RUSSIAN ROCK SCORES SURPRISE GUINEAS WIN

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer won the Cape Guineas for a sixth time, when he sent out longshot Russian Rock (100-1) to lift the spoils in Saturday’s G1 Cape Racing Presents Cape Guineas (1600m) at Kenilworth on Saturday afternoon.

Runner up in the Listed Sophomore Sprint in August, Russian Rock was trying the 1600m trip for a first time and his form suggested he would be held by others in the 2020 Cape Guineas field.

However, his wily trainer clearly knows what it takes to win the Cape Guineas, with Kannemeyer landing the race for a first time since sending out Capetown Noir to triumph in 2012.

The hitherto unbeaten Malmoos was dispatched favourite for the Cape Guineas, with G3 Cape Classic/De Grendel CTS Ready To Run Stakes winner Seeking The Stars another leading fancy, while money also came for Seeking The Stars’ stablemate Rascallion.

Seeking The Stars, as is his want, went out to make the running, under a positive ride from Luyolo Mxothwa.

The front running kept going turning for home, as the favoured Malmoos battled to launch a challenge, while the luckless Linebacker (second in his last three starts) ran on strongly and it was that Vaughan Marshall trained colt who appeared on course for victory, until Grant Behr bought his longshot mount Russian Rock with a furious late finish, which saw the Kannemeyer trained colt get up close home and win by a neck. The hapless Linebacker (20-1) had to settle for a fourth consecutive runner up finish in a feature race back in second, with Linebacker’s stablemate Rascallion (33-10) running on strongly for third spot.

The well related Russian Rock, who has now won twice in five starts, claimed the Cape Guineas in a time of 100.07.

A flashy grey, the Klawervlei Stud bred Russian Rock was a R200 000 buy from the 2019 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

He is a second G1 winner for his Vodacom Durban July winning sire Pomodoro, also responsible for Saturday’s Listed Secretariat Stakes third placegetter Indlamu.

Russian Rock was produced by the Proclamation mare Elisium – an unraced half-sister to the dam of dual G1 winner Lillie Langtry (herself dam of Cartier Horse of The Year Minding).

Image: Chase Liebenberg Designs