Close! Here Comes Billy wins the Merchants (JC Photos)
With the Pick Six pool closing at a bumper R5,4 million there was plenty of anticipation as a capacity field lined up for the R450 000 Gr2 Merchants Handicap run over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday. Weiho Marwing and S’manga Khumalo produced the goods with the versatile Here Comes Billy winning a thriller.
Khumalo, who has put in some indifferent performances after a cracking start to his season, would have had mixed feelings after this win. He picked up a ten day suspension for his ride in a driving finish for some rather disappointingly liberal use of his whip in contravention of the NHA regulations.
Deliver The Power unseated jockey Gavin Lerena in the stalls as a troublesome field of quality sprinters lined up. The Zaki runner was cleared fit to race by the Vet, after some theatrics from Lerena as the young jockey lay sprawled on the emerald green turf.
With Depardieu and Link Man slow off, PE visitor Copper Parade showed exceptional toe as he led Showmethe way and Piano Man early.
With Copper Parade continuing to lead , Khumalo produced Here Comes Billy between runners and he finished up alongside Snowdon who was flying down the inside rail.
The two came close together as they fought out a ding dong battle in the final stages.
Here Comes Billy finished strongly at a generous 7 to 1 to beat Snowdon by a head in a time of 67,88 secs.
Kingston Boy maintained his form with a nice third, as he resurrected some damaged pride for the KZN visitors, just in front of the pacy Copper Parade. The latter may be more effective if given a chance and chasing them late.
The favourite King’s Bay, purchased for export by the China Racing Club, ran stone last and was found to be not striding out on the right front.
Khumalo incurred the wrath of the Stipes and was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 in that he used his crop with excessive frequency resulting in wheal marks on the right hindquarter whilst riding the winner.
He signed an Admission of Guilt and was suspended from riding in races for a period of ten days
A first class versatile sand and turf performer, Here Comes Billy showed that sprinting is his A game. He had run unplaced behind Royal Zulu Warrior in the Charity Mile at his penultimate start.
Here Comes Billy has won 5 races with 7 places from 15tarts. He took his stake earnings to R754 950.
Bred by Riverworld Stud , he is a R120 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase and is by Muhtafal out of the unraced Jet Master mare, Fast Tempo.
Here Comes Billy is an accomplished sprinter and looks well worth sticking with.
