Trainer comments Gold Cup day by

David Thiselton

Gavin van Zyl was bullish about the chances of his Gr1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup hopeful Shogunnar and also felt that his Gr1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup contender No Worries looked to have come back to his best.

Shogunnar was disappointing last time out in the Gr3 tabGold 2200, but Van Zyl revealed that he had pulled up a little sore after his close-up finish in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m before that, meaning he had to give him a week off and he couldn’t quite get him back in time for that last race.

He said, “I will be very disappointed if he doesn’t run into the first four. He pulled up very nicely this time and hasn’t missed a beat since then. It makes a big difference going into a big race with a good preparation.”

Van Zyl said that Shogunnar had a “very big heart” and that things hadn’t panned out well for him in last year’s race, when still finishing sixth.

From draw three this time he must have a chance and stable jockey Keagan de Melo will know him well by now.

He is only one point higher in the merit ratings than he was last year and carries the same weight of 57,5kg.

Van Zyl made Hot Ticket, Master Sabina and Alexander the horses to beat.

Van Zyl admitted that No Worries faced a tough field in the Champions Cup over 2000m, but added that he had a chance based on his last run when easily winning the KZN Breeder’s Million Mile, albeit with a favourable weight.

“If he can reproduce his best form he has a chance and it looks like he is coming back to his best.”

He is drawn six but on official merit ratings has a tough task at the weights.

Banbury runs in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m and the form of her last run when beaten a head by Pine Princess over 1450m has worked out well as the latter went on to finish third in the Gr1 Zulu Kingdom Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day.

She will now be 2kg worse off with Pine Princess, but was full of beans at Summerveld yesterday, so is likely to run to her best over a trip she should relish. However, she is not a good work horse, so it is difficult to gauge how good she is and she doesn’t have an easy draw of ten in her first start at Greyville. The yard won this race with Along Came Polly last year.

Van Zyl felt the 1400m would be a touch sharp for Silver Spring in the first over 1400m where he has drawn wide, but felt he would still be competitive as he is off a reasonable merit rating.

The yard do think a bit of Sun Of Africa so give him a chance in the third over 1900m, where he has drawn well and said the last run could be ignored as he was slow away and then rushed before fading.

Van Zyl added that his contender in the last, Dirtydealin Mama, was doing very, very well and had worked very nicely on the Summerveld polytrack. She runs over an ideal trip of 1600m on the polytrack.

Mike de Kock has two runners in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m to be run at Greyville on Saturday, Wild One and Canterbury Tale, and can’t separate them despite stable jockey Anthony Delpech being on the former.

De Kock also has a strong hand in the two Gr 1 two-year-old races on the day with five runners in total.

He said about his Gold Cup pair, who have both drawn wide, “They are a similar type of horse and will both relish the trip, so I don’t have a preference. They are both very well.”

Canterbury Tale, a five-year-old gelding by Greys Inn, showed that he is an out and out stayer in last year’s Gold Cup, when staying on strongly for third. He is only two points higher in the merit ratings this year, but carries the identical weight of 54kg. Earlier last season he won the Gr 2 Gold Bowl over 3200m at Turffontein, albeit with a light weight of 52kg. He looks to have had a perfect preparation this year, as this will be his third run after a seven month layoff. He is drawn 15 out of the 16 runners, but does have the experienced and top class jockey Weichong Marwing aboard.

Wild One has always struck as being a stayer and is not only coming into his own, but looks potentially well handicapped carrying a weight of just 53,5kg. He gave his passionate owner Sean Phillips his first Graded race success when winning the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville in May and followed that run with a 0,25 length third to Hot Ticket in the Gr 2 Nokia Gold Vase over 3000m on Vodacom Durban July day. He is now 0,5kg better off with Hot Ticket, but on the downside he was well drawn in both of his last two races, but now has to jump from the widest draw of all. However, in those last two starts he did not display the tendency he once had of getting going too late in the straight. Delpech will therefore have one or two options, although slotting a horse into a good position before the first turn is never easy from wide out in this race.

De Kock runs the Gr 1 Allan Robertson winner Alboran Sea as well as Pine Princess in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m for two-year-old fillies.

