Mike Azzie said if Triple Crown hero Abashiri was not at his peak on Saturday for the Vodacom Durban July he would be pretty close to it.
Azzie said he had to put out of his head everybody saying Abashiri had too much weight to carry in the July, “because this is not a normal horse, this is a special horse.”
The A Team – Adriaan, Abashiri – and the Azzman
The Go Deputy gelding with the giant stride carries 59kg, the biggest weight ever allotted to a three-year-old in the big race.
He has not run since winning the SA Derby on April 30, where he had to dig down deep. However, Azzie said the big horse’s work had been very good. He said big race jockey Karl Zechner was confident.
Abashiri certainly caught the eye at the July gallops and the exceptional turn of foot he has shown in his last two races should make him suited to Greyville.
