Trainers-July

Brown Stable


Raymond Danielson, jockey for Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July contender Orbison, rode the KZN-owned, bred and trained three-year-old Mogok gelding in a light canter on the Summerveld bottom sand track on Monday.



Asked about Orbison's wide draw of 16, he said that a jockey could not really plan for a July, but instead had to see how the race panned out. He confirmed that split second decision making was an integral part of a jockey's role.



He added, "He is a good horse. I hope there is a good pace. It makes it better for everybody. The first 100m of the race is the most important. That's when everybody is trying to find a position."



He said that the other crucial section of the race was coming up the hill just before entering the straight as everybody would be jockeying for position to ensure they have a run in the straight and also be within striking distance.



Danielson will be having his third July ride and will be hoping to improve on his previous two unplaced starts.



He said, "You feel the excitement when you wake up in the morning. The nerves only really start when you are out parading in front of the grandstand. But I like to be nervous, it wakes me up."



The day of the race works out well for Danielson as in an earlier race he rides Strategic News over the same 2200m distance from a similar draw of 14.



Herman Brown's assistant trainer, Frank Robinson, said that Orbison was very well and he had been very happy with his July gallop.



He added, "It's hard from that draw but you never know how things map out."



The Browns have between grandfather, father and son had six July seconds and one first across-the-line that ended in a demotion to third after an objection.



Since Herman Jnr has taken over the reins, the yard has only had two runners (if the new acquisition Lion's Blood is excluded) and two second places.



Robinson said, "The day before the race in 1996 I found Sleek Machine in the stable with his foot up. The farrier had pricked him. We had to poultice the foot and then rush down to Umbilo to get a bar moulded. He ran with one bar shoe and finished second. Two more strides and he beats London News."



In 2006 the yard finished second with Sushisan, just over four months after he had made his debut.




Lafferty Stable



The connections of the Vodacom Durban July outsider Goat were "all excited and psyched up" for the big day on Saturday, according to trainer Paul Lafferty, and would likely arrive attired in pink ties in support of the four-year-old Labeeb filly.



Asked on whether his second ever July runner had a chance, Lafferty said, "Absolutely. She is very well. She is well weighted carrying just 52 and drawn in three. There should be a good pace and she can position herself just off them. She won the Gold Circle Oaks so the further the better for her. She has a turn of foot, so Greyville suits her."



On whether her inside draw left concerns about being jostled, he said, "The July is always tough, but we're not even thinking about that. She's been bumped in most of her races. She just needs to hold her position and settle in the bus."



He added, "The July has always been a great ambition. It will be a great day, my family and some friends from overseas will be there."



Lafferty spoke of the custom Goat's connections have of naming horses after animal husbandry, "Donkey was named after a pub called Donkey and that's how it started."



MDK Stable


Trainer Mike de Kock said on Monday that all seven of his Vodacom Durban July runners were well and he had been pleased with their July gallops last Thursday in their build-up to Saturday’s big race at Greyville.



Kevin Shea clarified one point about Irish Flame, "He has got early speed. He is a very versatile horse."



That was the missing piece in the jigsaw and it has to now be said that the three-year-old Dynasty colt has every one of the credentials necessary for a July winner, i.e. class, a relaxed temperament, good early pace, the strength to hold his position, high cruising speed, a turn of foot and stamina.



Irish Flame in fact proved both his early speed in the Daily News 2000, when breaking well, and his high cruising speed, sitting with a double handful just behind the joint-leader, Conquered Dream.



Shea said that he had in fact wanted Conquered Dream to go faster.



Irish Flame also proved his turn of foot at the top of the straight in that race.



Irish Flame will now only have to answer those pundits who reckon he has a tough task for a three-year-old carrying 56kg.



Laird Stable


The Vodacom Durban July runner Captain Scott needs to improve a little to be in contention for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event according to trainer Alec Laird, but added that the handsome grey is "as fit as he's ever been."



