Master Sabina looks to go close under Anton Marcus
Suggesting there is any consolation to the once-in-a-lifetime prospect of winning the July is something of a misnomer. To add to it, the R500 000 Gr3 tabGOLD 2200 (aka The Durban July Consolation) has undergone more sponsor-related renaming processes over the years than the average racing enthusiast could hope to remember.
Sponsors just don’t take to this race somehow.
Maybe it is the reality of being overshadowed by the blood red splash of the pan-African mobile telecommunications company that have made the July an event of their own?
But an interesting debate for another forum.
Good Money
In a tough economic climate, the first cheque of R312 500 will hardly be snuffed at by whoever leads the winner in and a competitive field of fourteen lines up to contest the first leg of the Place Accumulator.
Vaughan Marshall doesn’t have a July runner this year and he saddles the topweight Tribal Dance, who won this race in 2012, when it was sponsored by Schweppes.
Tribal Dance was a 3,75 length second to the smart stayer Hot Ticket in the Betting World Stakes last time and prior to that was not disgraced when a 2,55 length fourth to Espumanti in the Betting World 1900.
While he has the obvious credentials to win again, it is worrying that he has not managed to win a race since April last year.
The two-time winner Shogunnar ran a cracker in the Lonsdale
Dangerous
Gavin Van Zyl’s Shogunnar had only his second run in six months when finishing a desperately close third to Wild One and Gothic in the Lonsdale Sturrup Cup last time.
While still only a two-time winner, the son of Solskjaer is a dangerous galloper who would only need to repeat that effort to enjoy a winning chance here.
Reserve Runner
Geoff Woodruff’s Master Sabina is a third reserve runner in the July and will be ridden here by Anton Marcus for Mike De Broglio.
He is 1,5kgs better off with Cup Trial runner up Serissa when only two lengths behind in that rather contentious race.
Master Sabina beat Brooks-Club at his penultimate and the Azzie horse came out to win well last Saturday. If we put a line through his Cape campaign, there is nothing wrong with his form and one only needs reminding of his excellent second to his overseas bound stablemate Yorker in the 2013 Summer Cup.
Brave Man
Champion trainer Mike De Kock saddles Mercurial Brave after Gone Baby Gone has changed stables and Kindle scratched.
Mercurial Brave registered his third win from ten starts when showing excellent pace to lead most of the way in an MR 86 Handicap over the Scottsville 1950m last time out.
The R1,7 million son of jet Master now needs to show that was no flash in the pan and comes in with a handy galloping weight under Warren Kennedy.
Going, Going, Gone
Gone Baby Gone has his first run for Glen Kotzen and races under new ownership
Glen Kotzen purchased De Kock’s Gone Baby Gone for R600 000 at the Michael Holmes Super Sale last Thursday.
The son of Greys Inn has his first run for his new owner and ran fourth behind Louis The King in the Gr1 SA Derby. He ran on well last time when 3,35 lengths behind former stablemate Wild One in the Lonsdale.
As a Gr1 placed winner of 3 of his 12 starts, he must have a serious chance of challenging for top honours.
The Dynasty gelding Alexander comes in on 52kgs after his excellent 0,85 length fourth to Wild One in the Lonsdale.
He looks like a classy stayer in the making but may need more ground and with the Gold Cup as his main objective
Kotzen’s Silvano filly Omaticaya looks to have a major battle on her hands for a 3yo.
She ran a 3,25 length fifth behind Dylan’s Promise in the Oaks and has been campaigning against fillies.
On Patrol
Garth Puller’s Air Patrol is a capable son of Jet Master who overcame all the odds last time to show great courage to record his fourth win. He carried topweight and drew 16 from 16 but still showed resolve to beat stablemate Target Five going away.
Well drawn and lightly weighted, the 5yo gelding is capable of stepping up to the plate in his major test to date.
Gold Onyx will be ridden by Piere Strydom
Tarry Duo
Sean Tarry saddles the evergreen Gold Onyx and recent Cup Trial shock runner-up, Serissa.
Gold Onyx is the mount of Piere Strydom and confirmed his love of the Greyville track by running a solid third in the event last year behind Master Plan and Patriotic Rebel.
Gold Onyx ran handily when 2,30 lengths behind One Cool Dude in the Cup Trial and will strip fit, even if his better days are marginally behind him.
Serissa came within a heartbeat of upsetting the odds in the recent Cup Trial and even though the well discussed pace in the race contributed to matters, he did beat Futura, who is fancied in many quarters, to win the July.
Good Gallop
Joey Ramsden’s Disco Al ran a cracker when staying on close to Futura in the Betting World 1900 and then grabbed third behind Hot Ticket in the Betting World Stakes (the old Derby) a fortnight ago.
The son of Captain Al ran very handily over the 2500m and appeared to stop in the closing stages. He galloped impressively with King Of Pain last Thursday and cannot be discounted on best form.
Duncan Howells’ Knight To Remember is a lightly raced 7yo who has his second run after a rest. The son of The Sheik is a quality stayer and is probably being prepped for the Gold Cup.
Stan Elley saddles Big Cat
Sufferance
Big Cat and Zhivago are both in under sufferance with Tribal Dance but are realistic place prospects.
Stan Elley’s Big Cat is a four-time winners and campaigns in the Badge Boys’ Punta Arenas silks.
The son of Black Minnaloushe ran handily when beaten 5,50 lengths by Speed Rocket on the Greyville polytrack last time out.
That run would have brought him to peak fitness and his turf efforts behind Night Trip and Xerxes would suggest that he could be competitive if Grant Van Niekerk can overcome his wide draw.
Zhivago steps up in class after beating the hardknocking Assegai in an MR 80 Handicap last time. The son of Imperial Stride seldom runs a bad race.
No Confidence
The race presents an intriguing puzzle with the proven campaigners carrying the weight and a few progressive sorts on the other end of the scale.
Tribal Dance is battling for his sixth win and cannot be nominated with any confidence. That said, he has the credentials as a former winner.
The Sporting Post top-rated Disco Al is better than his last and Glen Hatt is a good man to have in the driving seat on the big days.
Shogunnar and Master Sabina have a touch of class and come racing fit.
Alexander and Air Patrol are staying sorts who won’t be far off the action.
