In most seasons, 212 winners would be enough to secure the champion jockey title.
But as the lights dimmed over Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday evening, Winning Form sponsored rider Muzi Yeni was scratching his head at his luck in bumping a prodigious 21 year old talent called Lyle Hewitson, who just keeps finding more in the home straight.
Camphoratus has her head in the pic as Muzi Yeni drives Running Brave to the wire (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
With a rare blank day for both at Fairview on Friday and Muzi grabbing just – okay, it was a Gr2 – one winner on Saturday, the difference between the title-chasing duo is four winners as we go into Turffontein this afternoon.
There are three meetings left of the season after that.
Saturday will go down as something of a frustrating afternoon for the Avontuur man, Lyle Hewitson. He rode four second places and the day’s hot horse Eden Roc disappointed.
But Muzi’s ride on Running Brave to win the R400 000 Gr2 Gold Bracelet exemplified the fighting spirit that has characterised the sub-plot of the jockey title chase for the past two months.
Paul Matchett’s nuggety mare is all heart and courage and her and Muzi became one down the Hollywoodbets Greyville straight as the challenges came from all sides after she had led for most of the 2000m journey.
But the opposition had no answers for the raw determination of the pacemaker and her rider and Running Brave (14-1) was justly rewarded as she dug deep and held on by a nose to stave off the low-flying Camphoratus (11-1) in a time of 123,21 secs.
Insignis (20-1) came out of the pack a half length away in third.
Sabina’s Dynasty (16-1) was in fourth, with the favourite Miyabi Gold (5-2) running below her July form and finishing eighth and 2,85 lengths off the winner.
A graded race bridesmaid for much of the season, Running Brave took her stakes earnings to R940 424 with her fourth win with 10 places from 17 starts.
Bred by Summerhill Stud, she is a daughter of Brave Tin Soldier ( Storm Cat) out of the Jet Master mare Movingandgrooving and cost just R30 000 off the National 2yo Sale.
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Gr2 Gold Bracelet (SAf-Gr2)
Greyville, South Africa, July 27, R400k, 2000m, turf, good, 2.03.21
1 – RUNNING BRAVE (SAF), 55.5, b f 3, Brave Tin Soldier (USA) – Movingandgrooving (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF). Owner Messrs F Bronkhorst & H L Neethling; Breeder Summerhill Stud; trainer PF Matchett; jockey M Yeni
2 – Camphoratus (SAF), 60.0, ch f 4, Byword (GB) – Wild Camphor (USA) by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
3 – Insignis (SAF), 57.0, ch f 4, Go Deputy (USA) – Alula (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
Margins: 0.15, 0.50, 0.25
