SECOND MET WIN FOR RAINBOW BRIDGE

Talented gelding Rainbow Bridge made amends for a runner up finish in last year’s race when he won Saturday’s G1 Cape Town Met (2000m) at Kenilworth.

Winner of the Met back in 2019, the gelding had found only One World too good when second in last year’s Met, but picked up his second Met victory with a courageous effort on Saturday.
Rainbow Bridge had finished second in the G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate last time out and appeared to have had a good prep going into the 2021 Cape Town Met.

However, it was last season’s G1 Vodacom Durban July winner Belgarion who was made 19-10 tote favourite for Saturday’s big race, despite having finished behind Rainbow Bridge in the Queen’s Plate.

Outsiders Running Brave (40-1) and Cirillo (18-1) disputed the running early on, as Rainbow Bridge was dropped out to the back of the field.

Cirillo went to the front, and made the running, before promising 3yo filly Princess Calla launched her challenge down the inside, and the favoured Belgarion made a threatening looking run down the centre of the course.

However, Luke Ferraris bought Rainbow Bridge with a sustained run on the outside of the course, with his challenge seeing Rainbow Bridge going on to win the 2021 Met by a length and three quarters with Belgarion back in second. Rank longshot Sovereign Spirit defied his 100-1 starting price by running on down the inside for third, a length clear of dual July winner Do It Again (13-2).

Six-year-old Rainbow Bridge claimed his second Met, and fourth G1 success, in a time of 123.51.

Originally raced by the late Chris Gerber, Rainbow Bridge is now owned by Mike and Norma Rattray.

His latest win took his tally of wins to nine, and his earnings to R7 293 125.

Rainbow Bridge’s success provided jockey Luke Ferraris with a first Met win, and another Met success for veteran trainer Eric Sands.

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Rainbow Bridge was knocked down for R300 000 at the 2016 National Yearling Sale.

One of 26 stakes winners for Kingmambo horse Ideal World, Rainbow Bridge is out of South Africa’s reigning Broodmare Of The Year Halfway To Heaven (by Jet Master).

Main image: Chase Liebenberg Designs

Secondary image: