January 28, 2017 – SAH Racing: DETTORI LANDS INVESTEC DERBY // History was made at Kenilworth on Saturday when legendary jockey Frankie Dettori won the Gr1 Investec Cape Derby aboard Edict Of Nantes (Count Dubois)

 

History was made at Kenilworth on Saturday when legendary jockey Frankie Dettori won the Gr1 Investec Cape Derby aboard Edict Of Nantes (Count Dubois).

It was a first Cape victory for Dettori, whose numerous previous big race wins had included the English equivalents aboard Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015). The Derby win was all the more fitting by the fact that Investec’s Bernard Kantor had been instrumental in bringing Frankie out for Sun Met day.

Edict Of Nantes, who had put up a less than stellar gallop prior to Saturday’s big race, was handier than usual in Saturday’s R1 000 000, as Zodiac Ruler (Zoffay) set a sedate early pace, ahead of the quietly fancied Elevated (Elusive Fort).
Hot favourite Horizon, who eventually started a 9-10 shot, raced back in fourth, with Edict Of Nantes among the front bunch. Outsiders Omaha Tribe (Ashaawes) and Ollivander (Silvano) bought up the rear of the small, ten horse field.

Zodiac Ruler continued to lead turning for home but began to drift out as Horizon (Dynasty) was asked for a challenge. Edict Of Nantes hit the front with 400m to go and the favourite quickly laid down what appeared a formidable challenge. However, Dettori knew what he had under him, and Edict Of Nantes kicked again to score by 1.75 lengths, with a game front running Zodiac Ruler fighting back for second.

Captain Gambler, the only filly in the race, continued the great run of success that progeny of Captain Al enjoyed on Sun Met by running a blinder back in third, ahead of Newlands (High Chaparral) and a bitterly disappointing Horizon (who connections claim need gelding).

Edict Of Nantes, who was winning for the fourth time from just ten outings, claimed the first feature win of his career when scoring in a time of 127.43.

He was another big race win on the day for trainer Brett Crawford, who had earlier in the day claimed the R1 000 000 Kuda Sprint with Bold Respect (Bold Silvano). Crawford said after the Derby win, “Having a rider like Frankie Dettori makes all the difference. I did not have to give him any instructions, and I thought gave him a world class ride. Thanks to Markus and Derek, it is my first Gr1 win for them.”

Bred by Klawervlei Stud (who also bred Saturday’s big race winners William Longsword and Carry On Alice), Edict Of Nantes is the fifth Gr1 winner sired by Bernard Kantor’s former Gr1 Gran Criterium winner Count Dubois.

fonte: SAH Racing 

Once rated the world’s best jockey, multiple British Champion Frankie Dettori always does things in style and rode his first ever winner  in the Cape when steering Edict Of Nantes to victory in the Gr1 R1 million Investec Cape Derby at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The four-time Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe winner and double Epsom Derby champion  rode a beautifully judged race on Brett Crawford’s’ Edict Of Nantes and mastered the ‘Cape crawl’ – not something he is too used to – as he tracked pacesetter Zodiac Ruler all the way around.

Pace was always a question mark in the small field but this did not hinder  the Investec Ambassador who proved that his trip to Cape Town courtesy of Bernard Kantor was no sightseeing party.

 

Brett Crawford – a proud man!

 

With boom one-time sales record-breaker horse Horizon starting favourite but failing to deliver, the door was opened for the flamboyant Dettori  to showcase his skills, and this he did with aplomb.

With the confidence of being told that his mount would stay the 2000m, he tracked Piere Strydom and Zodiac Ruler all the way, before pulling the trigger at the 450m mark.

Edict Of Nantes moved ahead  strongly and even though it looked like Frankie might have gone a stride or two early, the son of Count Dubois ran all the way to the line to win in a time of 127,43 secs.

Zodiac Ruler stayed on well to come back for second ahead of the filly Captain Gambler, who finished best of the Ramsden trio for third.

Horizon moved up at the 350m but failed to go on with his effort, while the highly vaunted Table Bay was ridden with different tactics but failed to feature.

Edict Of Nantes doused the speculation that he had worked poorly in the build-up and after decent efforts in the Choice Carriers, Selangor and the Cape Guineas, showed that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Trainer Brett Crawford enjoyed a great day at the office and was celebrating a first ever Gr1 success for Mayfair Speculators.

A Klawervlei Farm Sale graduate Edict Of Nantes has now won 4 races with 4 places from 10 starts and took his stakes earnings to R914 375.

He is the fifth Gr1 winner for Bernard Kantor’s Zafonic stallion Count Dubois out of the four-time winning Jet Master mare, Pagan Dance – who only won up to 1200m.

fonte : http://www.sportingpost.co.za