was severely unbalanced when turned inwards after being bumped by Zapatillas (L Mxothwa), which was carried outwards by Cousin Casey (G van Niekerk), which was directed outwards shortly after entering the straight. As a consequence, Nexus (M Yeni), which was racing behind Jet Dark(R Fourie) , was shifted inwards to continue its run. At the 250m Rascallion (S Veale), which initially shifted inwards, was carried outwards by Make It Snappy (K de Melo), which shifted out sharply under pressure and had to be straightened.

In the concluding stages, the unlucky horse of the race, Pomp And Power (K Matsunyane), Zapatillas (L Mxothwa) and the gallant Nexus (M Yeni) raced in restricted galloping room on the outside running rail which led to Zapatillas (L Mxothwa) becoming unbalanced when brushed on either side by Nexus (M Yeni) and Pomp And Power (K Matsunyane), which was held up and shifted in into clear running.

The false rail on the day was in the original position with a 3m spur at the 600m marker. Winning rider Richard Fourie declared it a slow-run race, with the 2023 WSB Cape Town Met ranking third in the past five years’ renewals.

One World (2020 – 122,48 secs) was the fastest in that time, followed by Rainbow Bridge (2019-122,96 secs), Jet Dark (2023 – 123,44 secs), Rainbow Bridge (2021 – 123,51 secs) and Kommetdieding (2022 – 123,80 secs) the slowest.