Thousands of excited spectators packed Kenilworth Racecourse
in Cape Town on Saturday for the running of the R1,5 million,
Grade 1 J&B Met. They were treated to a spectacle reminiscent
of the mighty Horse Chestnut when Geoff Woodruff’s Western Winter
Gelding, Yard-Arm, strode majestically away from the field.
A new South African hero was born and the crowds cheered him
to victory and gave him a standing ovation as he later left
the winner’s circle.
The showdown between Dynasty and Yard-Arm would keep for another
day, most likely at Greyville in July when they meet again in
the R1,5-million Vodacom Durban July, but on Saturday it was
all Yard-Arm and what a magnificent performance he produced.
The pundits are already speculating – can Dynasty ever beat
Yard-Arm again, or has the Gauteng champion progressed more
than Dean Kannemeyer’s beautiful son of Fort Wood?
They will meet again, that’s for sure, for Geoff Woodruff confirmed
that Yard-Arm would not be leaving South Africa and the Vodacom
Durban July was the focus of his future programme.
Dean Kannemeyer has also intimated that Dynasty’s mission was
a return to Greyville where he won Africa’s greatest race last
year, beating Yard-Arm into second place.
That will be a race to remember.
Irrespective of where one’s sentiments lie, it is difficult
to picture any horse in this country toppling the big bay again.
His performance on Saturday, following on his runaway win in
the Queen’s Plate, was awesome to say the least.
His time of 125,06 was three seconds slower than the course
record set by Bunter Barlow when he won the J&B Met in 2001,
but Yard-Arm was never called on to go any faster.
He slipped through from just off the pace in the home straight
and pulled away effortlessly to win unextended, as he liked.
Jockey Mark Khan, in just his third meeting back from having
suffered a back injury in a fall, was full of praise for his
mount saying it was a great feeling when the gelding quickened
in the straight. "What a feeling, it was wonderful."
Geoff Woodruff was visibly relieved but obviously extremely
happy, exuding an inner pride in what had been achieved. The
popular conditioner had been under incredible pressure leading
up to the event but, not a man to take anything for granted,
he had planned Yard-Arm’s preparation to the minute and hatched
a perfect plan for his five-horse team with one aim in mind
– getting Yard-Arm to the line first.
That plan went into action from the second the pens opened and
Deon Sampson sent Celtic Grove out to make the pace with Cousin
John and Superwood backing him up and preparing the way for
Yard-Arm to move through in the straight from his fifth position.
It was a plan that came together even better than those devised
by the famous TV A-Team and as the team broke ranks to allow
the big horse through, it was race over with 400 metres to run.
For the Yard-Arm connections it was firsts all round – a first
J&B Met for Mark Khan, a first for Geoff Woodruff and a
first for highly popular owner and breeder, Mike Rattray – and
it couldn’t be wished on a nicer combination.
But what of his opposition and, in particular, second favourite
Wolf Whistle? There is now doubt that they were all racing for
second place and, from his outside draw which left him stranded
wide the whole way, Mike De Kock’s Badger Land gelding never
had a snowball’s hope.
But there were two outstanding performances in defeat, those
of second-placed Sports Warrior and third-placed Cousin John.
The latter had raced up with the pace all the way and fought
on with tenacity in the home straight only just being denied
second place by Sports Warrior who once again had to make his
bid from well back, this time from the rear of the field.
Mike Bass can be proud of Sports Warrior’s performance and that
of fourth-placed Sharief Song, they ran enormous races.
Setting the scene for the big one on the day was the R225 000,
Grade 1 Fancourt Majorca Stakes and when Geoff Woodruff’s favourite,
Duchess Daba, failed to fire and was never a factor in the race,
the tension in the stable must have increased ten fold.
Joey Ramsden had already saddled three winners at the meeting
and his three-year-old Goldmark filly, Sarabande, was easy to
back at 10-1. That was the result of her poor showing in the
Paddock Stakes although before that she had excellent form.
But whatever had gone wrong then was of little consequence,
for Weichong Mawing hopped her out of the pens and sent her
on her way and she never looked back. She kicked away from them
in the straight and won comfortably from Perfect Promise and
Divine Duel.
The R300 000, Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship highlighted the
talent of what could be South Africa’s successor to the ill-fated
National Currency.
Mike Bass’s three-year-old Caesour colt, Tobe Or Nottobe, thrashed
the opposition in no uncertain terms, pulling clear then holding
off the filly Zolaroyale to win by half a length. As a young
horse his future looks extremely bright and the Golden Horse
Sprint at Scottsville as well as the speed races at Greyville
and Clairwood in the Winter Season will be beckoning.
