Vodacom Durban July raceday trainer comments

By David Thiselton unless stated

Horses flying under the radar often do well on Vodacom Durban July day, especially in the two-year-old events, and one such individual is the Alistair Gordon-trained Argonaut colt Beat The Retreat, who has landed a plum draw of seven in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.



Gordon said, “Alec (Forbes) thought he had a big chance in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, but he pulled up shin sore and that must have affected him.”



Shin soreness is a common condition for young horses and Beat The Retreat did some swimming in Gordon’s pool at Summerveld after that last run and is now “fine”.

He put up a good gallop on the Summerveld grass on Monday.



Argonaut has proved to be disappointing as a stallion and some will claim that his progeny tend to be temperamental. However, Beat The Retreat not only has “a magic temperament”, but he also comes from a fantastic family. His dam Spring Lilac by Joshua Dancer won the Gr 3 Fillies Nursery over 1200m at Kenilworth by four lengths and she is a half-sister to the like of Rabiya (Equus champion three-year-old male), Secret Of Victoria (dual Gr 2-winning sprinter and dam of Equus champion two-year-old filly All Is Secret), Touch The Sky (dual Listed winner) and Rafiya (Listed winner).



Argonaut won both the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe and the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes and in the latter he went start to finish and won by five lengths, so on pedigree Beat The Retreat should get a mile.



Gordon described him as a “useful horse” and pointed at his form-line. Before the Medallion he had finished just 1,5 lengths behind Seventh Plain in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at level weights and on that occasion had pulled up well. No horse got within 2,5 lengths of Seventh Plain in the Medallion and Beat The Retreat was 8,9 lengths back, so it was clearly not his run.



Forbes will be back aboard on July day and although up against a strong field Beat The Retreat should not be ignored.

Brett Crawford has a small but strong team for Vodacom Durban July day and some of them put in eye catching workouts at Summerveld yesterday, particularly the classy Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas-winning Dynasty filly Alexis, who will run in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on turf.



Crawford’s assistant Barry Donnelly is back at Summerveld looking after the string and said about Alexis, “She is small but very well made. I have always called her our little Beach Beauty and people used to laugh at me but now she has come out and won the Guineas.”



Alexis has plenty of speed but proved she stayed the mile in the KRA Fillies Guineas, in which she once again displayed her superb turn of foot. Yesterday one of Crawford’s best work rider’s Subusiso Paca put her through her paces on the Summerveld beach sand. She showed plenty of zest and strode out nicely and Paca returned to the ring excited, exclaiming that after 400m she had wanted to change up a gear. Donnelly believes the yard have her even better now than she was before the KRA Fillies Guineas, so will ease off her next week in the lead up to the race.



She faces a particularly strong field but will be one of the main protagonists, despite a tricky draw of nine as opposed to her draw of five in the KRA Fillies Guineas. Stable jockey Corné Orffer has chosen her ahead of last year’s KRA Fillies Guineas winner Maybe Yes, who won a 1400m event at Greyville in her penultimate start by four lengths when leading from start to finish, although she was well weighted there. She then ran another cracker in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m, finishing a 1,25 length third to the classy mare Hammie’s Hooker. Donnelly was happy with her workout yesterday on the beach sand, although he said that she is not a very good workhorse on that surface. She has landed a plum draw of two in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province and Piere Strydom aboard is another bonus.



Sail South worked particularly well yesterday and was looking lean and in mint condition. He settled nicely in yesterday’s bit of work, which was a positive sign as this is sometimes his undoing on the racecourse. He could be a runner in the Listed Thukela Handicap over 1600m on the turf. He has a wide draw to overcome, but Orffer has chosen to ride him ahead of the former Gr 2 Seangor Cup winner De Kock. De Kock over raced in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 last time out and duly faded right out of it in the straight. However, he has responded very well to the application of a new bit and has settled well in work. He has been working well and from draw nine under Sean Veale over this much more suitable trip he could be a runner.



