The Silvano colt Tellina (middle) carries topweight but is a classy sort
The R200 000 Gr3 Betting World Jubilee Handicap run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday is the official last chance saloon for a Vodacom Durban July berth. With three of the four hopefuls in the field in the big race top twenty, trainers will be looking for a major effort from their charges to book their travel packages.
The Jubilee Handicap is the final race in the so called ‘preferential consideration’ list as published by the July panel. Last year’s Jubilee Handicap winner Seal was in 20th position on the July log and even though it was not officially legislated (excuse the pun) as a qualifying race then, he secured his place only to run 13th in the big one. The Jubilee runner up, Heavy Metal, did a lot better though and history shows that he went on to win the big race. Both Gavin Van Zyl and Sean Tarry are back this Saturday, although probably with less heady expectations.
The Contenders
While there have been major interim fluctuations in the fortunes of certain July runners (Yorker being the latest casualty), the log per 5 June shows the rankings of the Jubilee runners as follows: Tellina (July 8) carries topweight of 62 kgs and ran a superb race behind stablemate Yorker in the President’s Champions Challenge when a 3,25 length third after hanging and being injured slightly in running.
He is running at his peak lifetime rating and appears to be going at the right time. Ormond Ferraris 2013 Triple Tiara queen Cherry On The Top (July 9) won the Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes beating subsequent Betting World 1900 winner EspumantI at her last start and looks ready for another big run.
It is worth noting that despite her undeniable class and ability, she has been more successful against her own sex. Big race rider Weichong Marwing rides her again.
Sean Tarry’s Halve The Deficit will be right there
Double The Fun
Piere Strydom and Sean Tarry team up with Halve The Deficit (July 17), who surprisingly returned to Gauteng after his great third behind Espumanti in the Betting World 1900.
The course and distance winning son of Right Approach was pushed from a 99 to a 104 by the handicapper for that effort, but looks like he is capable of lifting his game here. He looks the kind of horse that would not be out of his depth in the July.
Unlikely
Mike Azzie’s Chesalon (not in July top 20) placed third in the 2012 July behind Pomodoro when still in the care of Mike Bass, but his form is not impressive on paper. He returned from a 17 month rest when unplaced over a mile in a Pinnacle Stakes behind Master Sabina last time out.
He looks unlikely to sneak into the July unless he could win this. His fitness must be suspect. Tellina’s Australian bred stablemate Killua Casttle ran below par when 11 lengths behind stablemate Yorker in the President’s Champions Challenge. He proved competitive off a light weight in the Summer Cup and at best is not far behind the likes of Tellina. He has proven rather erratic though and is difficult to assess.
Classic Illusion seems out of form
Alexander Duo
Gary Alexander saddles a coupling of the lightly raced Meissa and the gallant Kahal mare, Classic Illusion. Both would be in with a shout at best but neither look to have the current form required to vote them as likely winners here.
Meissa has never risen to the heights expected of him and remains a modest four time winner who has never risen off the lower 90’s. Classic Illusion is a hardknocking Kahal mare who has earned some solid black type for her future career, but is battling to find her winning ways at present.
Not Likely
Brian Wiid’s National Key is dropping back down the ratings again after hitting form late last year. He looks to have a very tough task and is held by Brooks-Club who beat him 1,75 lengths last time out when Master Sabina won. Gavin Van Zyl’s Regal Stride is in under sufferance and looks outclassed. He is also well held by the likes of Tellina on a previous run.
Class
Geoff Woodruff’s Silvano colt Tellina is all class and looks very capable of lumping his big weight to victory here. He should have most to fear from Halve The Deficit, who has plenty of July motivation to play for, and the filly Cherry On The Top, who never runs a bad race.