Alboran Sea jumped tardily last time out in the Zulu Kingdom Golden Slipper over 1400m, but looked the winner when bursting into the lead late, only to be caught near the line by the outsider Bilateral. Alboran Sea was later shown to have cast a shoe. Pine Princess was drawn wide in the Golden Slipper, but stayed on well from a handy position for a 0,75 length third.

De Kock said that both fillies had come out of that race well and added, “Pine Princess will relish the step up in trip. It might be the top end of Alboran Sea’s range because she has tremendous speed, but I don’t know that might be an asset because on pedigree she will get the trip on her head.”

Alboran Sea was drawn well in her last two starts and has a fair draw of seven here, while Pine Princess is drawn six. Delpech replaces Muzi Yeni on Alboran Sea and Bernard Fayd’Herbe replaces Delpech on Pine Princess.

De Kock said that both Anjaal and Jayyed had pulled up a bit “jarred up” from their July day runs where they finished within a short-head of each other in fourth and fifth respectively in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. They have about 2,5 lengths to make up on the winner Arikaburn. They are both fine now and De Kock said they were both “crying out” for this step up in trip. Mootahadee is his third runner here and shouldn’t be underestimated as he finished close up to older horses over 1400m on the Greyville polytrack last time, when running off an official merit rating of 84. It is never easy for a two-year-old in open handicaps and De Kock thinks a lot of Mootahadee. He concluded, “All three will be decent horses in time to come and all are doing well. In the long term the maiden Jayyed might be the best of them. He was underdone when beaten 1,5 lengths by MLJet over 1450m at Clairwood, so there is not much between those two and MLJet looks the horse to beat in this race.”

Delpech chose to ride Anjaal, but was not convinced he was on the right on, while Fayd’Herbe is on Jayyed and Yeni is on Mootahadee. They are drawn 8, 12 and 10 respectively.

Brett Crawford has had a good Champions Season and will not only attempt to retain his Gr 1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup crown on Saturday, but also looks to have a lively chance in the big race of the day, the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup.

Crawford won the Champions Cup over 1800m last year with Jackson and will attempt a repeat with another Dynasty colt, Futura, who is coming off a fine 0,6 length third in the Vodacom Durban July over 2200m.

Crawford said Futura had come out of the race exceptionally well, while jockey Glen Hatt confirmed that he was a very laid back horse. He was not at all bothered by the big crowds and razzmatazz on July day.

The slow pace was Futura’s undoing in the July as he ran on very well, but just ran out of straight. However, the same can be said for a lot of the horses behind him.

Wylie Hall crossed the line first in the July, before being demoted, and Futura is now 1kg worse off, although he is drawn in pole position compared to Wylie Hall’s wide draw of ten.

Futura relished the trip of the July, but is effective over this trip too.

The connections will be hoping for a strong pace this time, but once again it is difficult to see where it is going to come from.

However, his draw will make it easier for him if it does turn into another “Durban dawdle”.

Crawford’s Gold Cup hopeful Wavin’ Flag had the blinkers removed before his last outing, the Gr 2 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville, as he has been able to show more early pace on KZN’s lighter tracks.

It paid dividends as he ran on strongly to be beaten just a neck by Hot Ticket, with whom he will now be 0,5kg better off.

He was perhaps a touch unlucky in that race, as he had to round a horse that was dropping back on the turn.

The Crawford yard won a feature last weekend at Scottsville, so are in good form and Wavin’ Flag came out of that last race well.

He has a fair draw of seven and with his light galloping weight looks to have a big chance.

“Winning races like this is what we are here for, so we hope he can turn the tables,” said Hatt.

The yard have Dancing Dynasty in the weight-for-age Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m and this might be her last run before retiring to stud.

Hatt said that the field was a bit strong for her last time out in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m and added that she would probably prefer this trip, so she could earn. She showed some class when beating her stable companion Luna De Victoria in a minor feature over 1800m at Scottsville in her first KZN start by five lengths and the form of that race was franked when the latter won a feature at Scottsville On Sunday. She also won her second KZN outing over 1900m at Clairwood when running on late, although she was well weighted in the Conditions event.

Crawford said that the 1000m was probably a bit sharp for Gulf Storm in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m, so he would likely be a bit outpaced early, but added that he would run on strongly so had a chance if turning for home in touch.

he Gr1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup favourite Hot Ticket is in fine fettle at Clairwood, although he is the only one of trainer Dean Kannemeyer’s team of three horses for the racemeeting that is not a Gr1 winner.



