Falcons Win Rider Cup

The KZN Falcons swooped late to take the Interprov Rider Cup at Greyville on Saturday, scooping far more points than either the Highveld Hawks or the Western Cape Eagles in the final leg.

The Highveld Hawks earned a big lead in Leg 1 and maintained their position on the log until the last of the four races that comprised the Rider Cup. Final point standings: KZN Falcons – 159; Highveld Hawks – 152; Western Cape Eagles – 108. Natal representative Anthony Delpech was the leading rider with 54 points after recording a win, a second, a third and a ninth placing.

The Highveld Hawks earned themselves what could have been an unassailable lead in Leg 1 when they scored 54 points, more than 20 more than either the KZN Falcons or the Western Cape Eagles.

Although they scored fewer points than the KZN Falcons in the next two legs, they were still eight points in the lead after Leg 3.

Leg 1 was a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m on the Polytrack and the Highveld Hawks finished first, second, fourth and fifth. The point tally after Leg 1 stood at Highveld Hawks – 54; KZN Falcons – 32; Western Cape Eagles – 30.

The race went the way of Gavin Lerena aboard Intergalactic, the 22-10 favourite. Jockey Piere Strydom aboard Thanda (7-1) set a good gallop followed by Sword Storm and Intergalactic, ridden by teammates S’manga Khumalo and Lerena respectively. When Thanda fell away at the 300m marker, Intergalactic cruised into the lead drew away from her rivals to win by 5.25 lengths. Sword Storm stayed on for second with outsider Zara’s Legacy (Muzi Yeni) running on from midfield to finish third. Thanda stayed on for fourth ahead of the other Highveld Hawks rider, Raymond Danielson on Wanton Child.

Anthony Delpech – won tight finish

The KZN Falcons won the bulk of the points in Leg 2, an MR 68 Handicap over 1600m on the Polytrack with Delpech keeping Celtic Captain going well to beat the Highveld’s Danielson and Mambo Mime by a short head. Richard Fourie had Hassen’s Bid in the lead for most of the race but he fell away halfway down the straight, eventually finishing ninth. Celtic Captain and Mambo Mime swept out of the chasing pack and fought out a ding-dong battle, finishing three lengths clear of the others. A race review was held but no action was taken. Mystic Express, who was always well there, finished third ahead of Flying Fellow. The KZN Falcons took most points, earning a score of 41 ahead of the Western Cape Eagles’ 31 and the Highveld Hawks’ 29.

Points after Leg 2 stood at Highveld Hawks 83; KZN Falcons 73; Western Cape Eagles 61.

Leg 3 of the Rider Cup, the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over 1600m on the Polytrack, was won by Natal-rider Anton Marcus on Pecan Nut (11-2), who tracked pacemaker Enchanted Silk and took over 150m from home to beat fast-finishing Red Label (Strydom) by two lengths.

Points after Leg 2 stood at Highveld Hawks 124; KZN Falcons 116; Western Cape Eagles 78.

Tuscan got a couple of knocks midway down the straight but still won Leg 4, a MR 82 Handicap over 1200m, with impressive ease under Donovan Dillon, who gave the Western Cape Eagles their only win in the series. However, the KZN Falcons finished second, third and fourth with Cinema Scope (Delpech) Salesman (Keagan De Melo, who stood in for Sean Cormack in this race) and Theseus (Yeni) and earned the most points – 43, compared to the Western Cape Eagles’ 30 and the Highveld Hawks’ 28.