The only three-year-old in the lineup, Eight on Eighteen, showcased brilliance with a late charge along the inside rail to claim victory in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Bred by Drakenstein Stud, the colt is by Lancaster Bomber out of Sempre Libre (by Captain Al) and is trained by Justin Snaith. The victory was steered home by jockey Richard Fourie, who expressed confidence before the race, believing the only obstacle for his young, talented mount was his relative inexperience. Carrying just 54kg, Eight on Eighteen lived up to the hype.

Despite sitting ten lengths off the pace early on, the progressive colt unleashed an electrifying turn of foot in the final furlong to leave his older, more seasoned rivals in his wake.

Oriental Charm, the determined pace-setter, held on for second, just half a length adrift, while Montien, See It Again, and Rascallion completed the top five in a thrilling finish. Remarkably, the first nine runners crossed the line within three lengths of the winner.

The final time of the race was a solid 123.68 seconds. For Eight on Eighteen, this marked only his seventh career start and his first attempt over a middle distance, making the victory even more impressive. Backed as the 18/10 favorite, he delivered a performance worthy of his billing, defeating a field packed with experience and quality.

Image Cape Racing extraction