The Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap run over 2500m at Kenilworth on Saturday was run in a slower time than that of the Maiden Plate won by the gutsy Glen Kotzen-trained Miss La Dee Da a half hour later.
The 4yo gelding Dharma won the Gr3 race in a time of 162,68 secs carrying 52 kgs.
Glen Kotzen’s 3yo filly Miss La Dee Da shed her maiden in a time of 161,56 secs carrying 49,5kgs.
Solomons gets Mis La Dee Dah to dig deep (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
A comparison of the split timing of the two races show that the Maiden was actually 7 seconds faster than the Gr3 contest for just under the first half of the respective races.
Apprentice Joshwin Solomons, son of senior rider Morne Winnaar, rode only his second winner on Miss La Dee Da, and despite racing two horse widths off the rail all the way round and looking dead and buried at the top of the home straight, he kept his head to stay in front. A perfectly judged ride!
The Gr3 was a Cape Crawl circus.
Western Cape Chairman of Stipes Ernie Rodrigues told the Sporting Post that no blame could be apportioned at the door of any one rider.
“We have spoken about the issue of pace previously,” he added.
