The International Racing Club enjoyed something of an ironic third ‘hollow’ victory in two days when the Visionaire gelding Truly Wicked charged to victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday under Jason Gates for the Deltron Energy sponsored Wayne Badenhorst-Barbara Kennedy training combination.
The IRC have been in the mix of the news in South African racing as major patrons and supporters of Fairview-based trainer Yvette Bremner, who was the target on Thursday last week of a violent protest that effectively closed her yard down.
Jason Gates powers to victory on Truly Wicked for the IRC (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
IRC Spokesman Mike De Haast told the Sporting Post earlier on Monday that the NHRA had declined their call to race in black in the name of a peaceful protest after the events of Thursday 17 September shocked local and international racing fans.
In hindsight, the NHRA’s decision to not allow the IRC to sport black for Monday’s and Wednesday’s meetings may come back to bite as a gesture that would have required a measure of marginal flexibility, but that would have, at the same instance, gone some way to counter the spineless manner in which the industry’s leadership at large has dealt with the incident.
Ironically the IRC have never been insistent on the horses they race in partnership running in their silks. It’s always been about the fun of it.
In the final analysis, it took the courage of ordinary racing folk like Barbara Badenhorst and her brother Wayne, as well as Apprentice Jason Gates, to dare mention the word ‘Port Elizabeth’ or ‘Yvette Bremner’ in the confines of the post-race interview.
“I owe this to Yvette – I learnt a lot from her,” said the wife of former PE-based SA Champion jockey Warren Kennedy, who like her brother Wayne, grew up in the wounded Windy City.
A R50 000 Summerhill bred National 2yo Sale graduate, Truly Wicked has won twice for earnings close on R150 000.
Cersei won the next race to give the brother-sister training combination a nice double after a quiet patch.
Top Salute cracked the Pick 6 opener to give former Flamingo Park trainer Tienie Prinsloo a deserved second KZN winner, when winning the third under Jeffrey Syster.
