Let’s Take Them On. Fighting talk from Dean Kannemeyer as July countdown begins
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer announced today that his exciting 3yo Western Winter colt Capetown Noir would take his place in the 2013 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.
Kannemeyer broke the news and the decision is bound to hype up the big race speculation and excitement as we go into the final seven days before declarations on 24 June.
Speaking on his website, www.dkannemeyerracing.com, he made the announcement earlier today, saying his charge had earned his tilt at Africa’s greatest horserace.
Dean said that a combination of ticks in the right boxes had led to a decision to run the very talented 3yo.
“Jehan (Malherbe) and I had a serious look at the weights and feel that he must be a serious runner on 55 kgs. He is far more realistically rated too now after his recent defeats. His owner Lady Christine Laidlaw is also thrilled to have a runner and she fully supports our recommendations,” he observed.
Dean said that narrow defeats in the Gr2 KRA Guineas and the Gr1 Daily News 2000 behind the unbeaten and obviously top class Vercingetorix had hardly been disappointing on reflection:
“No excuses. We were beaten fair and square and Mike (De Kock) has a really nice horse on his hands there. But Vercingetorix is giving the July a skip, and if we analyse both of those races, particularly the Daily News, they got away from my horse and he went to fetch them. He wasn’t stopping, and Karl is convinced that he will stay the 2200m,” he said.
Kannemeyer has trained two Vodacom Durban July winners. They were both 3yo’s.
Three-year-olds have won the race a total of 33 times but this has escalated to 60% of the last 20 years as the race conditions have evolved.
Dynasty(2003) and Eyeofthetiger (2006) are the two horses to carry the Kannemeyer banner since Dean took over from Dad Peter in 1999.
Only seven runners drawn on the extreme outside have managed to win since 1917.
In 2003 Dynasty broke from the extreme outside draw at 20 and, fighting for his head and racing wide in the early stages, his task for a three-year-old carrying 53kg was a tough one. But, after finally settling down he produced an incredible finishing burst in the straight to get up and beat Yard-Arm by nearly a length. He was ridden by Robbie Fradd.
Dynasty is now one of South Africa’s premier stallions.
The honour of being the longest priced favourite to win the Vodacom Durban July is now shared by Dean’s 2006 winner Eyeofthetiger and the 1985 winner Gondolier who both started at 6 to 1. Gerrit Schlechter rode the son of Royal Academy, to give Fieldspring Racing a second July winner.
Capetown Noir has won six of his ten starts, including a superb Cape Guineas and Investec Derby double.
The Lammerskraal Stud bred son of Western Winter will be ridden by his regular pilot Karl Neisius in the big race on 6 July.
“He is fit and well at the moment and I am hopeful of pulling a draw in the first 8. But that is not something we have any control over right now,” he laughed.
The final declarations for the Vodacom Durban July are due on Monday 24 June.
The field and barrier draw will be announced at a luncheon the following day at Greyville.
