Saturday’s Gr1 Daily News 2000 includes six Hollywoodbets Durban July entries and looks a benefit for Justin Snaith star, Eight On Eighteen.
The build-up to the race has been overshadowed somewhat by the ‘small field’ debate. Going through the past two decades, there was only one renewal with a smaller field of 6 runners.
Turf Talk stirred the pot this week by suggesting that the merit rating system is being blamed by quite a few for the small field of 7, which follows a small field of the same number in the Gr1 Splashout Cape Derby in February.
The problem they say is horses are scared to run against higher rated horses because finishing close to them means they will receive a big merit rated penalty, and hence the small fields.
However, they go on to argue that looking at the Daily News 2000 final fields and scratchings, blaming the merit rating system is ‘a touch unfair’.
Firstly, Johanneburg’s best three-year-old, Fire Attack, is out with a foot issue and would otherwise likely have been an entry, considering he is merit rated 126, just one point lower than the Daily News’s top rated runner Eight On Eighteen.
He would have lined up together with his Gr 1 TAB SA Classic conqueror, Confederate, who will run on Saturday off a 118 merit rating.
Sail The Seas has the same rating as Eight On Eighteen, 127, and the Daily News 2000 was actually his main mission, but he is also sidelined with a minor issue.
With Fire Attack and Sail The Seas in the race it would have seen the two best middle distance three-year-ols from the north clashing with the two best middle distance three-year-olds from the south.
The only other three-year-olds who could have challenged the superiority of those four would have been Legend Of Arthur, the filly Fiery Pegasus and the smart Garrix.
Hobby handicapper Tony Mincione waded in from Knysna and said that if the there was no merit rating penalty, ‘would the fields not be bigger?’
“Who wouldn’t have a go at R2 million? Of course the small fields are as a result of handicappers not able to handle merit ratings when miss-matched horses meet. It would be interesting to see if fields remain small if some graded races limited penalties to the first three across the line,” adds Mincione.
Michele Wing’s excellent feature previews provide insight and the trainer comments are provided in current market order:
Eight On Eighteen : “He has come on a lot from his first run in Natal. We are hoping he runs a very credible race and showcases his ability”, Justin Snaith.
Okavango : “His last run was a decent effort. I think he is a very good back-up to the favourite”, Justin Snaith.
Confederate : “He had his final build-up gallop last Thursday (week ago). Craig Zackey came to work him and is extremely happy. He’s a horse on the up”, Fabian Habib.
Spumante Dolce : “We would like to see how we line up against Eight On Eighteen to decide which route we should take going forward … whether we go the July path or Garden Province. We think she’s a big runner”, Mathew de Kock.
Native Ruler : “Native Ruler never got to see Hollywoodbets Grevyille before his first outing and was a little ‘at sea’. He has come on a lot”, Justin Snaith.
Parisian Walkway : “We believe he will be effective over the 2000m. He wasn’t at his best for his last two races. We found that his lungs were compromised and since then, has responded well to treatment. I think we’re getting closer to the level when he won the Guineas”, Alec Laird.
Makazole : “He’s pretty much in the race to insure an honest group 1 pace. He’s looking for the 2000m”, Justin Snaith.
Enjoy the preview:
