Jeff Lloyd will have his final throw of the Vodacom Durban July dice on board Rocket Countdown if the Selangor Cup winner makes the cut.
Rocket Countdown wins Selangor Cup (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Michael Clower writes on www.goldcircle.co.za that the Guv’nor’s rides on the big day are being organised by Deez Dayanand but his trip is sponsored by Kuda Insurance, whose managing director Wehann Smith is part-owner of Rocket Countdown – and the booking was confirmed straight after the horse finished second to the unbeaten Rainbow Bridge in Saturday’s Winter Classic.
At the moment the gelding is just one of seven listed immediately below the July log’s top twenty but he has crowd-pulling appeal way above the other six.
In addition to his legendary jockey, who will be bidding to finally win the great race at the 26th attempt and will hang up his boots shortly afterwards, the horse is trained by the history-making Candice Bass-Robinson who became the first of her sex to train the winner (Marinaresco) last year and in her first season at that.
She has been in blistering form all this season and she has no doubt about her horse’s claims to get into the race, saying:
“Why shouldn’t he get in? He deserves his place in the line-up after winning a Grade 2, he was giving weight all round in the Winter Classic, he will enjoy Greyville and he has a turn of foot. I want him to run.”
