Marshall holds strong hand on VDJ day
STALWART Cape trainer Vaughan Marshall lamented the tough draws he had on Vodacom Durban July day but said all of his charges were in fine shape.
He has a strong hand and asked which was his best runner he replied: “I am not prepared to put my head on the block from those draws.”
Captain Al filly Canukeepitsecret jumps from draw 12 of 14 in the Gr2 Samsung Golden Slipper over 1400m under MJ Byleveld. The two-year-old moved up well from an unfavourable high draw last time in the Gr1 Allan Robertson over 1200m at Scottsville and stayed on well for a 3,75 length fourth.
Her full sister All Is Secret won the Allan Robertson in 2012 but then failed in the Gold Slipper when going handy from a wide draw. She came back and won the Gr1 Thekwini over 1600m from a good draw.
Marshall and Byleveld might have those two results in mind when planning Saturday's race.
Another full sister of Canukeepitsecret’s, The Secret Is Out, will attempt to go a mile for the first time in the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m but has to jump from a draw of 13 under Byleveld.
Last time out she used her speed to go handy from a plum draw of two in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m and stayed on well to beat July runner Star Express by a quarter of a length at level weights.
The blinkers remain on so Byleveld will have a tough task reserving enough for a final surge over this step up in trip. There looks to be plenty of pace in this race so he might have a problem trying to find a handy position.
In the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m Marshall runs Provocateur from a draw of 11 out of 14.
Byleveld took this Var colt handy from a draw of 8 out of 12 in early May over course and distance. He showed a fine turn of foot in the straight and ran all the way to the line. He faces the impressive winner of that race, Confessional, on the same terms for a one length beating, but the latter now has a much tougher draw.
This race is full of class with the like of Cue The Music, Barahin and Soqrat also lining up but Provacateur could be the dark horse as he settled nicely despite having no cover in that race and followed up by winning a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m on the poly with first-time blinkers on. The blinkers are back on.
Marshall has two runners in the Compendium Inurance Brokers eThekwini Sprint over 1200m on the poly, Woljayrine under Byleveld and Magic Sailor under Craig Bantam. Woljayrine won well over 1100m on the Greyville turf last time and is second best in at the weights here. Dutch Phillip is the one to beat.
In the last race, the Listed Greyville Convention Centre Handicap over 1600m on the turf, Marshall runs Lord Balmoral from a draw of ten. This horse likes to be handy over shorter so will not be a surprise pacemaker in his first attempt at this trip.