Karis Teetan celebrates as Jackson lands the Cape Derby at Kenilworth
PICTURE: Liesl King/ThoroughbredNEWS.com.auJackson powers to Cape Derby victory
Report: South Africa, Saturday
Kenilworth: Investec Cape Derby (Grade 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo
JACKSON (Brett Crawford/Karis Teetan), backed down to odds-on, ran out a most authoritative winner of the Cape Derby, powering past the Cape Guineas winner Variety Club half a furlong out to score by two lengths.
The winning time was only a quarter of a second outside Jay Peg's 2007 race record.
Teetan, 21, had won his first Grade 1 only three weeks ago. He said: "It all went according to plan and I was able to sit behind Anton Marcus on Variety Club, the horse I wanted to track.
"I was a bit worried turning for home because I was riding my horse and Anton was cantering but when I moved up next to him, he was going nowhere. I promise you, this is a real champion."
The result was a major career landmark for Crawford who trained a string of top-class horses as private trainer to Sabine Plattner but gave up the job two and a half years ago to start all over again as his own boss.
He said: "I think Jackson has the potential to do a lot of things but he will now have a rest. The Durban season is a major option and the plan would be the Daily News followed by the Durban July."
Asked about racing the colt overseas, he said: "I certainly feel he is good enough. He has the ability and, as he has had only five races, there is a lot of potential."
Also on Saturday
Ebony Flyer (Felix Coetzee) captures the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes
PICTURE: Liesl King/ThoroughbredNEWS.com.auKenilworth: Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (Grade 1) 1m, turf, 3yo+ f/m
Ebony Flyer (Justin Snaith/Felix Coetzee), disappointing in the Queen's Plate three weeks earlier, made amends by taking the Majorca Stakes in the Kentucky Derby-winning colours of Team Valor.
Coetzee settled the 2-1 favourite in fourth as the ex-Tommy Stack-trained Gibraltar Blue cut out the running and he deliberately did not hit the front until half a furlong out.
The four-year-old ran on strongly to beat 25-1 shot Frequent Flyer by a length and three-quarters while Gibraltar Blue dropped right out to finish eighth.
Coetzee said: "I bided my time because I didn't want to take on Gibraltar Blue too early but she carried me through superbly.
"She is a great filly with a great heart and that's what got here there today. Her breathing is always a concern and, if she didn't have that problem, she would be world class."
Snaith added: "She ran flat in the Queen's Plate and I take the blame for that. Over a mile she is the best filly in South Africa - she's a monster, when it comes to ability she's world class.
"I am thinking of taking her to Johannesburg, maybe for the Empress Club Stakes but I must wait on that until I hear from [Team Valor principal] Barry Irwin."
Last year's winner Covenant finished last and very sore.
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