The offspring of Gimmethegreenlight and Real Princess have consistently impressed, producing champions like Gimme a Prince, The Real Prince, and Gimmie’s Countess. Now, Gimmie Rules steps into the spotlight at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, carrying the weight of expectation in a Class 4 race on Wednesday afternoon.
Trained by Dean Kannemeyer, Real Princess (half-sister to William Longsword) excelled, winning the SA Fillies Sprint. Kannemeyer's skillful handling has extended to her progeny, establishing them as top performers in South African horse racing.
Gimmie Rules secured a comfortable victory in a KZN Maiden in June. However, his subsequent performance truly caught the eye. Despite a wide draw and settling behind the pace in a Hollywoodbets Durbanville Class 4 sprint, he displayed remarkable acceleration, closing ground rapidly along the rail.
Jockey Craig Zackey was particularly impressed by Gimmie Rules' potential. The colt's progress was unfortunately hampered by traffic, forcing Zackey to check him, ultimately finishing 2.75 lengths behind the dead-heating duo of What a Fortune and Saudi Cat. The burst of speed demonstrated mid-race suggests a significantly better performance than the result indicates.
Now, 23 days later, a fitter and more seasoned Gimmie Rules has another opportunity to prove himself in the same class, over the same course and distance. Starting from a more favourable draw at 6, the 3-year-old colt is poised to excel in a race expected to be fast-paced, with competitors like Firingonallengines, Sir Korski, October Storm, and Green Planet vying for the lead.
Other notable contenders include One Liner, primed for a strong showing from pole position; Steadfast, known for his late surge; Azurri, potentially at his peak; Churchillian, a smart performer at two; October Storm, a pace-pressing threat; and Spirit.
With Craig Zackey, currently second in the National Jockeys Logs, in the saddle, Gimmie Rules is definitely one to watch. Will he live up to the hype? Tune in to Hollywoodbets Durbanville to find out!