The Captain Al colt Undercover Agent banked ten times his purchase price in just over 100 seconds at Kenilworth on Saturday in a race worth more in monetary terms than the Sun Met itself.
Corne Orffer steers Undercover Agent to a smooth win (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The $500 000 CTS 1600 is restricted to eligible graduates of the 2016 Cape Premier Yearling Sale held on 21 and 22 January 2016, the CTS March Yearling Sale held on 19 and 20 March 2016 and the Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale held on 21 April 2016. The race attracted a capacity field, but was reduced to 15 starters after the scratching of boom colt Talk Of The Town, who will be out for six months with a leg injury.
In a race where the top three were in front from the jump, Bass-Robinson filly Rings And Things went up to lead Tarry’s Captain And Master and the Brett Crawford-trained Undercover Agent.
The latter pair were being hard held into the turn and the race predictably turned into a sprint for home, with Undercover Agent slipping through down the rail with a clear run for home.
While Captain And Master dup deep, he was unable to reel in the leader who put his Guineas run in file 13 with a nice R3 734 375 cheque earned here for owners Braam van Huyssteen and Greg Bortz. He won by 1,25 lengths in a time of 100,16 sces.
Captain And Master bravely overcame his draw and showed a flicker of what his trainer says he is capable of – in the process banking R1 195 000 in second.
The Querari filly Rings And Things stayed on nicely for the Ressell- Shirtliff partnership a further 0,75 lengths back in third and added R597 500 to their already handsome haul on the afternoon.
The big dollar lead – in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The fancied Cot Campbell battled to get going in the 500m sprint but was not disgraced in a race that would not have suited him, in the process banking R298 750.
The Burger-Van Reenen partnership trained Midnight Moonlight was a 4,30 length fifth and she took home R149 375 – more than double her purchase price.
The Moutonshoek bred Undercover Agent is a son of Captain Al (Al Mufti) out of two-time winner Secret Risk (London News).
A R325 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale buy, he has won 3 races with 1 place from 7 runs for stakes of R3 885 625.
Beware of the form of this race – there is every chance it may not stand the test of time – excuse the pun!
