Futura stretches clear and beats Night Trip with Ze Kaiser in third
He may be the hottest equine property around and the closest thing to being crowned SA Horse Of The Year this season, but champion Futura gave his backers a few anxious moments at 1-3 as he enjoyed what was a happy ending to an impressive winning comeback in a Pinnacle Stakes at Greyville on Sunday.
The son of Dynasty looked magnificent in the parade ring and impressed with what really was nothing more than a nice grass gallop after his 15 week break following his sensational L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and J&B Met Gr1 double.
Futura has done little wrong since running a smart third in last year’s Durban July and winning three Grade 1 races – the Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville and the Queen’s Plate and J&B Met this season.
The colt had made headline news in February when his owners switched stables from Brett Crawford to current SA champion trainer Justin Snaith.
The diplomatic and chirpy Snaith was quick to allay any awkward tension in the post-race formalities as he paid tribute to Crawford:
Justin Snaith – relieved
“Futura arrived in tip top condition from Brett. All I had to do was take the pressure,” he said with relief as he pondered the next steps for the Guy Murdoch-bred star.
“This horse has an amazing temperament. He is close to unconscious. But that is probably his best quality. I am glad he came through this test so well. We are likely to go into the Gold Challenge on 6 June and then straight into the July,” he said.
Jockey Sean Cormack, who has been doing all the work on Futura, said he was thrilled to have come through the test in his first race-ride on the 4yo.
“I am absolutely blessed to be riding a horse like this. It is a strange thing in racing how things work out. Being in the right place at the right time and one gets lucky. I’m really honoured. He went through the race well and I never felt we would get beat,” he said.
Futura’s regular pilot Bernard Fayd’herbe, who had taken over from the retired Glen Hatt, prior to the 2014 July, rode King Of Pain in the same race. The Ramsden runner disappointed, fading late to run last.
After The Hangman had set the fractions, Futura cruised into the lead at the 350m marker and won by a neck – a winning margin that flattered the runner-up Night Trip.
The KZN 2yo champion Kochka, finished fifth, 1,75 lengths behind the winner after failing to show.
After banking the first cheque of R75 000 in this Pinnacle mile, Futura has now earned stakes of R3 390 075 in his 8 wins from 12 starts.
He was bought for R500 000 on the National Yearling Sale and looks a stallion prospect at this stage.