The yard’s other runner on the day is the three-year-old gelding Valerin, who finished a 1,25 length second to Saratoga Dancer over 1400m at Scottsville last time, despite being squeezed in the latter stages. The form of that race has been franked and he now runs over the same trip on the polytrack on July day. He has been doing well, but looks likely to be drawn quite wide. He is by Lateral out of the Gr 1 Garden Province and Gr 1 Majorca winner Donatella (Fine Edge), so is a well-bred sort. He has run some decent races against good sorts in Cape Town, including finishing a 1,25 length second to fancied July runner The Conglomerate over 1300m as a two-year-old. Donnelly foresees no problem with his handling the poly and he worked on the Summerveld poly on Wednesday.

Young riding superstar Chad Schofield will return to the country of his birth to have his first ride in the Vodacom Durban July aboard the fancied Joey Ramsden-trained The Conglomerate.



It will be the first time the Australian-based Chad has ridden in South Africa. However, he is sure to receive plenty of valuable advice on the ins and outs of the tight Greyville circuit from his father Glyn, a top South African jockey who was based in Durban before relocating to Australia in December 2007. Furthermore, Glyn’s former riding agent Blaine Hamilton has been attempting to secure more rides on the big day for Chad, so he should have had some feel of the course by the time the July starts. Hamilton confirmed Chad was very excited in anticipation of this opportunity.



Ramsden said these days it was becoming increasingly difficult to find lightweight jockeys and the connections had decided to begin looking around when no phone calls for the ride were forthcoming. He added they had considered a number of options on who to bring in, so the decision had not been made lightly. Ramsden said The Conglomerate had been doing very well at Summerveld. The three-year-old Australian-bred Lohnro colt is back in full fast work after being given a bit of a lighter schedule for a couple of weeks after his third place in the Daily News on May 30.



The astute trainer should have him peaking at exactly the right time. The Conglomerate was as short as 7/1 for the July after his impressive win in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas, but has drifted out to 14/1 in the face of support for the like of Legal Eagle and French Navy.



Glyn has ridden in seven Julys and his best finish was sixth on The Sheik in 2001. He benefitted enormously from a stint in Hong Kong about ten years ago and it was clear upon his return to South Africa that he had progressed into a world class jockey. In the next couple of seasons in South Africa he often outrode his colleagues simply through his peerless judgement of pace. He has clearly been an inspiration to Chad, who took the Australian racing scene by storm after making his debut in 2010. Chad is the only jockey to win the apprentice title in both Melbourne and Sydney, a feat that is unlikely to ever be repeated. Still in his early 20s, he has already notched up a number of important wins, most notably aboard Shamus Award in the 2013 Cox Plate which provided him with his first Gr 1 success. He added three more Gr 1s to his CV in 2014, the Newmarket Handicap on Lankan Rupee, the Champagne Stakes on Go Indy Go and the Queensland Derby on Sonntag. Injuries and suspensions have curtailed Chad’s time in the saddle but he is still very much in demand. Last week he travelled to ride Australian trainer David Hayes’ New Zealand-bred raider Criterion in the Gr 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting. They finished a respectable 3,75 length fifth. He was also recently granted a six month license to ride next season in Hong Kong, one of the world’s biggest racing stages.

I think bringing Chad over is a cover up.... THE CONGLOMERATE = pacemaker

all the jockeys talking about it

Mike Bass was bullish of his Vodacom Durban July chances after landing the exact draw he had wanted for his good looking gelding Helderberg Blue.



He will later have a strong hand in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes where he runs Hammie’s Hooker and Inara.



Bass envisaged that from a draw of eight, which is likely to be seven when the second reserve runner comes out, Helderberg Blue would be able to relax in the early stages, while the horses on the inside were rushing to hold their positions and the horses on the outside were unsettled as their jockeys attempted to slot them in.



His four-year-old Jet Master gelding ideally likes to be handy as he is capable of quickening from close to the pace and is then able to stay on resolutely.



He has always been well regarded but is a nervous horse and as a youngster often used to run his race before the start.



However, the outstanding horsemanship of the three-time July-winning trainer and the care provided by his professional team have now converted him into a horse who, according to Bass, is now “almost normal.”



Helderberg Blue’s new best friend is the recently retired Epic Tale, who accompanies him to the track every morning to keep him calm.