Hot Ticket is a tough horse and has taken his exacting recent program in his stride.



Kannemeyer said, “He came through his win in the Nokia Gold Vase very well. He has been moving very well, very freely, and has thrived in Durban. He doesn’t over exert himself at home, but has been giving Karl (Neisius) a good feel and is in top shape. He has earned his stripes by winning some of the biggest staying races in the country. It is tough to carry 60kg over 3200m, but he is only maturing now, as Silvano’s tend to do, and has ended up being one of the biggest horses in the yard.”



Neisius said that Hot Ticket had been “flat to the boards” when winning the Gold Vase with top-weight over 3000m on Vodacom Durban July day and admitted he was “running on reserve”. However, he had been taken by surprise by the big chestnut’s exceptional turn of foot, so found himself in front sooner than anticipated. He will have learnt from that and Hot Ticket is also drawn better this time, so won’t have to be used as much before the first turn.



Kannemeyer’s unbeaten Trippi colt Afrikaburn impressed with his win on July day in the Gr1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m, where he found another gear late to see off the challengers and win by a length.



He is now drawn in pole position in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m and the yard believe he “is looking for a mile.”



However, although he is fine in the stalls at home, he tends to miss the break on race day, so the yard hope that the starter accommodates him, for the sake of the public too, by loading him late so that he doesn’t have to stand in the stalls for too long.



Kannemeyer said Afrikaburn had come out of that last race very well, but respected the field which looks to contain some top quality horses as well as some improvers.



The yard’s stalwart three-time Gr1 winner Capetown Noir runs in the Gr1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup and the blinkers have been removed as he over raced in the July.



Kannemeyer said, “He is a brilliant miler and is in great shape, so if he puts his best foot forward is a lively runner, although he has a tricky draw.”

The Paul Lafferty-trained Australian-bred colt Harry’s Son deserves a change of fortune in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville’s Super Saturday meeting this weekend.



The athletic bay has been most unlucky in his last two starts in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville and the Gr1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day, but still managed to run on strongly each time and finished third in both races.



Lafferty said, “He came out of that last race very well and is a very clean winded horse. I think this race will determine the Equus Champion two-year-old colt, so it will be a great race to win. He will love the mile and Piere Strydom aboard is a big plus. He was arguably unlucky in his last two races so is overdue a Gr1 win. However I have absolute respect for the others in the race.”



Harry’s Son has landed a plum draw of three.



He was looking in fine fettle at Summerveld yesterday as he is hard and has a gleaming coat.



Lafferty commented that in conformation Harry’s Son resembled his sire Haradasun, who was a three-time Gr1 winner, among them the Queen Ann Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot.



Harry’s Son has an excellent, laid back temperament and a fine turn of foot.



Lafferty has often said that he is the best two-year-old he has ever been associated with and hasn’t changed his mind.



He is a big runner in a strong event.



The yard has hopes for another win on the day with Jay Power, who runs in the fourth over 2400m from draw six.



Lafferty said, “He stays very well and is a late maturer, so is strengthening all the time.”



He revealed that Anthony Delpech had asked for the ride.



The yard’s only other runner on the day is the two-year-old gelding Caprivi Strip, who runs in the third over 1900m. He works very well at home, but has refused to raise a gallop at the races. Therefore, Lafferty has booked the vigorous Sean Veale for the ride.

Justin Snaith believes that Run For It will stay the 3200m of Saturday’s Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup and jockey Sean Cormack called the five-year-old a “huge runner” if he did indeed get the trip.



Snaith said, “I have always wanted to try ground and he stayed 2000m easily as a three-year-old, so should get this trip as a six-year-old. The Gold Cup is not like the Melbourne Cup and they go slower, especially as the jockeys have to be careful crossing the two roads. He is very well and I’m very excited to have him in the Gold Cup. He is the first of our better horses that we have ever run in the Gold Cup. I think at 16-1 he is the best place bet on the card.”



Cormack said that he had never seen a horse better prepared for a race than Run For It in last year’s Vodacom Durban July, where he rode him to a close second.



He was hoping for a repeat and Run For It does look to have had another fine preparation as this will be only his third run of the Champions Season, following a five month layoff.



