3 minute read

The favourite Jackson never struck a blow as outsider Martial Eagle scored a hard-fought victory in the R2.5-million J&B Met over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Martial Eagle, owned by prominent Cape owner Sabine Plattner, gave trainer Yogas Govender his first win from his first runner in the G1 race.

He was ridden by Aldo Domeyer, landing his first Met winner at just his second attempt.

Martial Eagle went off at odds of 80-1, despite being beaten only a head by Jackson in the G1 L'Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate over 1600m last time out and meeting that horse 2kg better.

The early pace was not quick and Piere Strydom on Pomodoro decided to speed up the tempo after about 800m and sent his mount to the front from Hill Fifty Four and Martial Eagle.

Jackson and Slumdogmillionaire were well placed while stablemates Bravura and King of Pain were at the rear.

Pomodoro led into the straight but was soon challenged by Hill Fifty Four with Martial Eagle, Beach Beauty and Jackson in pursuit as Slumdogmillionaire quickly faded from contention.

Hill Fifth Four soon took Pomodoro’s measure but Martial Eagle now ranged alongside and these two went head to head for the line.

Martial Eagle had the edge and kept going under jockey Aldo Domeyer to ward off a gallant Hill Fifty Four by a long neck.

Beach Beauty edged Pomodoro out of third place, while Jackson finished fifth, 4.35 lengths behind the winner, with Tribal Dance sixth.

While there was an upset in the Met, the Investec Cape Derby over 2000m went to the hottest fancy of the day, Capetown Noir, although he was not precisely emphatic in beating Dynamic by 0.4 lengths, doing enough after a slightly slow start and off an erratic pace to justify his short price.

The colt is trained by Dean Kannemeyer and was ridden by Karl Neisius, who said: “I was concerned that we were a bit far back, but the pace was a bit ‘iffy’ and he got there quicker than I expected.

"It turned into a sprint for home. He’s a game horse and this was a fantastic run. He’s got a great future.”

Shanshaawes finished 0.4 lengths behind Dynamic in third, a long neck in front of Patriotic Rebel, who won a three-way battle for fourth place between Abercrombie and Awesome Power.

The third Grade 1 race was the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m and the race was dominated by the three-year-old brigade, with Frequent Flyer the only older horse to feature.

Honours went to Blueridge Mountain, who swept through to lead 100m from the line and win going away by 0.50 lengths under Anton Marcus.

Favourite Viva Maria set the early toe but could not sustain her effort and faded to 10th as first Hammie’s Hooker and then Jet Aglow took over at the head of affairs.

However, neither could go with Blueridge Mountain when she loomed up 100m from the line and pulled ahead. Frequent Flyer, meanwhile, was flying and she finished second, a length in front of Hammie’s Hooker, with Jet Aglow another length behind in fourth.

Blueridge Mountain runs for the Gary Alexander stable but was prepared for the race by Joey Ramsden.