Bass believes the decision to raise Helderberg Blue 12 points for his J&B Met third-place finish was ridiculous, but his charge has now come down three points and has snuck into the handicap with a nice galloping weight of 53,5kg. He will be 4,5kg better off for a 2,35 length beating by Futura in the Met, so has a chance on paper.



He showed improvement in his last start, when fourth in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m, and is not only two points lower now but will also peak at just the right time.



Grant van Niekerk, who went within a hair’s breadth of victory on the outsider Smanjemanje in his July debut in 2012, has his third ride in the big race, having been an unlucky fifth on the filly In The Fast Lane last year.



Bass’ top class Trippi mare Hammie’s Hooker put up a career best performance in last year’s Garden Province Stakes, when getting within 0,75 lengths of the great Beach Beauty, with the rest of a top class field strung out like the washing. Bass said she had been an easier horse to train this year, as she had matured and was a lot stronger, so she should be able to repeat that run from last year. She has drawn in pole position this year, as opposed to last year’s tough barrier position of nine out of ten. Furthermore, one of the main dangers, Same Jurisdiction, whom she beat last time out by 0,5 lengths when defending her crown in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m at Greyville, is drawn wide out in 14. On the downside Same Jurisdiction carried a Gr 1 penalty of 2kg in the Tibouchina, compared to Hammie’s Hooker’s Gr 2 penalty of 1kg, whereas the Garden Province is a pure weight for age race. Furthermore, Bass believes Hammies’ optimum trip is 1400m although he added that she was “fine” with 1600m. Regular pilot Bernard Fayd’Herbe holds the Trippi mare in high regard and knows her well.



Inara scoped a bit dirty after her disappointing fifth in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 and Bass also believed she was not “comfortable” over the 2000m trip. She followed up her victory in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1800m with a win in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m. She had earlier finished second to the mighty Majmu in one of the best form races of the season, the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas, so 1600m does look to be her optimum trip. Bass said she was currently fine and would be competitive. She likely needed her run when staying on strongly for second in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and should be at her peak now in her third run after a layoff. She has a fine turn of foot and is a big runner from draw seven under Van Niekerk.



The yard also run Mountain Master in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 and Equity Kicker in the eThekwini Sprint over 1200m on the polytrack.



Mountain Master is drawn wide but if repeating his fifth place finish in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 he could have a chance, considering he is now two points lower in the merit ratings.



Equity Kicker was only 3,2 lengths back in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m, despite being about 3kg under sufferance. He is not well treated at the weights in the eThekwini either. However, he has a plum draw of six and has already proven, like most Trippis, that he enjoys the poly.

Dennis Drier has a Vodacom Durban July day string of ten horses and two reserves and the master trainer is likely to turn them out in tip top condition.



His Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes contender Jet Aglow put in some decent work on the beach sand on Tuesday under stable jockey Sean Cormack and if repeating her best runs could be in the shake-up, despite the race being packed with class. The yard were caught off guard by the blinkers sharpening her up so much in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint that she led them over a too sharp 1200m, before finishing a respectable fifth. However, she then duly over raced in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m last time out and the blinkers have now been removed. She was an unlucky two length third in the Gr 1 Laurie Jaffe Empress Club Stakes over 1600m last season, when forced to go for home too early, and if repeating that sort of form could be a contender, although she does not have an easy draw of ten.



The jury are out on whether Drier’s ultra impressive Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Seventh Plain will stay the 1400m trip in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe, but they believe he will, due to his very relaxed manner of running. He certainly wasn’t stopping at the line in the Medallion and from a plum draw of four he will be the horse to beat.



The yard are expecting their Horse Chestnut filly Chestnuts and Pearls to appreciate the step up in trip from 1200m to 1400m in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper. She was disadvantaged by a high draw in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m at Scottsville last time, but will still have to show plenty of improvement to feature here, although there is always that possibility for two-year-olds. She is drawn well in seven.

The yard run Firewood in the first race on the poly over a suitable 1400m. They describe him as a “nice little horse who has to be competitive here.” The form of his last race when a one length third to the promising Master James over 1600m on turf has worked out well and he could appreciate a return to the course and distance of his last win from a plum draw.