Laird, who was in Johannesburg on Monday, was very pleased with the July gallop that Captain Scott put in last Thursday.



"Most of the horses did easy work, but he went a fair pace from the off and did one of the hardest bits of work," he said. "The gallops are part of the program and he did some work on the grass this morning (Monday). We won't have to do too much more with him."



Laird said there were some stamina doubts about the gelding. "He's only run once beyond 2000m in the Gold Circle Derby last season, but he was widely drawn and nothing went right for him that day. Captain Al doesn't throw horses that go this far but he is out of a Badger Land mare. He's been effective from 1400-2000m so the 2200m will be stretching it a bit."



Captain Scott won't race with blinkers on.



"His run last time without blinkers was good enough. In the July over this distance you don't want a horse to be too keen, you want him to relax. In the Cup Trial we put them on to help him with early speed. But Kevin Shea said he got there in the finish and didn't want to go past. Hopefully having them off will help with his concentration."



Laird's current Summerveld assistant is Archie Watson, an Englishman who worked for Ian Balding, trainer of 2003 Epsom Oaks winner Casual Look.



Watson oversaw his grass work yesterday (Monday) and said, "He worked nicely, I was very happy."



He said Captain Scott's draw of 15 was not ideal. "We'd have preferred to have been near the inside, but the 19 and 20 draws did finish second and third last year."



Reminded of last season's slow pace that enabled the wide draws to loop the field, "We would still like a fast pace, it makes it fairer for everybody."



He revealed that Captain Scott preferred "the ground on top", so the eight millimetres forecast on Thursday and the one millimetre on Friday won't be the best news.

Watson gave Captain Scott a definite place chance.


David Thiselton

Racing needs more David Thiselton's .

Wrong. . .what racing needs in South Africa are some actual independent Turf Writers that are not paid hacks working for racing association.

David Thistleton does a great job and I have great admiration for him. But he is a publicist for a racing association. He does a great job at that. But your country has such a lazy press that it gladly takes news handouts from publicists and treats them as fresh editorial copy. This is a no-no in most nations of the world.

Newspapers are under severe pressure everywhere in the world today and very soon all we will have left will be websites.

But in your country, where websites do exists, they still rely on the David Thistletons of the world, instead of paying professional journalists to do an independent job.

I spent my formative years in racing writing for magazines and newspapers that ranged from house organs to daylies. I know the difference. And I am sure that there are enough old farts that read these boards that remember those days as well.

But what passes for racing journlism in South Africa is nothing more than a) publicity for the racing associations and b) publicity for certain racing personalities that is passed off as journalism.

So admire David Thistleton and praise him. But don't lose sight of the fact that he is a paid publicist (and a damn good one at that!) working for a racing association.

Sporting Post seems to be the only publication, whether on line or in print, that fosters an environment for independent thought, but the last time I checked, it wasn't on sale at the racetracks in Johannesburg because the publication was a competitive threat to Computaform.

Nowhere else in the world of racing have I ever seen a racing association shut out a journal that was considered an essential tool for horseplayers (punters) and a legitimate publication read by members of the industry.

Phumelela has is racing's equivalent to the old U. S. S. R. They want to control the media and what is spoon fed to its customers.

People with a brain in most locales wouldn't put up with that crap.

Welcome back Barry

Well I watched Winning Ways this morning and Mr de Kock threw a tantrum about us 'bloggers who don't seem to have jobs' assuming things rather then checking the facts, and that if anyone wanted to know about his horses, they should just ask him; but when James Goodman asked him about his race tactics on Saturday, he ducked the question saying he's a guy who plays his cards close to his chest. He probably meant that 'anyone' can ask about the wellbeing etc of his horses, but that he draws the line at discussing race tactics, Fair enough, I suppose - does anyone have his number, I would like to give him a call on Saturday morning, before I shoot my mouth off again about his horses?

