Kommetdieding backed to land rare July/Met double after dramatic Kenilworth win

Kommetdieding winning the 160th running of the prestigious MET 2022. Photo: Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA)

Kommetdieding winning the 160th running of the prestigious MET 2022. Photo: Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Jan 30, 2022

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Cape Town - The celebrated colt Kommetdieding, dubbed 'The Peoples Champion', fought gallantly to land a famous victory in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met (weight for age) over 2000m.

Kommetdieding held out against a late rally by the joint-favourite Jet Dark and outstayed the persistent threat of Linebacker at Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday.

The winner is a son of Elusive Fort, out of the Captain Al mare Adorable, and was bred at Klawervlei Stud. His success, following on from a sensational victory in the 2021 Durban July caps a stellar four-year-old campaign for the Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix trained champ.

Lockdown restrictions denied charismatic owner Ashwin Reynolds the pleasure of leading in his hero in Durban but this time around, he was on track with vociferous fans at Kenilworth to celebrate the moment. He was gracious and fulsome in his praise in the post-race interview.

“Thank you to all Kommetdieding’s supporters and to Michelle Rix for training him and her father Harold for buying him (for me).”

Rix has indeed handled her charge with aplomb. Kommetdieding is now a multiple G1 winner with six wins from just 10 starts.

He overcame an interrupted preparation, due to a minor skin infection to come out cranked up for an outstanding Met performance.

Jockey Gavin Lerena, super professional as ever, walked the course the day before, found a perfect box seat position and delivered a strategic ride when the chips were down.

Kommetdieding, a popular winner with both the Cape public and professional punters convinced he was teed up to land a rare July/Met double, was heavily backed to start favourite at slightly better odds than 2/1.

Queen’s Plate winner, Jet Dark tried hard to make up the deficit, but his late rally fell short three-quarters of a length shy at the wire. Linebacker, who had moved up with intent before weakening late, was under a length back in third.

The sole three-year-old, Double Superlative got underway belatedly on the outer channels to snare fourth, 1.7 lengths off Kommetdieding in a rousing finish to this iconic Cape feature race, the richest horse race in Africa.

IOL Sport

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