Their newly acquired stayer J’s Outsider had to come around horses from last in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m last time and didn’t go through with, but the yard said he had needed that run and had definitely improved since then. He won the Gr 2 Gold Bowl over 3200m at Turffontein before that so will appreciate the 3000m trip of the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase on July day and is well drawn in three. However, he is 4,5kg worse off for a 2,5 length beating of Heart Of A Lion from the Gold Bowl, so will have a tougher task and the latter also proved his liking for Greyville last time when running on well for third in the Lonsdale.



Drier runs Barbosa and Balkan in the tenth race, a MR 104 handicap over 1000m on the polytrack and the yard are bullish about the chances of Barbosa, despite him having to carry top-weight. Assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said, “He ran a cracker last time (sixth in the Tsogo Sun Sprint) and has a big shout. He likes to race handy and should enjoy the poly.”



Balkan doesn’t have it easy up against the boys in her second run after a layoff. However, she was raised only two points for her win over 1000m on J&B Met day and the form of that race has worked out well.



Drier runs Generalissimo, Triptique and Beckedorf in the Non-Black Type Ethekwini Sprint over 1200m on the poly. Generalissimo put in some eye-catching work on the beach sand on Tuesday and should be spot on for this race. He had to stand for an age in the stalls before the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, which blunted his normally excellent gate speed, and before that he won in facile fashion over this course and distance. He is now six points higher in the merit ratings, but is the yard elect and Cormack rides from a fair draw.



Triptique is an imposing and impressive individual and was a touch unlucky last time out over 1000m on the poly, which was his first outing since winning three Kenilworth 1200m events in succession. Ian Sturgeon rides from a tricky draw, but despite being six points higher since his last win he is not fully exposed and has a definite chance. Beckedorf is ten points lower in the merit ratings after two below par runs in Cape Town, so is quite an interesting contender. This is his first outing since, but the yard describe him as a “nice horse who is fit and well.”

The Tony Rivalland-trained four-year-old More Than Ready gelding Diamond King has always been a classy sort but has had "mechanical problems" chiefly related to muscles. However, according to the yard he has come back a different horse since a two-and-a-half month break on the farm and should be competitive in the Listed Canon Business Centre Handicap.



He proved this when staying on for a decent 3,1 length sixth in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m last time out, despite being 3,5kg under sufferance with the winner. The yard said he had come out of the race exceptionally well. He is now 1,5kg better off for a 2,25 length beating by Fourth Estate in the Christmas Handicap over course and distance and has the same draw of three from that race. His best win was over course and distance in the KZN Guineas Trial as a three-year-old and big things were expected of him at that stage.


Rivalland's assistant Terry Fripp said, "He just has to repeat his Christmas Handicap win to be a live runner." He appeared confident that he would at least reproduce that performance.

Alyson Wright has a fair chance of success with her small string on Vodacom Durban July day.

Western Winter colt Mr Roy runs in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m from draw 10 under Johnny Geroudis, Kochka runs in the Listed Canon Business Centre Handicap over 1600m from draw 15 under Athandiwe Mgudlwa and Mumsy’s Jet runs in the first race, a MR 83 Handicap over 1400m on the poly, from draw six under Anthony Delpech.

Kevin Wright said, “Mr Roy is up against it. He’s a horse I’m really fond of and I think the 1400m will suit him, I feel that maybe we’re looking at the back end of quartets but it’s hard to get into these races and we would rather have a ticket than not have one. He certainly has ability but the race will tell whether he’s just short of those top three horses.

“Kochka has a wide draw, which is unfortunate. Everybody points to him winning his Gr 1 over this distance from a wide draw but it’s not in his favour. I’ve put Athandiwe back on him, he knows him better and rides him work every morning. He came out of

the last race very well, although I just think he doesn’t have the condition yet and we’re still three months away from getting him back in the shape he was as a two-year-old. But he undoubtedly still has a shout and if he was well drawn he would be the horse to beat. Last time was over 1800m and he hit the front 200m out, so the mile is right but it’s a question of how quickly he will get through them from the back and he will need a lot of luck from the back.”