So in that spirit, mr Irwin. can you tell us about your expectations of Russian Sage come Saturday?

Frodo MDK loves us here

Charles Laird will be hoping to win the Vodacom Durban July for the second time with Flying Tristram and he also spoke about his other runners on the day.



In the Grade 1 Premier's Champion Stakes he has three horses, The Assayer, Fidelis and Not Liable.



He said, "All three are looking for the mile. The Assayer disappointed in his last run, I thought he should've got closer. De Kock's horse (Kavanagh) will be hard to beat, but The Assayer should definitely be in the money."



He has two runners, Rudi Rocks and Sir Lowry, in the Grade 3 Schweppes 2200.



Rudi Rocks won the Listed Darley Arabian over 1900m at Greyville on Canon Gold Cup day last year.



Laird said, "I don't think the 2200m will be a problem. He tends to get left at the start, but there looks likely to be a lot of toe in this race which will suit him. If he gets the eleven furlongs I think he's a runner. Sir Lowry has a very hard draw, 20 out of 20. He could maybe place."



Laird runs the lightly raced three-year-old Rulerofthedesert, who has won two out of three starts from 1200-1900m, in the second over 2400m and he's drawn in pole position.



He said, "He has done everything asked of him. It's his first start over a mile-and-a-half, so it's not going to be easy. But if he gets a mile-and-a-half I think he's a big runner."



In the first race over 1000m Laird has a strong hand with Sports Coach and Timeofreckoning, who have both been gelded.



He said, "The concern with Sports Coach is that it might be too sharp. But both of their preps have gone well."



Glen Hatt had said in an interview with TV producer Andrew Bon earlier that Anton Marcus, who rides Sports Coach, was a bit concerned about his mount, Timeofreckoning, in this first race and Hatt felt he had a good chance.



Laird's final runner on the day is Allagain in the last race, a handicap over 1200m, and being a two-year-old with quite a high merit rating, she has a tough task.



Laird said, "I think she will enjoy the turn, but she is two so it won't be easy. Anton is a bit worried about it being at night as she is a bit skittish, but they have to learn sometime."


D Thiselton

Yes, Frodo, no problemo.

The jockey will be given strict and specific instructions.

He will be told to place the horse in fifth position, precisely 4 3/4 lengths off the pace.

We don't care what makes the pace.

We will tell the kid to keep him 2 body widths off the rail, with a mane full of horse and his legs firmly planted in the irons, applying 17.5 percent pressure and using most his thighs for leverage.

With 3 furlongs remaining, we want the horse moved into third 1 1/2 behind the pacemaker.

With 2 furlongs to go, we want Richard Fourie to allow the horse to drop back to sixth, 5 1/4 lengths in arrears, to lull the opposition into a false sense of security.

With 1 1/2 furlongs to go, we want to have Fourie completely drop the reins and let the horse move up on his own to second, a neck back.

Richard then will ask the horse to run for the first time with 100 yards remaining and go on to win, as predicted by Charles Faull of ARO, by 1 1/2 lengths.

We've been trying to teach Russian Sage to prick his ears when he sees the winning post so that when he wins easily, we can say that he did it with his ears pricked, whichshould help his stud value immensely.

Frodo, will there be anything else?

Mike Bass, who has four runners in Saturday's Vodacom Durban July, spoke about his other runners on the big day.



English Garden runs in the Grade 1 Premier's Champion Stakes over 1600m.



Bass said he would prefer to have more time with this Camden Park colt and added, "I'm not sure if he's quite good enough yet, I think he has a place chance."



Golden Parachute runs in the Grade 2 Mecedes-Benz Gold Vase over 3000m and Bass said, "He hasn't found his best form this season as the handicapper smashed him after his runner up finish in the Reserve Stayers. I did think he would be good enough in the Canon Gold Cup though, but he wasn't."



