Andrew Kirsten - Catmandu
Andre Kirsten believes Catmandu is the best horse he has ever trained and is confident of his chances in the R3 million Vodacom Durban July to be run at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday.
Catmandu was rated a 150-1 chance when the ante-post betting on the big race opened after the first nominations but is now as short as 14-1.
The grounds for his initial long price must surely have been that he would not see out the 2200m trip as the four-year-old gelding by Makaarem went over further than 1200m for the first time in his 13th start.
However, Kirsten explained, “He always showed that he would go further. I thought he would see out a mile but when we put him over that trip he did it easily.”
That first attempt over 1600m was also the first time he had raced at Greyville and he produced a devastating finish from the tail of the field to get up on the line.
The Vaal trainer continued, “No, this horse would go the Gold Cup distance. He relaxes himself as he drops the bit until asked for his effort. He starts a bit slowly over the first 100m but then has that blistering turn of foot in the straight. I don’t mind how far back he will have to come from as the false rail will be at ten metres and they will fan out. The gaps will open.”
Kirsten is not worried about his wide draw of 15 either.
“I am actually glad that he drew out wide,” he said. “All the pace in the race this year is on the outside so the scrimmaging will be on the inside. With our draw we will avoid it.”
He added, “This horse broke a race record at Clairwood over 1200m and stays 2200m easily. He is a special horse. I think he just needs luck in running and is the one to beat.”
Catmandu has raced four times in Durban for three victories and a short-head defeat.
The defeat came in his last start when he flew from the back as usual to lose by a short-head to the Mike Bass-trained River Jetez.
In the July Catmandu will be 1kg better off with River Jetez as compared to the Astrapak and yet the latter has been backed into 7-1 joint second favourite.
Kirsten said, “He is good wherever he goes but at the coast he seems even better. He also loves Greyville. He suits the course with that turn of foot he has.”
Catmandu has finished his preparation for the race and will now just be kept ticking over.
His final pacework was on Monday when doing his July gallop and he was seen on television to be stretching out very nicely.
“He put in exceptional work and I think it was one of the best July gallops,” said Kirsten.
Deon Sampson, who is now in Mauritius, has been doing the workriding on Catmandu but Stuart Randolph, who has ridden him in his last four starts, will ride him in the big race.
Catmandu is the first horse Kirsten has ever nominated for the July.
“Every trainer tries to win the July and it would be a great honour if I could win it with my first runner,” he said.
Catmandu will travel down on Thursday and will be stabled at Clairwood.
ends
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