He is drawn well in five and carries 57,5kg in a race where the compressed handicap conditions favour the higher weights on paper.



Snaith was bullish about the chances of his Gr1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup runner Readytogorightnow.



He said, “He is doing well and I think he would have run a big race in the July if he had got in. His Cup Trial run was his second run after a year’s layoff and he was beaten only a length by Futura. He has come on from that run and I think he would have gone close in the July. I am hoping there are a lot of tired horses in Saturday’s race. That’s why we didn’t run him on July day as we wanted him to be fresh for this race. The 1800m is his optimum trip and he is drawn well.”

Anton Marcus will be aboard Readytogorightnow.



Snaith’s Gr2 Post Merchants 1200m winner Varikate will be running in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m and as a front runner with a lot of pace should have a fine chance from draw three.



Grant van Niekerk keeps the ride and Snaith said, “Varikate is doing very well, she’s always well.”



The yard’s only other runner on the day is Ottimo, who runs in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the polytrack from pole position with Anthony Delpech up.



Snaith said, “He is doing well but I don’t know how well he will take to the polytrack.”

Great stuff and thanks David

Glen Kotzen has pulled off a fine training feat by getting Alexander into the eLan Property Group Gold Cup with a light weight, which was his aim from day one of the season.



The four-year-old Dynasty gelding has come out of his fast finishing second in the tabGold 2200 on Vodacom Durban July day “very well” and has to carry only 52,5kg.



Kotzen said, “His racing weight and blood pictures are tops. I think he is the horse to beat.”



Alexander’s career has taken off since hold up tactics were used over staying trips.



He has to wear running reins at home to restrain him, as he wants to take all horses on, but for some reason relaxes perfectly on the racecourse and in a race, meaning he can use his fine turn of foot to full effect.



Alexander reminds Kotzen a lot of the 1989 Gold Cup winner Tropicante, whom he helped prepare as assistant to trainer Ralph Rixon.



Tropicante proved that horses can come from way off the pace to win big races at Greyville.



Kotzen recalled, “He was almost brought down in the July, but still came from way back to finish second. In the Gold Cup we thought jockey Paddy Wynne was taking the micky as he had him even further back, but he ran on strongly and just got up.”



Muzi Yeni would have learnt something about Alexander from the tabGold 2200. The draw of eight should not be a problem for the horse’s hold up style.



Alexander has won over 2800m before and his pedigree is full of stamina, so the trip should be right down his alley.



Kotzen concluded, “One of the reasons he is so good is that he looks like a sprinter and yet is a stayer.”



The yard run the well-bred Western Winter colt Light The Lights in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m, where he is drawn 14 with Stuart Randolph up. He is a half-brother to two Equus Award winners, In The Fast Lane and Let’s Rock‘N Roll.



Kotzen said, “That last run was a bit of a flat run and I think he needed it as it came about two months after his previous run. But he came out of it fantastically and as he finished second to MLJet, who is a top horse, he will be a huge runner on Saturday, but will have to get lucky from that draw.”



Kotzen also made his Gr 2 Gold Bracelet contender Jet Belle a “serious runner”.



He said, “She is a genuine filly, but we have put the blinkers on, which is a bit of a risk, because she looks around at everything. I didn’t want her to be dropped out in the July, I asked for her to be kept wide, but after she missed the break she was dropped straight out and in the slow paced race had no chance, so wasn’t disgraced to finish only 7,55 lengths back.”



The classy Jet Master filly proved she stays this 2000m trip when finishing a narrow third in last year’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2200. She looks to be a leading contender here, despite being drawn wide in ten. Stuart Randolph rides.



Kotzen runs Dizzy Feet against the boys in the first over 1400m with a 4kg claimer up in order to relieve the eight point raise she was given for her last win and believes she will go well on the polytrack as she is a good track horse.



He said Trix Of The Trade, who runs in the second on the polytrack over 1000m, had come on a lot from her last run, which she needed. She is not too reliable, but has plenty of speed and can never be ignored over this trip.

Mike Stewart’s eLan Property Group Gold Cup contender Paddy O’Reilly arrived at Clairwood just under three weeks ago and has the credentials to win the race, despite being a seven-year-old.