Golden Parachute has come down in the merit ratings, but Bass thinks he is still a bit overrated by the handicapper. However, he added, "If he runs to his best form he can get a place."



Grisham also runs in this race. He made a good Champions Season debut, beating Test Pilot by two lengths over 1700m, and that form was franked when the latter won at Scottsville last week.



He subsequently ran a fair sixth in the Betting World 1900 and was then six lengths back in the Lonsdale.



His last run was disappointing over 1950m and he's better than that.



Bass said, "He's drawn well and has a nice weight. I think he'll see out the trip and is not without a chance."



Bass was confident about the chances of Thanks John and Super Storm in the Grade 3 Schweppes 2200.

"Both have got a good chance," he said. "Thanks John's form is exposed. He ran in the Gold Cup, but I don't think he's an out and out stayer and I don't want to run him over those distances all the time. He is a big long-striding horse, so can get a bit out of his ground, so Greyville is not the ideal course for him. But he does have a good turn of foot. Super Storm has a very good turn of foot. His last run in the Gold Circle Derby can be ignored as his wide draw put paid to his chances. He had to come from last and passed half the field."



Bluemambo, whose claim to fame is a second place finish in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m behind Big City Life last year, runs in the second over 2400m and Bass said, "He is a headstrong sort, who pulls very hard. He should see out the trip. He has been going handy so we will try and drop him out. If we can get him to relax in the running he will run much better and will have a shout."



We Have Lift Off runs in the ninth over 1600m and Bass said, "His temperament is improving and he should be more settled so we are hoping for a better run and give him a place chance."





Justin Snaith will be hoping to win his second Vodacom Durban July in the space of three years with the quietly fancied Russian Sage and he also contests some other races on the day.



Snaith has Sparkling Gem and Dance With Al in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes and seemed more bullish about the latter.



He said, "Sparkling Gem probably needed one more run before this race. She either worked badly at the July gallops or Russian Sage worked exceedingly well, but she needed that gallop badly and will come on a lot for it. She has a wide draw too, but don't count out her class. It's not a great field and she can turn it around as she showed last season when running last in the KRA Fillies Guineas and then winning the Tibouchina and finishing second in the Garden Province. If she's at her best she will win."



"Dance With Al is doing very well and is a very good place bet."



Snaith has Fragrant Al in the Grade 1 Durban Thekwini Stakes over 1600m.



She is drawn widest of all in 18 and he said, "She is doing very well. It's not the strongest field and if she had a good draw I would be quite confident. But from that draw it's going to be very hard."



In the eleventh, a handicap over 1200m, he is confident of his chances with the well drawn Royal Bounty.



He said, "He's improving all the time and out of all my horses is loving it the most in Durban. He's thriving. The only horse I'm worried about in the race is August Rush.


D Thiselton

Mike Bass clarified a false rumour that has been circulating regarding his jockey bookings for the Vodacom Durban July.



Bass didn't in fact fire either Glen Hatt from River Jetez or Karl Neisius from Fort Vogue after the respective pairing had won and finished a close fourth in the J&B Met.



Bass offered both Hatt and Neisius the rides via their agents in April.



However, Hatt's agent advised him that he was opting for the Joey Ramsden-trained Bravura, who was at the time the second favourite.



Neisius's agent advised Bass that his jockey was opting for the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Noordhoek Flyer who was the ruling favourite at the time.



Bass was left with little option but to seek new jockeys and remained faithful to them after the scratchings of both Noordhoek Flyer and Bravura, although his initial email to Jeff Lloyd in Hong Kong had been an offer to ride Fort Vogue.



This later changed to River Jetez and then champion jockey elect Anton Marcus became available for Fort Vogue.

Mr Irwin, with due respect, I was not implying that you should be forthcoming with specific race instructions, and was merely trying to get your realistic opinion on the horse's chances iin the big race. Hope he goes well on the day and does indeed perform as predicted by Charles.

And no, there won't be anything else, thank you very much.