GREYVILLE 3RD JULY - #VDJ2021

Scraping Paint wrote:

bayern wrote:

Scraping Paint wrote: I wonder if Muzi will be riding on Saturday, he's medically indisposed today, maybe a possibility he'll be stood down?

Is the more detail for the reason he is indisposed? That would be a massive blow should he not ride on Saturday. Hopefully it's not serious and he can fulfill his riding arrangements come Saturday.

No idea, I saw it on Gallop when I was looking at the card changes for today.

It would be a shame if he doesn't ride on Saturday, he has rides with lively chances.

Again, hopefully it's nothing serious, like had a bad meal last night, right as rain the following day.

Do it Again is going for the kill...if you look at his gallop 22.5 seconds do you know what that is.

Do It Again is certainly well handicapped based on best form...and I'll take a little wager on Rainbow Bridge...my current favourite horse...

The 3 year olds have a little improvement to come and are handicapped to be together...just depends on which improves on the day...

Got The Greenlight may look well handicapped but subsequent runs of the horses that finished near him in his last 2 runs, albeit over shorter distances, eg. Expressfromtheus, Cirillo, MK's Pride, may indicate otherwise...

bayern wrote:

Scraping Paint wrote:

bayern wrote:

Scraping Paint wrote: I wonder if Muzi will be riding on Saturday, he's medically indisposed today, maybe a possibility he'll be stood down?

Is the more detail for the reason he is indisposed? That would be a massive blow should he not ride on Saturday. Hopefully it's not serious and he can fulfill his riding arrangements come Saturday.

No idea, I saw it on Gallop when I was looking at the card changes for today.

It would be a shame if he doesn't ride on Saturday, he has rides with lively chances.

Again, hopefully it's nothing serious, like had a bad meal last night, right as rain the following day.

No issues - as per Sporting Post - which begs the question - who checks the reasons for being stood down :huh:

Thangaveloo wrote: Do it Again is going for the kill...if you look at his gallop 22.5 seconds do you know what that is.

It's not a hadeda, it's some other kind of bird.

I hope this race is not about the accolade but rather the merit of the horse.

New July race favourite come Saturday morning.

How does the Puller yard survive in Durban @Pirhobeta?

bayern wrote: New July race favourite come Saturday morning.

Could be - and although imo LB will struggle the last 200m, one can't be surprised at the support he is getting in the market; I do find it a bit strange that GtG is on the drift - thought that around 5/2 was a fair price; no doubt the best value at current odds are Belgarion and Kommetdieding who are now both available at double the odds they were a week ago.

Imo, one of 8 runners can win the July, my summary as follows - I'll list them in odds order :

Got the Greenlight - looks well handicapped at 55kgs; should surely go close on form; not the ideal prep could be chink in his amour

Linebacker - obvious chance at the weights; for me still a slight doubt on seeing out the last 200m - was running around a bit in the finish in the Daily News - for me I'm not sure he can win, but should finish in the top 3 or 4

Do It Again - does look a different horse in KZN and had a great gallop, at the weights and given luck in running must rate as one of the live contenders for a win - won't hurt that the stable probably has their pace setters (Crown Towers and perhaps Nexus) in place to ensure a true pace

Rainbow Bridge - at set weights, one of the best in the country, but needs to give a lot of weight away here, and though I would not go as far to say that he has no chance, I won't be surprised if he does not find the top 4

Rascallion - not easy to access; on his run in the Daily News, he must have as good a chance as Linebacker, but he seems to be temperamental and was sweating up before his gallop so needs to be watched in the preliminaries; also Linebacker made up a lot of ground on him in the gallop; so another who may struggle to find the top 4, especially if he is seen to be sweating up before the race

Belgarion - tougher task at the weights this year, but imo has improved a lot since his win in this race last year (as witnessed by a great effort in the MET) - after his gallop, Bling has said that he has improved since the Challenge (a trip that is short of his best anyway) - imo not unlikely to find the first 4

Kommetdieding - not far behind Linebacker and Rascallion in the Daily News, so can't be discounted if he can overcome that draw - not sure what the tactics would be, but given luck in running must have a chance

Sovereign Spirit - I have been preaching this one since the betting opened and happy to see that he has now more than halved after being offered at an extremely generous 66/1 earlier; at the weights, must have as good a chance as Rainbow Bridge, Do It Again and Belgarion, and though I would be pleasantly surprised if he wins it, I do think he has a realistic chance of making the top 4

Others that I think could be spooks in the quartet, include Nexus (not badly handicapped), Shah Akbar (not too far behind his fellow 3-yr olds in the Daily News) and Running Brave (good form this track, well handicapped, but of course needs to put her last two runs behind her)

Hi Bayern

I wanted to know if anyone watched that interview,as the jock said he bumped into trainer JS at a sales event around that date,probably in JHB.

Im assuming it was about WOA.

I think the Graden Province Stakes was trainer JS first grade 1 winner,but hes won more Julys since.

Anyway,for me,the best trail race to this years VDJ was linebackers win in the Cape Derby 21.

At the weights, I see only two horses that can win it. That’s GTG and Linebacker so for me straight fight and I have dutched them. Fairly confident of a return but it’s the July and stranger things have happened.

Do it again and Rainbow Bridge obviously super classy but at the weights (in RB’s case) and age (more DIA), I feel the younger two highlighted above should in theory hold them.
But DIA does save his best for the C&D. So massive place chance.

Rascallion, if he builds on his last start, has a chance, but considering Linebacker hung and still beat him, he still needs to find a few lengths and has a tendency to get worked up. I don’t see any problems with the trip for Linebacker so expecting him to maintain the ability he’s shown over the trip and be possibly even better.

Kommetdieding has a mountain from the draw and IMO would benefit from a drop in trip, not going up. Would be a great story though.

Belgarion should be held by GTG and surely Fourie rides him if they thought he was the one again this year.

Would not completely rule out Shes a Keeper either. Still unexposed and although massively under sufferance, they do think she’s a group 1 filly in the making so maybe a place chance.

Others don’t have a squeak I’d say.

Good luck all

Thangaveloo wrote: How does the Puller yard survive in Durban @Pirhobeta?

I'm not sure that I understand your question correctly. He is probably the best trainer based in KZN currently. KZN trainers all battle to obtain top class horses, they all have to make do with what is available. I think all KZN trainers are battling for stock?