Fairview trainer Gavin Smith has enjoyed a terrific season and the East Cape veteran travels to Kenilworth on Saturday with his dual Guineas-Derby winner Jaeger Moon to contest the final leg of the WSB Cape Winter Series.
The Hollywoodbets-sponsored team are on a high after a superb Listed PE Gold Cup success last Friday with Master Supreme, and Gavin’s son Dean will saddle their top-class 3yo as he lines up in a ten-horse field in the R125 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Pocket Power Stakes (formerly the Winter Derby).
Jaeger Moon is the joint top-rated contender alongside Justin Snaith’s second leg hero, Hoedspruit. The latter carries a kilo extra as a Gr3 winner at his last start.
Jaeger Moon and Marco van Rensburg in typical pose and where they love to be – out front! (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Snaith also won the first leg of the prestigious series with Warrior, who probably doesn’t stay and won’t be taking his chances over the 2400m of Saturday’s finale.
Regular pilot Marco Van Rensburg has been aboard at every one of Jaeger Moon’s seven victories and the Gauteng rider will make a rare trip to the Mother City on Saturday.
Assistant trainer Dean Smith will fly down early on Friday to welcome the stable star and look after him as he heads into Saturday’s feature.
Gavin Smith sends Jaeger Moon to Cape Town on Saturday (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Gavin Smith, who commands a national trainer championship top ten position, told the Sporting Post that his charge has been working very well and would be fit.
“He stays well and he has certainly earned a shot at this race. And we will never know if we don’t try. Obviously the first time at a strange track, first run on a left-handed turn, and the travelling are factors that weigh against our boy – but we have done what we can to prep him properly.”
Smith explained that he had worked Jaeger Moon the wrong way around at Fairview to get him used to the left-handed track.
“He will leave Thursday evening with Choice Carriers and will be stabled at Milnerton with Candice Bass-Robinson. So it will be a literal first sight of Kenilworth on Saturday. But he is sensible and we are hopeful that everything will go well.”
The Summerhill Stud-bred R140 000 BSA Ready To Run graduate is a horse that has captured the hearts of the PE locals with his never-say-die attitude.
And he never wins by a country mile, so his connections and fans are accustomed to living on the edge of their seats!
He is a son of the multiple Gr1 winning Equus champion son of Western Winter, Capetown Noir and is raced by former Gauteng-based owners Frank and Joyce Burggraaf, who work and live for six months in Port Elizabeth and six months in Saudi Arabia, every year.
The Burggraaf’s sons will be shouting the family favourite home in front of their Tellytrack screen in the Windy City.
R125 000 2400m 16:10 Ref-5751st R75000, 2nd R31250, 3rd R12500, 4th R6250
WORLD SPORTS BETTING POCKET POWER STAKES (Grade 3)
For 3-year olds – Winter Series Leg 3No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 5 | Hoedspruit | 60 | 108 | A | Luyolo Mxothwa | Justin Snaith | |
| 2 | 8 | Jaeger Moon | 59 | 108 | A | Marco V’Rensburg | Gavin Smith | |
| 3 | 2 | Crimson King | 59 | 103 | A | Morne Winnaar | Glen Kotzen | |
| 4 | 6 | Somerset Maugham | 59 | 102 | A | Grant van Niekerk | Justin Snaith | |
| 5 | 3 | Dubai Lights | 59 | 89 | A | Sandile Mbhele | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 6 | 7 | Lets Boogie Baby | 59 | 86 | BA | Oswald Noach | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 7 | 10 | One Way Traffic | 59 | 86 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 8 | 9 | Super Duke | 59 | 75 | A | Callan Murray | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 9 | 4 | Strike Speed | 59 | 72 | A | Devin Ashby | Piet Botha | |
| 10 | 1 | Starboard | 56.5 | 86 | A | Greg Cheyne | Andre Nel | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,4,7) (5,6) | ||||||||
