Astute trainer Gavin Van Zyl – ‘no place for moderates in July’
One of the season’s most disappointing three-year-olds MLJet has joined the Summerveld yard of Gavin van Zyl, and will continue to run in the colours of owner Michael Leaf.
MLJet was formerly trained by Vaughan Marshall.
He is not a Vodacom Durban July entry at this point, but Van Zyl hinted that the big race could still be a consideration when saying that he would “see how it goes with him”.
MLJet was due to run at Greyville on Friday night in an Allowance Plate, but unfortunately the race has been scrapped due to only five horses accepting.
Headgear
The Varsfontein Stud-bred Jet Master gelding put up a good gallop on the Summerveld grass with first-time blinkers on Monday and will run in the headgear in his next race, which is likely to be the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 on May 30.
He looked set for big things after two impressive wins in Juvenile Plates at Clairwood last year were followed by an unlucky 0,25 length third to Equus Champion colt Harry’s Son in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville.
He has not lived up to expectations, although some of his runs, such as his 0,5 second to The Conglomerate in the Gr 3 Julius Baer Politician Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth when giving the latter 3kg, now look good on paper.
He joined Van Zyl’s yard after a disappointing run in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein on March 28, although the very soft ground did probably go against him in that race.
Major Worries
The Kahal gelding, No Worries – headed into the July (credit hamishNIVENPhotography)
Van Zyl also spoke about his July log top 20 incumbent No Worries and added that in his belief the country’s premier race would benefit from the added pressure for places now that the field had been reduced from the 20 strong of a couple of years ago.
The five-year-old Kahal gelding is in position 16 on the July log. No Worries can still be considered a borderline case, despite the size of the field being increased from 16 last year to 18.
Van Zyl was not concerned about “unqualifying” him by running him in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and said, “There are three ways of getting into the July, through the front door (the top qualifiers like Futura, Legislate and Majmu), the side door (the mid-log incumbents who are relatively safe) and through the back door (the last minute feature race winners and placed horses who stake a late claim) and if you don’t make it you don’t deserve to be there.”
Van Zyl believed the current qualifying system would lead to the July developing into a truly great race packed with deserving participants. He added that the days of “moderates” qualifying could be over.
No Worries finished third in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m in his last start and Van Zyl said the strapping chestnut would be “ready” for both the Gold Challenge and the July.
He will continue to race in blinkers and Keagan de Melo will keep the ride for both races.
Some important dates to note for the July.
First Declarations closed on Monday, 11 May.
First Supplementary Entries closed on Tuesday, 12 May.
The Second Declarations will close on Monday, 1 June
The Final Supplementary Entries will close on Monday, 8 June.
Weights Published on Tues day, 9 June
Final Declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 22 June.
Part reporting by www.goldcircle.co.za – and SP editorial staff
