Once rated the world’s best jockey, multiple British Champion Frankie Dettori always does things in style and rode his first ever winner in the Cape when steering Edict Of Nantes to victory in the Gr1 R1 million Investec Cape Derby at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Frankie Dettori salutes as Edict Of Nantes storms home to win the Derby (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The four-time Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe winner and double Epsom Derby champion rode a beautifully judged race on Brett Crawford’s’ Edict Of Nantes and mastered the ‘Cape crawl’ – not something he is too used to – as he tracked pacesetter Zodiac Ruler all the way around.
Pace was always a question mark in the small field but this did not hinder the Investec Ambassador who proved that his trip to Cape Town courtesy of Bernard Kantor was no sightseeing party.
Brett Crawford – a proud man!
With boom one-time sales record-breaker horse Horizon starting favourite but failing to deliver, the door was opened for the flamboyant Dettori to showcase his skills, and this he did with aplomb.
With the confidence of being told that his mount would stay the 2000m, he tracked Piere Strydom and Zodiac Ruler all the way, before pulling the trigger at the 450m mark.
Edict Of Nantes moved ahead strongly and even though it looked like Frankie might have gone a stride or two early, the son of Count Dubois ran all the way to the line to win in a time of 127,43 secs.
Zodiac Ruler stayed on well to come back for second ahead of the filly Captain Gambler, who finished best of the Ramsden trio for third.
Horizon moved up at the 350m but failed to go on with his effort, while the highly vaunted Table Bay was ridden with different tactics but failed to feature.
Edict Of Nantes doused the speculation that he had worked poorly in the build-up and after decent efforts in the Choice Carriers, Selangor and the Cape Guineas, showed that he has a bright future ahead of him.
Trainer Brett Crawford enjoyed a great day at the office and was celebrating a first ever Gr1 success for Mayfair Speculators.
A Klawervlei Farm Sale graduate Edict Of Nantes has now won 4 races with 4 places from 10 starts and took his stakes earnings to R914 375.
He is the fifth Gr1 winner for Bernard Kantor’s Zafonic stallion Count Dubois out of the four-time winning Jet Master mare, Pagan Dance – who only won up to 1200m.
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Gr1 Cape Derby (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 28, R1 million, 2000m, turf, good, 2.07.43
1 – EDICT OF NANTES (SAF), 60.0, b c 3, Count Dubois (GB) – Pagan Dance (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF). Owner Mayfair Speculators (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D L Brugman); Breeder Klawervlei Stud; trainer BJ Crawford; jockey L Dettori
2 – Zodiac Ruler (AUS), 60.0, b c 3, Zoffany (IRE) – Sybarite (AUS) by Last Tycoon (IRE)
3 – Captain Gambler (SAF), 57.5, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Skip Poker (USA) by Skip Away (ANY)
Margins: 1.75, 0.75, 0.10
