The ‘Cape Comet’ Kommetdieding came from the outside 18 draw to win the
125th edition of the Vodacom Durban July, in the process rewriting a number of
records.
The win gives trainer Michelle Rix a Vodacom Durban July title on her debut in
Africa’s Greatest Horseracing event, making her the second female trainer after
Candice Bass-Robinson to win the title, and it also makes owner Ashwin Reynolds
the first owner of colour to win the country’s biggest race.
Rix, who trained the three-year-old with her father Harold Crawford, asked
jockey Gavin Lerena to shed four kilograms to meet his eventual race weight of
54 kilograms, and he masterfully took the three-year-old to the line ahead of
Linebacker and pre-race favourite Got The Greenlight.
“Kommetdieding has only been racing for twelve months, this is his seventh
race. After his first four starts in Cape Town which were scintillating we knew
he would be something special,” said Rix.
An emotional Rix said sharing the special moment with her father spoke volumes
about their operation.
“When you do it with family it just adds that special touch,” said
Rix. “We are very much a family orientated business and clearly it has
worked for us!”
She added that she owed a debt of thanks to Lerena for accepting her challenge
to shed weight for the big race.
“Good grief! Hats off to Gavin. I phoned him a couple of weeks ago and
said ‘can you do it?’ and he was so professional about it. ‘Give me four days,’
he said. ‘I am going to speak to my dietician’.
“He got back to me on the fourth day and said ‘I will do it’. Let me tell
you a more professional jockey doesn’t come around too often,” she added.
Result of the 2021 Vodacom Durban July
- 1. 18 KOMMETDIEDING Gavin Lerena H.Crawford/M.Rix
- 2. 7 LINEBACKER Grant Van Niekerk V.Marshall
- 3. 14 GOT THE GREENLIGHT Muzi Yeni J.Soma
- 4. 16 DO IT AGAIN Richard Fourie J.Snaith
- 5. 6 RASCALLION Sean Veale V.Marshall
- 6. 8 SOVEREIGN SPIRIT Keagan De Melo C.Bass-Robinson
- 7. 9 CIRILLO Lyle Hewitson S.Tarry
- 8. 1 RAINBOW BRIDGE Luke Ferraris E.Sands
- 9. 11 BELGARION S’Manga Khumalo J.Snaith
- 10. 10 SHE’S A KEEPER Warren Kennedy G.van Zyl (Jnr)