“Mumsy’s Jet is so consistent. He’s working very well, we gave him a nice break, he’s being prepped for this race from six weeks ago, he’s had a nice rest, he’s fresh, he’s well and I’m sure he’s going to run a very big race.”

Dean Kannemeyer has a competitive string of seven for Vodacom Durban July raceday on Saturday at Greyville, including Hot Ticket and Power King who run in the big one.

He said, “Hot Ticket just worked over 400m at the July gallops because it’s a condition of entry, he had run a few days earlier in the Gr 2 Track & Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville. I don’t think the Derby was really a true race, because the first five horses varying from an 81 merit rating to 112 went to the line together. He ran a good race in the J&B Met last year finishing very strongly over 2000m and he loves Greyville, he quickens up well at Greyville. He’s doing well, but it’s a tough race, the weights are quite close up at the top.”

“I think Power King has had a very good prep. In his first run in the Champion Season he beat Ice Machine exceptionally well over 1400m, which is too sharp for him, and then he ran a very good race in the Betting World 1900. He looked like an unraced two-year-old under the lights, he didn’t know where he was and I thought the saddle had slipped. But he made up at least 12 lengths up the straight and got beat a neck. He’s nicely drawn and if all goes well in the running and it’s a clean run

race and there’s a genuine pace, then with 53kg as a four-year-old you suddenly come into the race. He’s earned his stripes, it’s never an easy task but he’s doing well. Sometimes he enjoys gaps between his races and enjoys coming out fresh so I didn’t run him again after the 1900. He’s not a great worker but he’s been moving exceptionally well.”

Power King, who will be ridden by Stuart Randolph from draw seven, certainly caught the eye striding out superbly on the beach in his pace work at Summerveld yesterday (Monday). Hot Ticket, who will be ridden by Karl Neisius from draw 9, is a character who sometimes chucks it in halfway through his work and he was only mildly interested yesterday, but was striding out nicely.

Kannemeyer runs Western Winter colt Never Settle in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m from draw eight under Neisius and he said, “I think he’s a horse with lots of potential, I fancied him first time out but he missed the break and got into the kick back, so we were terribly disappointed. But we put a line through that and in his next run he still jumped slowly, it wasn’t an exceptionally strong race, but he still won well. I think he’s come on, but it’s only his third run and he may just lack the experience as some of those two-year-olds are really tuned up and I don’t push my two-year-olds. But I think he has the potential to be up there with the top horses on what he shows me back home. He has galloped on the grass and used himself exceptionally well.”

Solid Speed is top-weight in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m, where he jumps from draw nine under Neisius and Kannemeyer said, “He had issues so I rested him in the Summer but I always thought he had great potential. He hasn’t put a foot wrong. He’s gone up in the weights but he’s an improving horse. I think he will go 3000m, but the race will tell. He’s high up already and I have to take whatever I can with him, so we’re going for the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup. He is doing very well.”

Balance Sheet runs in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 from draw three under Randolph and Kannemeyer said, “It was all wrong last time, it was a slow run race and they

sprinted and he was caught wide. He’s won three over 1600m, but on pedigree he is bred to go 2400m. He’s nicely drawn, it’s a tough race, but he has bottom weight. Greyville doesn’t suit him when they go slow and sprint, but if they go a good gallop he will be competitive.”

Classy Fighter runs from draw two in race 1 over 1400m on the polytrack under Luyola Mxothwa and Kannemeyer said, “He was badly drawn last time and ran into a bit of trouble up the straight. It’s a tough race but he is nicely drawn and is always there. This is his maximum trip.

It Is Written won on Sunday and is still carded for the tabGold 2200, where he will have a chance as one that finished quite close up in both the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

KZN Champion trainer Duncan Howells believes his star filly Same Jurisdiction only has the draw to beat in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day. He has other fair chances on the day too, despite having generally enjoyed no luck with barrier positions.

Same Jurisdiction ran on strongly in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m at Greyville last time out, also from a wide draw, to be beaten 0,5 lengths by Garden Province contender Hammie's Hooker. However, she was carrying a 2kg Gr 1 penalty compared to Hammie's 1kg Gr 2 penalty, so she will effectively be 1kg better off on Saturday in this weight for age race. Furthermore, Howells said she had needed that run and had "improved tenfold" since.

