Boiling Over. Justin Snaith’s smart Run For It has hit top form and will be a major factor in the Champions Cup with Piere Strydom up
A few Vodacom Durban July related scores could well be settled on Super Saturday. The R 750 000 Gr1 Champions Cup will be run over 1800m and sees Justin Snaith’s Run For It taking on the Brett Crawford trained Jackson, who missed the July.
The sons of Dynasty could well land up fighting out the finish of what should be the highlight of a great afternoon. While the Dynasty progeny may dominate, Silvano has five runners carrying his flag to add to the needle.
Fascinating
This fascinating contest presents racing enthusiasts with various considerations and angles. We have a few horses who did well in the recent Gr1 Vodacom Durban July. Then we have the fresh spirits who gave that race a break. Then we also have the horse than in the opinion of his trainer, should have been given a chance in the July.
And to top it all, we even have a horse running that was boomed to be a champion when winning a Gr1 as a 2yo, but who has been unsighted on the radar for some time This is what high quality racing entertainment is all about. A cosmopolitan gathering of classy talented horses, with varying credentials and recent form.
Outstanding
Fresh. The brilliant Jackson ran a cracking prep in The Mercury Sprint and should be ready to run a big one
The outstanding Jackson is as good a starting point as any. He is also the highest rated horse in the race. The 4yo son of Dynasty has only had three runs this year and after a smart second to champion Variety Club in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate ran a fair fifth behind Martial Eagle in the J&B Met.
He returned to action a fortnight ago and while What A Winter grabbed the limelight, Jackson quietly glided into a meritorious fourth spot. His run in the too short Gr1 The Mercury Sprint against SA’s best speed merchants was full of merit. Jackson will be far happier over this trip and if not suffering the second run syndrome (does it even exist?) will be right there.
July Finish
Let’s look at the July runners in order of their finishing positions. Run For It ran second 0,25 lengths behind Heavy Metal with a storming late effort and the smart fellow looks to be finally proving his earlier promise. As a non Group winner, he looks nicely in here and will benefit from the experience and guile of Piere Strydom, who should suit his preferred racing style.
No Worries finished in fourth and just 3,65 length behind Heavy Metal. That excellent effort followed his flying second to Vercingetorix in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, where he showed courage to recover froma bump and traffic problems in running.
Worrying
Danger. Jet Explorer may prefer the 1800m and will have every chance with Richard Fourie in the saddle
Weichong Marwing rides the promising son of Kahal from a good draw and he is a serious challenger with some luck in running. Jet Explorer ran a 3,75 length fifth after looking dangerous at the 300m marker. He is a vastly improved sort this season who has flourished in KZN, but is the worst off of the July runners, having gone up 4kgs in the weights.
Whiteline Fever finished a 4,25 length sixth and is 5kgs better off with Jet Explorer. There is some concern that he actually stays the 2000m of the July, and may be a better horse over the short cut here. Astro News finished in ninth and 4,75 lengths behind. The Cup Trial winner is a definite place chance type and Kevin Shea sticks with the ride.
Palace Back
Mike Azzie’s Potala Palace won the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes as a 2yo, but his career has followed a somewhat rocky path since. He ran on Sunday in a 1400m handicap at Turffontein after a nine month break. He not surprisingly tired late to finish just over five lengths off Tiger’s Retreat. Drawn at 13, Robbie Fradd rides the son of Singspiel again, and his chances are very difficult to guage
Happy Hour
Mike De Kock saddles the Australian bred Rock Cocktail. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar hid the headlines in the July build up after his trainer castigated the selection panel for leaving him out of the final field. Rock Cocktail now gets his chance to do his talking on the track.
He meets Jet Explorer on a kilo better terms than in the Greyville 1900, where he went down 2,25 lengths. He followed that good effort up with a strong run to finish just a length behind stablemate Vercingetorix in the Gr1 Daily News 2000.
Well drawn and with Anthony Delpech aboard, Rock Cocktail must be included. His stablemate Espumanti comes in on bottomweight of 52kgs and ran a cracker in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes when staying on for a 1,50 length second to the brilliant Beach Beauty. With that sort of load and from a 2 draw, the UK bred daughter of Dansili could be the De Kock surprise package.
Ramsden
Silvano’s Jet won the KZN Derby beating Hot Ticket and certainly justified a tilt at this event after turning his form around there.This will be tougher but he is held in high regard by Joey Ramsden. The Cape champion also saddles another Silvano in Bravura.
The 6yo bounced back to form with a sterling end to end win in a Pinnacle Stakes under 64,5kgs and though poorly drawn at 14, can go with the best on his day, as his early record shows. Garth Puller’s Ice Machine was one of the contentious July exclusions, but ran poorly on the day when fading out in the Thukela Handicap. He must have place prospects on his Drill Hall placing behind Beach Beauty and followed that up with a fifth placing in the Gold Challenge.
Fire Eyes
Yvette Bremner’s PE challenger Blaze Of Fire faces the toughest test of his career. The son of Victory Moon ran a cracker on July day when rallying powerfully to give Lehaaf a fright in the Thukela Handicap. He should struggle against the best here. Gavin Van Zyl’s Bulsara has drawn widest of all and has not won in ages. The son of Silvano did run a fair second to Astro News in the Cup Trial though, and delivers the odd peak performance.
Dominic Zaki’s Jet Jamboree is a lightly raced entire and comes in here as a former Listed Darley Arabian winner. He won his last start in an 1800m Pinnacle Stakes a fortnight ago beating the talented Knock On Wood and even though in the deep end, is a fit horse.
Great Race
This could be the race of the day in terms of pure quality and competitiveness. Justin Snaith has enjoyed a terrific season, and we are going with the decisive move to engage Piere Strydom on a horse that we have yet to see the best of. Jackson is classy and will be in the conflict in the final 200m. After those two, No Worries, Rock Cocktail and Jet Explorer may be best. Don’t miss this one. It is going to be one ace of a race.
