An extraordinarily confident, charismatic, cool – call it what you like- ride by regular jockey Richard Fourie capped a second Majorca Stakes victory and fourth career Gr1 success for Suzette Viljoen’s star filly Captain’s Ransom at Kenilworth on Met day.
While SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith rationalised his lengthy successful partnership with Fourie some months ago, the duo are deadly when they partner, even on an average day, and they didn’t want to know about the Moutonshoek-bred 4yo getting beat.
Richard Fourie and Captain’s Ransom storm past Grant van Niekerk and Chansonette in a thriller (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
After the Bohica Pick 6 knockout, the majority of exotic hopes rested on Captain’s Ransom’s shoulders in the Schweppes Gr1 Majorca Stakes – and at the 200m, those that had covered with the year younger Chansonette were probably celebrating.
Grant van Niekerk had set sail on Chansonette (28-10) at the 250m and the Andre Nel 3yo looked set to avenge her Paddock Stakes defeat.
But it was not to be as Fourie coaxed the fleetfooted Captain’s Ransom (17-10). Two bounces and a few strides later, Fourie stood up in the saddle and saluted the enthralled crowd, with Captain’s Ransom gaining the verdict to win going away by 0,40 lengths in a time of 99,68 secs.
Watch the replay here:
The Sporting Post was contacted after the race with questions as to why Van Niekerk had not shown any penchant for his crop when it counted.
But the Stipes had no issue, and it was a win full of masses of merit as Van Niekerk would have need a set of wings to stop the Snaith star.
Richard Fourie confirmed that the slow-run race had not gone according to plan.
“I said to Justin (Snaith) we would win by 20 lengths. But I had her 20 lengths further back than I should have . So it worked out well,” smiled the top rider.
Captain’s Ransom, a R225 000 buy from the 2019 National Yearling Sale, was bred by Moutonshoek.
Top team at the lead in – Fourie is a combination of relieved and thrilled! (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
She is a daughter of deceased champion sire Captain Al (Al Mufti) out of the unraced Red Ransom mare Cinna’s Ransom. The latter, dam of multiple winners in Britain, is a half-sister to Gr3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner Black Rock Desert and multiple Japanese stakes winner Toyo Seattle.
Cinna’s Ransom’s own dam, the Plankton Stakes winner, City Dance is a full-sister to multiple Gr1 winner, and successful sire, Slew City Slew.
Captain’s Ransom took her stakes tally to R1 981 000 with her tenth win from twelve starts.
Former jockey Louis Burke was singled out for special mention for his effort with prepping the winner.
What a filly!
OFFICIAL RESULT
| TRAINER | JOCKEY | DISTANCE | BETTING | |||
| 1ST | 1 CAPTAIN’S RANSOM | SJ Snaith | R Fourie | 17/10 | ||
| 2ND | 8 CHANSONETTE | WA Nel | G van Niekerk | 0.40 | 0.40 | 28/10 |
| 3RD | 3 PRINCESS CALLA | AN Marcus | A Marcus | 0.75 | 1.15 | 7/1 |
| 4TH | 2 ZARINA | C Bass-Robinson | A Domeyer | 2.75 | 3.90 | 6/1 |
| 5TH | 4 SHE’S A KEEPER | G Van Zyl | B Fayd’Herbe | 1.50 | 5.40 | 7/1 |
| TIME OF RACE: 1 min 39.68 sec | ||||||
| Tote
Fav |
1 CAPTAIN’S RANSOM | SJ Snaith | R Fourie | __________ | 17/10 | |