Paddy O’Reilly was just too far back last year, but ran on strongly for a 2,85 length fifth.



“Unfortunately that’s the way he runs,” said Stewart, before agreeing that the smaller sixteen horse field might be in his favour.



He was hopeful that Paddy O’Reilly was in as good condition this year as last.



He has certainly had as good a preparation and comes off a 0,5 length second in the Listed Glenair Trophy over 3200m at Fairview on May 30, a race he won easily at Arlington in his final outing before last year’s Gold Cup.



However, he is three points higher in the merit ratings this year and with 57,5kg carries 0,5kg more weight.



Stewart didn’t feel that his age would be against the horse, as he had more than a year off at one stage for a tendon injury.



“The secret is that they have to just rest for a year and then they can overcome a tendon,” said Stewart, before confirming that Paddy O’Reilly was perfectly sound at present.





It wasn’t the intention to ever race Paddy O’Reilly again after his tendon injury, but he won’t be the first horse to have made a remarkable recovery at Stewart’s Noordhoek Beach training premises.



Jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe knows this consistent stayer very well.



On previous meetings over this trip with the likes of the favourite Hot Ticket as well as Port Elizabeth raider Crown Of Gold, Paddy O’Reilly must have a fine chance on the weight turnaround. Furthermore, he has a plum draw of two.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe was over the moon with King Of Pain’s workout on the sand at Clairwood on Tuesday morning ahead of his race in the Gr 1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville’s Super Saturday meeting this weekend.



The strapping Joey Ramsden-trained grey pulled clear of his companion and was clearly relishing the exercise.



Upon returning, Fayd’Herbe couldn’t resist waving across the rings to his friend and, in this case, rival Justin Snaith and pointing at his mount.



Snaith has Readytogorightnow in the event and is also bullish. Readytogorightnow beat King Of Pain twice in Cape Town last season, in the Winter Guineas and Winter Classic and Ramsden and Fayd’Herbe will be itching for revenge.



Ramsden confirmed that King Of Pain was full of wellbeing.



He said, “All is good and well. He had a rubbish July and that run can be ignored.



Bernard is exceptionally happy with him. The conditions of the Champions Cup will be much more in his favour and he is better drawn.”



Fayd’Herbe is returning from a wrist injury and Ramsden said, “It is great to have him back.”



King Of Pain fulfilled the potential he always had when winning the Gr 1 weight-for-age Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m at Clairwood in June against a high class field. That was his second run with the blinkers back on and they remain on. The trip will pose no problem as he finished second in the Winter Derby over 2400m at Kenilworth last season.



He is drawn five and on official merit ratings is the joint best weighted horse together with Tellina and One Cool Dude, so his 14-1 odds with Betting World are attractive.

Ramsden has another Gr 1 contender on the day and she is also a robust grey, the Tapit USA-bred filly Grey Light.



He said, “She ran a smashing race on July day in the Golden Slipper, but although I know it sounds like a stupid thing to say we just used it as an educational race and if she ran well then good, and we will be doing very much the same thing for this race. The turf track hasn’t been in the best condition and she doesn’t have the best draw, so it is a learning experience and who knows what could happen, but there are still plenty of fish to fry in her career.”



Ramsden said he was just taking a chance with the Judpot colt Chestnut Chief in the third race, a Juvenile Plate over 1900m. On pedigree he has a chance of getting the trip as his half-brother Divine Jury won the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.



Ramsden’s other runner on the day is Disco Al, who runs in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m n the polytrack.



He has won on the polytrack over 2000m at Fairview before and Ramsden said, “He was caught hopelessly wide on July day and although it’s short of his best I wouldn’t leave him out of things.”

Geoff Woodruff deserves a change of Champions Season fortune at Gr 1 level and has three chances to have it in the Super Saturday meeting at Greyville this weekend where he has third favourite Master Sabina in the eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m and the joint-second favourite Tellina as well as the outsider Killua Castle in the Beach Beauty Champions Cup over 1800m.



Woodruff would have been confident of Master Sabina’s chances if he had qualified for the Vodacom Durban July and he duly won the consolation race, the tabGold 2200, in eye-catching style.



He said, “He came out of that race well. I’m not sure about the trip, we will find out on Saturday, but he is out of an Oaks winner so there is a fair chance.”



