Sky’s the limit for Snaith
WEIGHTS: ON MET RUN AFRICAN NIGHT SKY LOOKS HARD TO BEAT
Coral Fever and Abashiri look the main dangers.
There are millions at stake in tomorrow’s Vodacom Durban July, not only for owners, trainers and jockeys but also for the punters who will be chasing for a share of multi-million rand pools – a guaranteed R11 million on the Pick 6 and an expected R16 million on the big-race Quartet.
Handicaps are notoriously difficult as the whole idea is to give every horse an equal chance. However, one horse really stands out in the R4.25-million Grade 1 race over 2200m at Greyville and that is African Night Sky from the Justin Snaith yard. Based on his run in the Grade 1 Sun Met at Kenilworth in Cape Town last January, he is extremely well weighted and could prove very hard to beat.
The Met is run on weight-for-age terms and in that race the gelding finished just two lengths behind the winner. However, as he finished sixth, the handicappers were not allowed to raise his merit rating and that has left him in a very comfortable position for the Durban July. He comes into this race carrying 2.5kg less than in the Met and has already demonstrated his fitness with victory in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at this course.
As a three-year-old African Night Sky became only the second horse after the great Pocket Power to win all three legs of the Winter Series in Cape Town so everybody knows how good he is.
He drawn in the middle of the track which could be ideal as he does tend to drop out early and run on strongly. He will be ridden by Grant van Niekerk who has had a magnificent run of feature wins.
Speaking about the Durban July favourite, Snaith said: “It’s all good. He is doing exceptionally well, and looks amazing. He is very fresh, and the race can’t come soon enough.”
Once you look past African Night Sky the race becomes wide open. There are many horses with chances and luck is sure to play a part in this 18-horse field. As a rule, when in doubt go with the class horses and in this case they are Coral Fever and Abashiri who have previously won Grade 1 races.
Coral Fever has been superb since trainer Robbie Sage fitted him in blinkers and in three runs has finished second over 1400m and then followed up with victories in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes and the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge, both over 2000m at Turffontein.
Last year Marinaresco surprised when he won as top weight and it would come as no surprise should Coral Fever imitate him.
Questions have been asked about Coral Fever’s late improvement but Sage pointed out his charge had a knee injury and missed almost a year of racing. He only started racing as a three-year-old and then missed another six months in the summer of 2015-16.
“I can’t really say he deserves top weight but that’s what he has been allocated and we just have to live with that,” said Sage.
There is the question of whether he will take to Greyville as he appears to be better over a more galloping course. “We will find out on Saturday how he will handle the course. Some horse like it, others don’t. As far as the blinkers are concerned we just put them on him to help him concentrate better.”
Abashiri won the 2016 Triple Crown but has not won a race since. However, he was beaten a neck by Coral Fever in the Champions Challenge and is now 0.5kg better off. He has a top jockey in Piere Strydom who will be looking to ride a record fifth winner of this race. Strydom has expressed the view his mount does not have gate speed and was therefore not happy with his No 2 draw which will become No 1 with the reserve runners out.
Trainer Mike Azzie is not concerned as he points out Abashiri won his maiden at Greyville and then ran a 0.30-length third behind Rabada in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at the course
“He has no problem with the track and he has no problem with gate speed either,” said Azzie. “When Piere rode him last time they loaded him early and he started kicking the gate with his back leg.
“I have never had this horse so well.”
Gold Standard has also been through the wars with injuries but is said to have come right and could be a threat to African Night Sky. Remarkably, even though he was said to be off-form, his worst run was in the Met where he ran 5.55-lengths behind Oh Susanna.
His fifth place run in the Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m was decent. “I promise you he has never been better,” said trainer Glen Kotzen. “He is moving like a dream.“