When asked what the remarkable son of One World’s key attributes are, Marshall responded without hesitation, “It’s his speed, and that he’s got gears – jockey Gavin Lerena will confirm that…”
For much of the long straight it looked like ONE STRIPE would fall short as GIMME A PRINCE moved up menacingly to challenge a forging MONTIEN. But neither could withstand the dramatic 22.9 second late rush that Lerena summoned from the gear-shifting ONE STRIPE who started as the popular 11/10 favourite. The winner’s final time was 97.63 seconds.
The winner was bred at Drakenstein Stud and is out of the Silvano mare, Silver Stripe. He has now won six of eight starts, including the Punters Cup, Cape Guineas (Gr 1), and now this prestigious cross-generational Gr 1 WFA mile showdown since mid-November.
That’s a busy campaign, so Marshall will most likely duck the World Sports Betting Cape Town MET and instead target a lucrative R5 million incentive race later in the Cape Summer season for this truly outstanding three-year-old.
MONTIEN emerged with honour in defeat. Getting over from draw 12, pressing the pace and fighting all the way to the line was a performance of class and determination from the humbly bred son of Louis the King, trained by Piet Botha. He massively outran his starting price of 75/1.
GIMME A PRINCE also did well to secure third spot. Troubled by physical issues and requiring tender handling, he may just have run out of puff the last part as he was stretched to his limit in the eightfurlong contest.
ROYAL AUSSIE rounded out the quartet, 4.5 lengths off Marshall’s coveted L’Ormarins King’s Plate Gr 1 hero, ONE STRIPE.
In Race 6, Richard Fourie sat for as long as possible before unleashing DOUBLE GRAND SLAM with a devastating late move to win the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes (for fillies and mares at WFA) over 1800m.
As expected, the early pace was set by tearaway LAVENDER BAY with RASCOVA, RED PALACE and LITTLE SUZIE stretched out in Indian file. Fourie had the daughter of Vercingetorix settled some way off the action, tracking SAARTJIE up the straight before weaving past tiring rivals and drawing off for a resounding score with an impressive 23.3 second 400m finish sectional. The final time was 109.86 seconds.
“I didn’t even need to use the crop – she won so easily”, a suitably impressed Fourie said afterwards.
RED PALACE was game to attend such a hot pace and still keep on, but she drifted outwards as she tired and could not match DOUBLE GRAND SLAM’s come-home sectional. The same applied to RASCOVA, who held third from RAINBOW LORIKEET.
DOUBLE GRAND SLAM is trained by Justin Snaith. The conditioner was confident as one can be going into hard-to-win Gr 1s, describing her as enjoying a “near-perfect prep and being in super shape."
That assessment proved prophetic as the Varsfontein Stud bred filly attained her 7th and most significant win from 15 starts. In so doing the 33/20 favourite proved conclusively that she can carry her brilliance in a hard run, nine-panel test.
Feature Races on Ll’ormarins King’s Plate Day – Hollywoodbets Kenilworth
ASIYE PHAMBILI, a late charging second in the race last year to October Morn, went one better in the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Richard Fourie bought her through smoothly in the centre of the track to justify heavy market support (3/1 into 17/10) and fend off the dashing rails run of smart 3YO filly, ROCCAPINA.
GIMMIES COUNTESS progressed from the rear to be third without really threatening over three lengths back.
ASIYE PHAMBILI is a five-year-old mare by speed sire, What a Winter ex Cast a Spell, and is trained by Gareth van Zyl. This eighth victory from 21 starts took her career earnings over the million-rand mark.
RASCALLION is the horse you want on your side in a tight tussle, and he again showed his tenacity and will to win when outduelling market mover (10’s into 9/2) MAGIC VERSE in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m.
LITIGATION and FUTURE SWING rounded out the placings in a blanket finish where the first five home were covered by a little over a length.
“Just imagine what he would have accomplished if he was sound his whole career,” mused trainer Vaughan Marshall, who has done an amazing job to constantly patch up and revive the valiant son of Vercingetorix.
Sean Veale gave the winner a perfectly judged vigorous ride and RASCALLION will no doubt shorten considerably in the World Sports Betting Cape MET ante-post market from long shot quotes of 40/1 – after all it’s a race he finished second in 2024 behind Double Superlative.
Gareth van Zyl’s stayer, KING PELLES romped in the Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup over 2500m. HOLDING THUMBS tracked the well-backed, pace-setting lightweight, DAIMYO, and tried to keep rolling but could not match the Duke of Marmalade gelding in the last 200m. The margin of victory was 1.75 lengths.
The 20/1 winner, who was ridden by Athandiwe Mgudlwa, has really come into his own this summer in the Cape. Prior to an unexpectedly weak recent start he had been consistently in the money. He bounced back to form for a fourth score from 16 starts, and with his boundless stamina, there is the promise of more to come in tests of endurance.