Master Sabina is a four-year-old by Jet Master and his dam Sabina Park, who won the SA Oaks in 2004 by 3,5 lengths, is by the stamina influence Sportsworld.



He showed his class when running a 0,25 length second to Yorker in the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup last November, despite being caught wide, although he did receive 1kg.



He then lost his way, but has returned to his best since gelding, which sorted out the problem of haemo-concentration.



Woodruff agreed that he could possibly be ahead of the handicapper, considering the improvement that the gelding has brought, although he was off an effective 100 merit rating in the Summer Cup and is now 104.



He has a fair galloping weight of 56,5kg on Saturday and Anton Marcus aboard is a big plus. Furthermore, his draw of four will give him every chance of finding a nice position in the running.



Woodruff said that the Vodacom Durban July fourth-placed Tellina had been doing “very well.”



He added, “He came out of the July well, is lovely and bright and is working well.”



He was drawn wide in the July, but it worked in his favour as he ended in a handy position in a race run at a crawl. This time he is drawn well in two and is the joint best horse in at the weights, according to official merit ratings, together with King Of Pain and One Cool Dude. Gavin Lerena keeps the ride.



Killua Castle arrived at Clairwood about two weeks ago and travelled well and is “very well.”



Woodruff said, “He may be out of his depth, but he is the type of horse that sometimes puts in a special run. It’s very competitive and might depend on who came out of the July the best.”



Woodruff runs the Gr 1 Woolavington third-placed Touch The Sky as well as Love Vivien in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m.



He said, “Anton (Marcus) has been riding Touch The Sky in work and she goes in fit and well and sound. The Jonsson Workwear Garden Province was too short so we kept her back for this race and galloped her here at Clairwood instead and she did it very well. We’re guessing a bit with Love Vivien, but she was doing her best work late in the Garden Province (over 1600m) and if you take the first two out of that race, the form is not at all bad.”

Mike Azzie believed that his Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup contender Magic Smoke would definitely improve on her Nokia Gold Vase run and made her a “big runner” and he believed he would run one-two in the third race, a Juvenile Plate over 1900m, with Intandokazi and Pay As You Go.



He said about the five-year-old Fort Wood mare Magic Smoke, who has been a revelation since being switched to staying trips, reeling off four wins in succession on the Highveld before her unplaced Gr 2 Nokia Gold Vase run over 3000m three weeks ago, “We used the Gold Vase as an educational run for her. It was the first time she had travelled and we also wanted to show her Greyville. We prepared her in a manner that she wouldn’t get an increase in weight for the Gold Cup. I told everybody last year that whatever beat Masai Warrior would win and I think he could have won if he had been switched inward instead of outward. I probably prefer Magic Smoke to Masai Warrior as she is stronger. She is a big runner, but I do have the utmost respect for Dean Kannemeyer’s horse Hot Ticket, Dean is an absolute master, and also for Mike de Kock’s pair. Magic Smoke is a ten time winner so could be well weighted.”



Magic Smoke has a tough draw of 17 and regular pilot Raymond Danielson keeps the ride.



Azzie was not concerned about the short Greyville straight, although he said he would ask Danielson to have her closer to the pace than he did in the Gold Vase.



He added, “She can turn it on very quickly. If you look at her run in the Spook Express, although admittedly not in the strongest field, she was in trouble in behind horses and gets a gap and hits the front in a matter of strides.”



Azzie takes a chance with Rock Me Var in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m, where he will be ridden by JP van der Merwe from draw nine.



He said, “It’s a very tough race. Here Dean Kannemeyer’s horse Afrikaburn is once again the one that must be respected.”



Azzie believed he would get the Exacta with the Australian-bred Encosta De Lago gelding Intandokazi and the Fort Wood gelding Pay As You Go in the third race, where they will be ridden by JP van der Merwe and S’Manga Khumalo from draw six and five respectively.



He said, “They are both looking for this trip. Intandokazi always pings the gates and then has to be ridden just to be kept in the race and then he flies at the finish. Over this distance he should be able to relax and will be a massive runner. Pay As You Go is a decent horse, although he might be green, and I think they will both be very smart horses for the future.”



Azzie said that all of his runners were “exceptionally well”. They will be leaving Johannesburg in the early hours on Friday morning and arriving at Greyville the same day at midday.