He said, "Her workouts have been exceptional and if she overcomes the draw she will win."

Anton Marcus retains the ride and they jump from draw 14 in a classy field of 15.

Howells' other Gr 1 contender on the day is the Elusive Fort filly Lauderdale who runs in the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m. Last time out over the course and distance she ran one wide in a handy position and found another gear halfway down the straight to fly home and be beaten just 0,35 lengths in the Listed Devon Air Stakes. However, the form of that race is not looking to good at present.

Howells said, "We fancied her to just about win last time (despite 12/1 odds). She is above average and is well in herself but has the draw to overcome."

Howells has three runners in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m. Crime Victim comes off a facile win over 1950m in a Winter Challenge final at Scottsville. However, he is 0,5kg worse off with Solid Speed from a Greyville 2400m race in which the latter beat him by 2,25 lengths. He was slightly baulked in that race, before staying on strongly so should stay the trip despite his pedigree, suggesting he is not a certainty too. He has the advantage of a pole position draw and S’manga Khumalo aboard so this resolute galloper could be a big runner.

Howells said, “All three of the runners will see out the trip. Crime Victim is exceptionally well and has improved a lot since his last outing. Beewithmee (drawn 6 Donovan Dillon rides) was a bit disappointing last time but stays well so we are taking our chances and he has improved in his workouts in the last couple of weeks. Roc N’ Rose (draw 13 Warren Kennedy rides) has a nice galloping weight and I think her last couple of races can be ignored due to the very slow pace in both. I think she is crying for this extra distance.”

Howells runs Right Approach three-year-old gelding Easy Lover from draw 11 out of 16 in the Listed Canon Business centre Handicap over 1600m and confirmed that as a horse who likes to find cover he is not the type that is suited to wide draws. He added, “He is well in himself and consistent, so as he is quite well weighted we are taking a chance. He is capable of running in the first four, but the draw could be his undoing. I think he is looking for a bit further now, but he is coming off a break and running fresh so should enjoy the 1600m.”

The yard run the Lateral filly Trini’s Colateral in the Non-Black Type KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m and Howells said, “She’s a nice filly but it’s difficult from the draw. It’s a once off race so we have to take our chances. She will enjoy the extra 100m and if she overcomes the draw she is set to run in the first four.”

Gavin van Zyl has a string of seven and one reserve for Vodacom Durban July day on Saturday, including the Gr 1 contender Redcarpet Captain.

Captain Al colt Redcarpet Captain was still below his best when finishing a 2,5 length second to Seventh Plain in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville last time and now jumps from a tough draw of 17 under regular rider S’Manga Khumalo in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. Van Zyl said, “He had a setback before his run in the SA Nursery and didn’t have a lot of time to recover from that, so in the Gold Medallion he wasn’t in the space that he is now. We expect him to be better on Saturday than he has been in any of his runs so far. He has a got a bad draw, so we need a bit of luck in running, but as far as his physical well-being goes we couldn’t ask for better, we are really upbeat about him.”

The yard runs the talented Jet Master gelding MLJet in the Listed Canon centre Handicap over 1600m from draw eight under Warren Kennedy. He was looking a picture at Summerveld yesterday and Van Zyl said, ”In the Daily News he moved right up into contention, but didn’t go through. It was a good run in the blinkers and

the 1600m will be right down his alley. He’s got a decent draw and on his best form he will be one of the horses to beat. We’re very happy with his preparation.”

Heart Of A Lion runs in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m and Van Zyl said, “He’s run third in his last three stakes races and they were good thirds particularly in his last run in the Lonsdale (2400m) where he flew up from last and was not beaten far. He’s got eleven draw to overcome but Muzi (Yeni) does know him quite well and we expect him to be in the hunt. He is very well in himself and he stays all day.”

