South Africa’s latest Triple Crown winner Abashiri is not among the 27 entries for the R2-million Gr1 Daily News 2000 to be run at Greyville on Saturday 28 May.
Rabada – Azzie Ace
But the rest of the three-year-olds likely to challenge his status as the best of his age this season have been nominated, including the champion’s stable companion and Canon Guineas runner-up Rabada.
Mike Azzie has nominated Rabada along with Penteliko and Trading Profit to take on an exciting Cape three-year-old from the Justin Snaith stable, Black Arthur, who caught and beat Rabada in the recent classic race at Greyville.
Has tongues wagging – Black Arthur
Black Arthur, also winner of the Politician Stakes and placed fourth in the Investec Cape Derby, is currently the horse everyone is talking about and current odds favourite to win the Vodacom Durban July. He will relish the 2000m trip of this famous classic at the end of the month.
Among those that are also out to challenge the Justin Snaith-trained Silvano colt is another son of Dynasty It’s My Turn that beat him in the Derby as well as the Judpot gelding Rocketball that ran an outstanding race in the SA Derby at Turffontein finishing less than 0.50 lengths behind Abashiri.
The Fort Wood filly Negroamara from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard that was second in both the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and SA Fillies Classic before running third behind Bela-Bela in the Daisy Fillies Guineas a week ago, has been entered for the Daily News 2000 and the Woolavington 2000 where, if she is chosen for the fillies race, she will face Bela-Bela again.
Was very impressive – Bela-Bela
Highly rated Cape star Silver Mountain from the Mike Bass stable has been nominated to take on Bela-Bela again in spite of her poor showing in the Daisy Fillies Guineas where she was obviously not at her best.
Finishing second to Bela-Bela in that race was Silver Mountain’s stable companion Nightingale who was having her first crack at a feature event. She ran a great race being only 0.50 lengths back and could be more at home of the 2000m trip.
Joe Soma has entered his Fort Wood filly Fortissima, who loves the 2000m trip and ran second behind Juxtapose in the Wilgerbosdrift South African Oaks last time out.
The R250,000, Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup drew a massive entry of 34 that includes Joey Ramsden-trained Lonhro gelding The Conglomerate.
Big July hopes – The Conglomerate
He is also an entry in next Friday’s Betting World 1900. The stable would appear to be giving the four-year-old Australian import every possible chance to make it into the Vodacom Durban July field.
Ramsden has also entered King Of Pain along with his gutsy six-year-old stayer Coltrane while other entries include Highland Night Cup winner No Worries as well as Samurai Blade and Stebbins that were third and fourth respectively in the SA Derby.
With strong entries for all three feature events on the day, the Daily News 2000 racemeeting could prove to be one of the best of the season.
Supplementary entries close on Friday, 20 May 2016 and final fields will be announced on Monday, 23 May 2016
