Milnerton trainer Vaughan Marshall could well make it an overdue date in the hallowed winner’s enclosure at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 3 July after his smashing 3yo Linebacker cemented his Vodacom Durban July claims with a scintillating victory in the R750 000 Gr1 Daily News 2000 at the Durban city track on Saturday.
Besides winning two of the three features on the big afternoon, Marshall saw his prospects of winning his maiden Durban July elevated after Linebacker beat nine other 3yo big race entries to win what is traditionally the best sophomore pointer to the Vodacom Durban July.
Linebacker streaks away under Grant van Niekerk (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
“The Durban July is what we came for, so we are all on track,” said Marshall as he paid a word of thanks to his owners.
The Klawervlei-bred gelding has formed a lethal combination with Cape rider Grant van Niekerk, and is poised to achieve a rare quartet by emulating big-hitters Legislate in 2014 and Big City Life in 2009 as winners of the Cape Derby, WSB Guineas, Daily News 2000 and Vodacom Durban July!
After Gauteng visitors Shah Akbar and Infinite Wonder had formed their own ‘race within a race’ a few lengths ahead of third-placed Kommetdieding, the duel down the home straight was dominated by the dazzling Linebacker.
The son of Captain Of All had been tracking his rival Kommetdieding and after Sihle Cele sent the latter down the inside, a match could have been on.
But the Marshall star proved his superiority and went on to win at 5-4 by 0,70 lengths in a time of 123,84 secs.
After the exacta in the recent WSB Guineas, Marshall made it another 1-2 here as Linebacker’s stable companion Rascallion (12-1) powered up late to pip Kommetdieding (5-2) into third.
Watch the race replay here:
The top three are all July entries and look set to go the extra 200m and line up on 3 July.
A R425 000 Cape Yearling Sale graduate, Linebacker is son of Equus Champion Sprinter Captain Of All out of the Australian-bred Redoute’s Choice mare Thin Red Line.
He has now won 4 races with 4 places from his 8 starts for stakes of R1 417 750.
Do It Again was the last 3yo to win the Vodacom Durban July. That was in 2018 when in his build-up he was beaten into second by Eyes Wide Open in the Cape Derby, won the KZN Guineas, and was beaten into fourth behind Surcharge in the Daily News 2000.
