Safe Passage in commanding Dingaans win

Safe Passage made it four wins in a row with a 1.50-length success in Tuesday’s Gr2 WSB Dingaans over 1600m. He took command after a brief tussle with outsider Red Saxon and drew away at the end to win well.

Safe Passage’s stablemate Aragosta ran a big race in third, and both will be natural contenders for the G1 Cape Guineas if Mike de Kock chooses to go that route. “We’ll be discussing their prospects with their connections, my gut feel says we’ll be going for the Triple Crown with both horses,” he said.

Safe Passage (light blue silks), Aragosta in red and white. (JC Photos).

Jockey S’Manga Khumalo expressed much confidence about Safe Passage’s chances in a panel discussion with Clyde Basel on Weighted to Win last week and Mike commented: “S’Manga was more confident than I was. This was not a vintage renewal and the track was sticky so stamina definitely came into play.”

Khumalo said: “Mr De Kock advised that I work with Safe Passage, not against him, to help him find his feet in the race, and this let him build up to his good win.”

Mike with the impressive Dingaans trophy, handed over by Kevin Lerena.

Mike congratulated Gaynor Rupert and Kevin Sommerville of Drakenstein Stud and said: “We only get a few runners from Drakenstein, it’s great to win this race for them. Safe Passage and Aragosta are both classic types and what a loss Silvano is, Safe Passage will  keep improving.”

The stable has won the race before with the likes of Horse Chestnut, Badger’s Coast, Flight Alert and Hawwaam.

Safe Passage is by the deceased champion stallion from My Sanctuary, by Antonius Pius. He is now four wins from six starts with stakes topping R360,000.”