Sun On Africa runs in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 from draw four under Kennedy and Van Zyl said, “He beat St. Tropez last time and on that form, and on his second to Bezanova, he has the ability. When he picks up his game he can run with the best. He only ran seven lengths back in the Lonsdale (2400m) but went far too fast and Warren Kennedy learnt a lot about him that day. He beat St Tropez next time based on a better pace. If he rides him well he definitely has a chance with a good draw and a light weight.”

In race one over 1400m on the poly the yard run the progressive Fort Wood gelding Down Under as well as Just Ask Me. Van Zyl said, “Down Under is very consistent and has been working very well. He went to Greyville and galloped next to Redcarpet Captain and did very, very nicely. On his best form from draw one he comes into the race with a very good chance. He’s getting better and better. Just Ask me is always thereabouts, we also targeted this race. He had had a break before his last start at Scottsville and seemed to tire. He is better on the poly at Greyville and on his best form he certainly has a quartet chance.”

Se Agabor runs in the second over 1400m on the poly and has also landed a pole position draw. Van Zyl said, “She has been running n some tough company in Johannesburg and has run in two Listed races, one in PE and one on the sand. Then against the colts last time she didn’t appreciate the going, it’s getting a bit firm for her. So it’s a tough field but she’s won on the poly and back on the poly we can expect an improved run.”

Glen Kotzen has a team of seven for Vodacom Durban July day, including three Gr 1 contenders, and he regards the yard’s Captain Al filly Princess Royal as their best runner.

Princess Royal, who is a half-sister to the Kotzen-trained four-time Gr 1-winning Equus Champion Princess Victoria, finished an unlucky one length second last time out in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m at Scottsville when having to come around the field for a run. She is drawn six under stable jockey Greg Cheyne in Saturday’s Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m and Kotzen said, “She was unlucky in the Allan Robertson, she had to check twice. But she is definitely better over further. She’s drawn six and with luck in running I think they are going to battle to beat her.”

Kotzen’s classy and versatile five-year-old Jet Master mare Jet Belle was badly hampered when finishing a 2,6 length sixth in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint but she has a chance to make amends from draw 6 in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, which has attracted a star studded field. Kotzen said, “If it wasn’t for bad luck she would have had no luck at all in that

last race and we had thought the race was there for the taking. But she’s doing well, she’s drawn well and she can turn it on. She is beautiful over a mile and I think the horse we have to beat is Carry On Alice.”

The yard run the Trippi colt Hip Hop Dancer in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m, and he is coming off a one length third to Star Chestnut over 1400m at Scottsville, where he over raced early. Kotzen said, “The jockey reported he was making a respiratory noise, so we scoped him, he had muck in his trachea and we put him onto a course of antibiotics and backed off him. He’s definitely up to the task but it’s going to be tough because he’s had an interruption to his program and is drawn wide.”

They run Gone Baby Gone in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m and Kotzen said, “He was touched off over 3200m in the Chairman’s at Kenilworth, but they went a crawl and sprinted for home. We’re not quite sure if he actually stays in this class off a decent pace. We having another crack at it, he’s exceptionally well and we might change tactics and hold him back a bit to give him more chance.”

Kotzen runs “the dream filly” Royal Pleasure in the Non-Black Type KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m, where she is drawn 13, and he said, “She saw the course on Friday over 1300m, working with a Gr 1 horse, we thought she put up a tremendous gallop and saw out the distance. We changed tactics in the Allan Robertson and held her up and they proved to be the wrong tactics, but she wasn’t disgraced in running fifth. She’s handicapped to win the race, she won’t have a problem with the draw because she’s quick out the gates and we think she will see out the trip.”

They run the progressive three-year-old Royal Air Force filly Cathy Specific in the second race, a MR 84 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m on the polytrack, and Kotzen said, “It’s a big weight for a three-year-old but she’s very classy, she’s a lovely filly, she’s working incredibly well.”

The yard’s talented three-year-old Jet Master colt Light The Lights runs in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 from draw six under Piere Strydom. Kotzen has always believed he is looking for this trip and said, “His biggest problem is that he’s a colt, he would be a better horse if we gelded him, but with blinkers on his work has been spot on and maybe he is now concentrating instead of trying to get out of it. We are going to hopefully see a different horse at the track.”