On a hot summer's day with temperatures heading towards the thirties, the Dean Kannemeyer trained Blake showed why he is considered one of the up and coming stayers, as he added the R200 000, Grade 3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap trophy to his collection.
Photo by Gold Circle
From gate seven, Blake jumped well and set the early pace before Two Strikes pushed through to take the lead. With Two Strikes setting a sedate pace up front, Karl Neisius on Blake was quite content to settle just off the pace about six lengths behind the leaders.
Two Strikes led the field into the home turn and with the pedestrian pace there was no change in the order. The entire field swung wide coming out of the final turn, making a beeline for the outside running rail. Omaha Beach challenged briefly for the lead, but Two Strikes was hanging tough, trying to make very post a winning one.
With 300m to go, it became a cavalry charge as Two Strikes, Komatipoort, Blake, In Writing and Orchard House all challenged for the lead. Neisius on Blake was hard up against the outside rail and with a 100m to go it seemed as if the winner would come from the fierce battle between Komatipoort and Two Strikes, who had a slight advantage over the chasers.
But with 50m to go Neisius released the handbrake and Blake shot clear to win by a length with Komatipoort and Two Strikes having to wait for a photo to separate them.
Komatipoort eventually got the nod for second, with the long time leader, Two Strikes having to be content with third. Orchard House finished in fourth a further 0.3L back.
Blake, by Dynasty out of the Nassipour mare Watercolours, recorded his seventh win from 23 starts for owners Messrs D L Brugman (Jnr), R W Deacon, R Kay & Mrs I M Rudden, pushing his earnings to R511 930.
