The Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship lived up to its billing as a clash of champions as supermare Val De Ra (SAF) (By Var) denied the sustained challenge of favourite What A Winter (SAF) in a thrilling finish. Captain’s Secret (SAF) and J J The Jet Plane (SAF) took the minor placings, by Mark Anthony.
As expected, the Avontuur Estate bred and owned, Val De Ra, took an immediate lead with What A Winter tracking her closely to the outside. Rabattache raced to the inside of the group with J J The Jet Plane between horses and Captain’s Secret and Copper Parade next best.
Although out in front throughout, Val De Ra had not adopted her usual tearaway tactics and jockey Alec Forbes had ridden a relatively restrained race. About 300m out, he asked her to open up and she kicked away, gaining an extra couple of lengths on the field. Karl Neisius covered the move by sending What A Winter after him and a thrilling finale ensued as they entered the last furlong. With J J The Jet Plane not kicking on, it was clear that a two-horse race was in store and What A Winter looked as if he might well snare the flying mare. But Val De Ra kept on finding under pressure and showed tremendous courage to see off the attentions of her pursuer.
Val De Ra’s latest effort has once again left observers searching for superlatives. She has now won 11 of her 12 starts and, significantly, has beaten the males in the country’s two premier 1000m races, having scored a breathtaking win in last year’s Computaform Sprint. She’s quite simply the fastest horse in the country and one can only look forward to her next racecourse appearance. Not only has she proven to be the pride of Avontuur, but today’s victory can only have added to her legion of fans across the racing spectrum.
Trainer Dennis Drier has done a marvellous job in keeping her on the boil and it’s well worth remembering that this fabulous equine athlete was almost lost to us on the operating table earlier in her career. Racing fans have good reason to be thankful that she made it back to the track and she is going to be a massive draw card wherever she contests her next race.
Alec Forbes also deserves accolades for a top ride. Had he gone for broke from the start, Val De Ra might well have been even more vulnerable to What A Winter’s finishing surge. He kept just enough in reserve for the closing stages and it proved decisive as she had enough gas in the tank to see her through that frantic final furlong.
What A Winter went down fighting and he looked all set to overhaul his arch-rival as the finishing line approached. But he was up against a truly special racehorse and it was no disgrace to go down to a mare of such calibre. He has come back really well from surgery, looking as good as ever in three starts this season and he has plenty of options open to him going forward.
Captain’s Secret turned in another game effort in defeat. It’s been ages since he made the winner’s box but when one considers the company he’s been keeping, he certainly hasn’t disgraced himself.
J J The Jet Plane was unable to play his part in the thriller that unfolded and it was clear a long way out that he was not himself after a ten-month, injury-enforced layoff. This was his first ever defeat in a sprint race in this country and one hopes that he can bounce back and recover something approaching his best form. He’s got absolutely nothing left to prove, though, and whatever happens from here on, he has already done enough to establish himself as an all-time great of the South African turf.
5 ch m Var (USA) - Minelli by Elliodor (FR)
Owner: Avontuur Estate (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr M J B Taberer)
Bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm
Winning trainer: Dennis Drier
KW384 - Race 7 - R600K - BETTING WORLD CAPE FLYING CHAMPIONSHIP (WFA)(Gr 1)
Weight For Age - 1000m |
| No |
Horse |
Jockey |
Al/Bl |
Kg |
Dr |
Fin |
Dist |
Time |
OP |
SP |
| 6 |
VAL DE RA |
Alec Forbes |
A |
57.5 |
1 |
1 |
0.00 |
57.97 |
14/10 |
17/10 |
| 2 |
WHAT A WINTER |
Karl Neisius |
A |
60.0 |
6 |
2 |
0.40 |
58.04 |
9/10 |
1/1 |
| 4 |
CAPTAIN'S SECRET |
M J Byleveld |
A |
60.0 |
5 |
3 |
4.65 |
58.80 |
33/1 |
110/1 |
| 1 |
J J THE JET PLANE |
Bernard Fayd'Herbe |
A |
60.0 |
3 |
4 |
5.65 |
58.99 |
33/10 |
28/10 |
| 3 |
COPPER PARADE |
Glen Hatt |
A B |
60.0 |
4 |
5 |
6.90 |
59.22 |
33/1 |
110/1 |
| 5 |
RABATTACHE |
Richard Fourie |
A |
60.0 |
2 |
6 |
7.90 |
59.40 |
100/1 |
66/1 |
|
Credit where it's due. This mare is really spectacular. She's won all but 1 of her 12 lifetime starts now. She's the daughter of Arc winner, Var, so she's got outstanding breeding behind her. I just wanted to say as a really big fan of J J The Jet Plane that I'm just so pleased for the connections that he bounced back so well from that hole in his near-fore tendon back in April. J J had looked so strong in Hong Kong and Dubai, and to have had to end his career on such an awful note would've really been tragic. A 4th place finish against a legit G1 field for him coming off of a 10 month lay-off plus a near career ending injury is a huge effort first time out, IMO. I don't know what future plans are for J J The Jet Plane now? But I'd really love to see him in Dubai again in March to defend his Al Quoz Sprint title from a year ago!!