Kotzen bullish with Alexander
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.
Tropicante
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 2 800m 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 1 600m, 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 2 000m 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 1 400m 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 1 000m, 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.