By Robyn Louw
Public carrier announcement: SA’s racing darling, Kommetdieding, will elevate some Kaapse gees to Turffontein on Saturday, 2 April 2022, when he joins a arena of 12 for the 1,600 m Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
In doing so, he’s making an strive, if no longer the very no longer going, then no longer decrease than the very bloody complex, since the well-liked info is that Cape horses don’t enact thoroughly on the Highveld. It can also additionally be performed and it has been performed, correct no longer very in overall.
The factual factor about horses and racing is that neither mighty cares for nonsense bask in well-liked info. To borrow from Neil Gaiman’s very good speech “Originate Steady Art”, these that know what they are doing know the tips, and know what’s conceivable and intensely no longer going. Contributors that enact no longer yet know what they are doing, enact no longer. And could presumably no longer. The tips on what’s conceivable and intensely no longer going are residence by these which recognize no longer examined the limits of the conceivable by going beyond them. However these no longer bogged down by such nonsense, can. “If you don’t comprehend it’s very no longer going, it’s more uncomplicated to enact. And on account of no person’s performed it earlier than, they haven’t made up tips to cease any individual doing it yet.”
And Kommet is writing his personal South African racing fairytale. The easy chocolate bay, which hasn’t obtained a single distinguishing marking to construct him stand out from the crowd, became as soon as purchased for a pretty modest R55,000 from the fairly modest 2019 Klawervlei farm sale and chosen by the fairly modest coach (and native racing cherish), Harold Crawford for a pretty modest owner, Ashwin Reynolds.
I dangle it’s this ordinariness that makes him so extraordinarily appealing on account of Kommet has by no design accomplished out of the money in his entire profession. From 10 starts, he has six wins (two at Gr1 stage) and four areas and has already joined the rarified company of Pocket Vitality and Igugu in successful the Durban July–Met double.
He’s correct getting on and doing his job. It correct so happens that the manner he does issues is that lots better than any individual else. He by no design seems particularly pressured or stretched, yet there shouldn’t be any longer this sort of thing as a arrogance or bullishness about the manner he does business. He seems practically oblivious as he sweeps past yet one other bask in observe broad title bask in they’re standing gentle, but properly, what’s a horse purported to enact? Where it’s good to presumably well ordinarily procure causes to abhor the horse that beats ‘your’ favourite, Kommet and his team are correct so damn merely about it that it’s good to presumably presumably’t.
And it’s value just a few phrases on that field. Kommet is knowledgeable by the daddy-daughter team of one amongst racing’s treasures: Harold Crawford and his aesthetic daughter Michelle Rix. His distinctive Kaapse title is wonderfully appealing as is owner Ashwin Reynolds and his household who created a digital stampede on the racecourse when their horse obtained the Met. Lastly, there’s jockey Gavin Lerena and his household who recognize keep in so mighty heart from their side, even bringing their kids to check with with and elevate carrots and cuddles (ensuing in some seriously media-pleasant images), making Kommet the poster youngster for how scary horses in elephantine practising aren’t. There could be correct a obvious magic about this horse.
So why tilt at windmills in Joburg? Harold solutions in his in sort frank manner, “There’s nothing here in Cape Town, so we notion we’d exhaust a gamble.”
The altitude is often a talking point when horses plod from the Cape but Kommet arrived in Joburg and has been lodging on the Roy Magner yard since 1 March and looks to be thriving, with all the social media images showing him to be a describe of health.
With the Horse Chestnut Stakes contested over 1,600 m, the quite lots of talking point is the commute. He has obtained over a mile but seems bred for the Met and July trips of over 2,000 m. And he’s a one year older now. Won’t the 1,600 m be a little bit inspiring for him? Harry says, “He seems to recognize acclimatised properly. I dangle we can acquire away with it.”
Within the upper plan of issues, Kommet has already performed larger than any individual can also fairly dream of, and desire, lose or scheme, Saturday’s result the truth is obtained’t matter mighty. However they notify the arena seems brighter while you’ve correct made something that wasn’t there earlier than and Kommet is a little bit little bit of magic for racing correct as soon as we need it most.
Read also:
- Robyn Louw: An infinite narrative about the underdogs who now rule the Sport of Kings
- Covid-19 the straw that broke the horse’s assist – Racing Affiliation’s Mike de Kock and Charles Savage
- Robyn Louw’s narrative just a few mare who taught her what being a First Warden is all about
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