An emotional victory in the Flaming Rock silks for the 6yo Doublemint in the R110 000 New Turf Carriers Listed Jet Master Stakes kept the Snaith team’s champagne Derby day celebrations on a roll at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Rob Khathi keeps Doublemint at his task as Capoiera (Grant van Niekerk) threatens up the outside (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
With loyal exotic punters coming to the party as the carryover-free Derby day Pick 6 reached R1 444 537, the handicapped-to-win Doublemint showed his class with a storming win under Robert Khathi to give the Snaiths a third straight feature success.
The gelding was gifted to the Snaiths by his former owners Alec and the Honourable Gillian Foster, and now races in the blue and white Shirley Pfeiffer silks worn to famous wins by the Irish-bred Flaming Rock.
“When I heard that they were relinquishing the silks I had to have them. Those colours put Justin and I through school,” explained Jonathan Snaith, the official new owner.
The Winning Form-sponsored Khathi rode a cracker, producing Doublemint (3-1) into the clear at the 350m marker and then staying on relentlessly under a hard ride to hold off the challenges of Capoeira (10-1) and the big grey, Azores (7-1).
The official margin was a neck and the winner’s time was 98,19 secs.
Doublemint was bred by Alec Foster and is by Twice Over (Observatory) out of the one-time winner Nepeta (Tale Of The Cat).
The gelding has won 7 races with 9 places from 23 starts for stakes of R1 210 000.
Noordhoek-based Mike Stewart received an accolade for his therapeutic seawater treatment of the winner.
