All in Marinaresco’s favour
ONLY one horse has won the Vodacom Durban July under top weight since El Picha scored for the second time in 2000 and that was Pocket Power in 2008.
Marinaresco carries the same Marsh Shirtliff colours and Candice BassRobinson has not forgotten how unlucky he was in last year’s race.
“Besides being good enough, your horse needs to have a bit of luck in running and have things go his way,” she says.
“It’s a tough ask for Marinaresco with 60kg on his back (he had only 55.5kg 12 months ago) but he is fit and well, he is fresh and has a draw I am happy with.
“He always tries his best and I am sure he will run a good race.”
Nightingale
The bookies have lost faith in the onetime favourite and have pushed him right out to 16-1, two points longer than Majorca winner Nightingale who has the advantage of four-time July winning jockey Anthony Delpech in the irons.
“Nightingale has come on a lot as a fouryear-old and she will get the trip comfortably,” says Mrs Robinson. “If she had a kilo and a half less, or even a kilo, she would be very competitive. In saying that she always runs an honest race, she has a good draw and she will maybe run into the money.” Horizon, originally first reserve, completes the Milnerton trainer’s first July hand at 20-1.
“That was a good run in the Daily News and he is a kilo better with Edict Of Nantes plus half a kilo better with Al Sahem, so he is certainly not without a chance.
“Unfortunately he is not drawn well so he will need that bit of luck.” CASUAL DIAMOND and Bernard Fayd’Herbe can start the ball rolling at Kenilworth today when the pair have an outstanding chance in the opening Juvenile Fillies Plate.
This Var filly looked as if she wanted further when winning over this 1 000m two and a half weeks ago – she was ridden from two furlongs out and only got up with 50m to run – but Justin Snaith (pictured) is adamant that the trip will present no problems – “Her brother was fast and she will be fine for this,” he says. “She is doing well and she will be ready.”
Lacerta
Stable companion Lacerta, who also won over the trip last time, is an obvious danger but watch out for Namibia. The Glen Kotzen runner has been off since the Listed race on Met day but she won first time and strictly on the book has superior form to the Snaith pair. There is also Regal Ruby (opened 2-1 favourite with World Sports Betting) who was considered good enough to run in the Perfect Promise and, although she only beat one home, there were excuses – she returned with a mouth injury and her rider reported that she was making a noise.
“She has had a break since then and has been doing well at home,” reports Greg Ennion. “But we haven’t been able to work her and she is nowhere near her peak.”
This is a common theme in the trainer comments for this meeting and is the reason why Snaith is uncharacteristically cautious about the chance of 14-10 favourite Cot Campbell in race two, the Tabonline Maiden Juvenile.
This R3.3 million Trippi colt out of the mighty Ebony Flyer was all the rage for his debut in April but lost six lengths ambling out of the pens and finished out of the frame. He looked one to be on next time but Snaith says: “We expect him to run into the money but we are not overly bullish. Although he has come on he has had no grass gallop.”
Fool Proof
Fool Proof (7-2) also caught the eye first time and Winning Ways recommended backing him when he stepped up to this six furlongs. “From a greenness perspective he should be better,” says Candice BassRobinson, “But it’s difficult to say (whether he has come on) because we haven’t had the best tracks to work on.”
Cot Campbell gets a tentative vote but there is also another factor to bear in mind. He and Foolproof – along with the potentially useful True Words (already backed from 13-2 to 51), have all been drawn on the stands side which is now running slower than the inside. The penetrometer at last Saturday’s meeting indicated that those coming down the inside have a six per cent advantage and tacking across in a field of 19 would be suicidal. Andre Nel has called up his old compatriot Aldo Domeyer for the so far rather disappointing Lady Li Lay (opened favourite at 19-10) in the Racing Association Maiden and stable jockey Grant van Niekerk partners 21 shot Le Claire for Ennion.
Le Claire is easily the highest-rated but has tended to throw away her chance by getting worked up in the pens. She just might be good enough to beat 28-10 chance Bridal Party.
Off Broadway (14-10) has the best form in the last even though he is on the wrong side of the course. Keep an eye on the Nel newcomer Silver De Lange who has been nibbled at from 9-2 to 33-10.