Sean Cormack, beaten only a quarter of a length on Run For It two years ago, reckons Futura is the classiest horse he has ever ridden in the great race and that the top weight is adaptable enough for him to keep out of trouble.
He said: “Futura is pretty versatile – you can ride him anywhere – and he has very good acceleration. Without a doubt, this is the best horse I have ridden in the July.”
Futura & Sean Cormack (Nkosi Hlophe)
The Queen’s Plate and Met winner is usually ridden from some way back and then asked to make the most of his speed. But with 18 runners and on a course significantly narrower than its pre-polytrack days that could present problems. Cormack expects to sit not so far back on Saturday.
He said: “Futura is drawn well (six) so I don’t think he is going to be at the back. Worst case scenario he will be midfield.
“He is not the sort you want to bounce out and be aggressive on in the early part, and it’s probably more beneficial to him to be given a chance, but if I found myself in the first group it wouldn’t worry me.”
But does the favourite worry him? “I don’t really know Legal Eagle – although obviously I have seen him race – and so it would be unfair of me to comment.
“But he looks very impressive and he has become a big player in the July. He has still to take on the big hard-hitters like Futura and Wylie Hall but he has earned his place so he is an obvious danger and a huge threat.”
Cormack can recall the Run For It ride as if it was yesterday. “He was drawn one and everybody said he wasn’t the style of a horse you want for that position because he had a tendency to be slow out of the gates.
“But he flew out and I was the third horse on the fence, probably the dream position for a race like the July. He quickened up beautifully. I remember chasing Jet Explorer, getting to him, taking it up, getting the better of Geoff Woodruff’s filly Do You Remember. Then, just when it looked like I was going to win, I got run out of it by Heavy Metal.”
By Michael Clower
VDJ betting now open: Jackpot ONE Leg 1 starts in race 5 – estimated pool R2,1million.
