2018 Vodacom Durban July winner, Do It Again
While it will be difficult to match the Hawwaam hype of last weekend, the R1 million Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge looks likely to produce a far more closely contested spectacle than anything we saw on Saturday at Greyville.
And with the Pick 6 pool projected to reach R3 million, we could expect a nice dividend – remembering that the five-legged Hawwaam Pick 6 last weekend paid in the region of R92 000!
The defending champion and recent Drill Hall Stakes winner Undercover Agent takes on the 2018 July winner Do It Again and Sun Met star Rainbow Bridge. And we haven’t mentioned the young guns Soqrat and Cirillo, the star filly Lady In Black – or the Greyville specialist Matador Man, who will keep the whole lot honest and on their toes.
Saturday’s weight-for-age mile looks set to be the defining moment in the gallop to 2019 Vodacom Durban July glory with Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again – separated by under a length in the Sun Met – renewing rivalry in preparation for the big date on 6 July.
Rainbow Bridge looks fit and ready! (Pic-Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Race fitness must surely give Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge the edge here after his scintillating late dash second in the Drill Hall Stakes. That exploratory run behind him, he looks the one to beat.
Beaten 0,75 lengths by Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met, Do It Again has his first outing on the East Coast this season. The son of Twice Over had one public gallop, which according to the stable was franked when his partner Made To Conquer ran third in the WSB 1900.
Defending champion Undercover Agent (Pic – Gold Circle)
The 2018 winner Undercover Agent has his penultimate start before going to stud and will be a tricky customer from his 1 draw. The Drill Hall Stakes winner will be super fit after his outstanding fourth behind Chimichuri Run in the Tsogo Sun Sprint.
Soqrat was left with too much work to do in the KRA Guineas, whereafter Mike de Kock decreed that he would never run his horses from wide barrier gates at the ‘goat track’ in future. Ridden with more imagination, Soqrat could be surprise on his best form.
Greyville specialist Matador Man is probably outgunned on these weight terms but can be relied upon to run his usual honest race at this track. He looks a nice back end of the quartet, kicker.
The top-class 4yo filly Lady In Black was fourth and just over 2 lengths back in the Drill Hall Stakes but is 3 kgs worse off with the top two and has her work cut out to challenge.
Drill Hall thriller – Cirillo chases Undercover Agent and Rainbow Bridge (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
Cirillo ran a cracking third behind Undercover Agent and Rainbow Bridge in the Drill Hall Stakes but comes in 3,5kgs worse off here and will need every ounce of luck on his side. Lyle Hewitson bids for the double after riding Undercover Agent to victory in 2018.
Geoff Woodruff’s New Caledonia looks to be boxing a notch or three out of his division, but ran two decent races in the Cape summer and is a big hearted sort who slogs away. He ran a fair fifth behind stablemate Zouaves in the Hawaii Stakes last time – but will need to be at the top of his game and beyond, to challenge.
Rainbow Bridge looks all set to record his first victory in KZN and he is the narrow choice to hold Undercover Agent, with Do It Again flying at them late.
Matador Man could round off the quartet.
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