Champion Season comments

By David Thiselton


The Gavin van Zyl-trained No Worries was scratched from the Vodacom Durban July on Tuesday after a below par run in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, but could still be on track to defend his KZN Breeders Million Mile crown at Greyville on June 28.

However, Van Zyl will still have a strong line-up for July day, which includes Redcarpet Captain in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe, Banbury in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, Heart Of A Lion in the Gr 2 Gold Vase, MLJet in the Listed Thukela Handicap and possibly Vino Veritas in the Gr 3 Campanajo 2200.

Van Zyl said, “No Worries’ blood reading has indicated he is incubating a low grade virus and we didn’t feel his last run warranted him taking his chances in the July. However, if he recovers in time we will run him in the KZN Breeders Million Mile and depending on how he does there he will take his chances in the Gr 1 Champions Cup.”

No Worries went into last year’s Million Mile very well weighted carrying 54kg, as he was only a two-time winner at that stage, and he duly won by a comfortable 3,25 lengths. However, this year he will have a much harder task as he is now a four-time winner and will also accrue a 2kg penalty for a Gr 2 win in the last 18 months, having won the Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m last October.

Redcarpet Captain ran a fine second to the top class Seventh Plain in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m on May 23. The classy Captain Al colt showed the ability to both relax in the running and accelerate smartly in his victorious debut over 1000m at Turffontein and followed up by winning the Gr 3 Englezakis Protea Stakes over 1100m at the same course. His well-being was below par when fourth in the Gr 1 SA Nursery and that report was substantiated by his excellent Medallion run. Van Zyl believes Redcarpet Captain will love the step up to 1400m. He will have to make up 2,75 lengths on Seventh Plain, which will be no easy task considering the latter didn’t look to be stopping at the end of the Medallion and there are also other horses like Rabada that have put up their hands since then. However, he should make a bold bid.

The four-year-old Seul Amour gelding Heart Of A Lion has run one of the most eye catching Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup trials to date. He weaved his way through from the back of the field to finish a 1,75 length third in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. He was only merit rated 95 for that race but was giving 1kg to the winner Solid Speed, who is being touted as a top Gold Cup candidate. The handicapper has kept him on 95, meaning he will need to run a big race in the Gold Vase to book his Gold Cup place. Van Zyl said he had come out of that last race well.

The yard have identified and sorted out a problem with Banbury so believe she will be a lot better in the Garden Province than she was in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m last time out, when finishing 7,5 lengths behind Hammie’s Hooker. Van Zyl has no illusions about the strength of the field she will face in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province, but believed that at her best she would be up to it.

Van Zyl was very pleased with MLJet’s first outing for the yard in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and said, “It was a pleasing race with first time blinkers. He didn’t quite stay the trip and 1600m will be much more down his alley so the Thukela will be the perfect race for him. The Daily News would have brought him spot on for that race.”

Vino Veritas is an ever improving four-year-old filly by Silvano, who has won five times including three of her last five starts. The yard will see how she goes in the Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m on June 21 before possibly running her in the Campanajo over 2200m. Two of her wins have been over the tough Turffontein 2200m and on pedigree she should enjoy the Oaks trip

By David Thiselton


Mike Azzie looks to have two fine prospects in his hands in the two-year-old colts Rabada and Abashiri, but will avoid running them against each other on Vodacom Durban July day. He could also have a big runner in the July itself with Deputy Jud and will be hoping to prove a point with Isphan in next Friday night’s Post Merchants.



Azzie said about his pair of unbeaten two-year-olds, “Rabada is a special horse. He will be entered in the Durban Golden Horseshoe on July day but will have to draw well to run. We are going to keep Abashiri back for the mile on Gold Cup day.”



Azzie said both horses had come out of their last runs well.



Go Deputy colt Abashiri came from a long way back on debut over 1600m at Greyville and impressed with his long stride in the straight, which saw him sweeping past the bulk of the field. He then found an extra gear late to overtake the more experienced Grey’s A Rockin. Jockey Corné Orffer got off and described him as the best two-year-old he had sat on so far this season and he certainly looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.



The Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada looked to be full of class when winning the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m at Greyville on Saturday by 3,25 lengths, having won on debut over the same trip at Turffontein by 4,75 lengths. Anton Marcus said he had displayed plenty of signs of inexperience in that last win and predicted he would be even better as a three-year-old.



Azzie’s Judpot colt Deputy Jud produced a sustained finishing effort in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 from a handy position and appeared to be finding top gear when he was taken out by MLJet, who suddenly shifted to the left. Deputy Jud could easily have run in the first three, but instead was eased right out of it, so his ten-length eighth is not a true reflection at all. Azzie said the yard were taking it “day by day” in preparing the big chestnut for the July and said, “He has things we have to work around, but he is doing well and looking good.”



Meanwhile a new acquisition to the yard, Amsterdam, will be given a break until next season after running downfield in both the SA Derby and Daily News 2000. Azzie said, “We will aim him at races like the Summer Cup and J&B Met. He needs time to mature and furnish before he develops into the horse we expect him to be.”



The three-year-old Tiger Ridge gelding Isphan was left out of the recent Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, despite being merit rated higher than some of the other contestants and Azzie will be hoping that his run in next Friday’s Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville will prove that he should have been given a chance. He ran the prolific winner Trip Tease to 0,3 lengths over 1000m in his penultimate start and then ran a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m, beating the like of Post Merchants contenders Willow Magic, Tevez and Normanz. He has won over 1450m before, so should relish stepping up from 1000 to 1200m.



Azzie concluded by saying that his entire Champions Season string were doing well at Summerveld.