Seven for Smith, but Kotzen bags the big one

Danie Toerien

Eastern Cape-based trainer Gavin Smith saddled a whopping seven of the nine winners at Fairview on Friday, but it was Cape raider Glen Kotzen who bagged the big one when Han Solo took the honours in the Listed TAB4Racing Algoa Cup over 2000m.

Jockey Calvin Habib settled the six-year-old midfield and patiently waited for his chance to launch an attack.

Halfway down the straight he managed to get Han Solo against the inside rail when suddenly he was clear of the traffic and he sped past Jaeger Moon (Keagan de Melo) and Never Ending Rain (S’manga Khumalo) to take the chequered flag.

“If you’re patient and you wait for the gaps to open, they will come and that’s exactly what I did. The gaps opened up late,” said Habib after the race.

“He’s got a really good turn of foot and he got his head down when it mattered most. It was a win full of merit.

“When a horse quickens like this, it makes a jockey’s job so much easier. It was lovely.”

According to Kotzen he did have a number of horses to consider for the Algoa Cup, but “you always have to do the best for your mother-in-law”, joked the trainer, as his mother-in-law is one of the owners of this five-time winner.

Han Solo has now made two raiding trips to Gqeberha and has been victorious on both occasions.

His victory has also extended the raiders’ grip on the Algoa Cup, with visiting runners now going home with the trophy every year since 2010.

Jaeger Moon and Never Ending Rain did at least give Smith a somewhat bitter-sweet consolation prize in the main event.