KZN trainer Dennis Drier said “the Old Man is on track” when talking about his J&B Met contestant Punta Arenas yesterday. Meanwhile, he was bullish about the chances of Gr 1-winning sprinter Guinness, who runs in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships at the same meeting.
Punta Arenas appeared to be loving his gallop as usual at Kenilworth last Thursday and Drier confirmed he had been “very happy” with the evergreen Silvano gelding’s preparation.
He was not concerned about the seven-year-old’s draw of ten, as long as there was a “decent pace.” Draws of 13 and 11 respectively didn’t worry him in his last two attempts at the big race, in which he finished third and fifth respectively, and he always seems to enjoy his racing so there should be no concerns about over-racing if caught wide.
The often under estimated Ian Sturgeon is reunited with Punta Arenas, having ridden him to an unlucky second in the Vodacom Durban July towards the end of last season.
Drier’s four-year-old Seventh Rock gelding Guinness disappointed last time out over the 1000m course and distance of Saturday’s race, fading out to be beaten 4,75 lengths, despite starting 33/10 joint-favourite. Before that at Scottsville he had proved a “wind operation” to have been successful when winning impressively at Scottsville. Now, Drier believes the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion-winning speedster is “back to his best”.
He said, “He needed it last time and galloped at Kenilworth last week and both Anton Marcus, who rode him, and I were very happy. He is on track big time.”
Drier has had a fine run in this race in recent years, winning it with Val De Ra in 2012, finishing fourth and fifth with Chave De Oura and Torra Bay in 2013, and finishing a hair’s breadth second with Captain of All last year.
He believed the course was fair at the moment, with no draw bias, so was not concerned by Guiness’ draw of 12, which is similar to Captain Of All’s nine draw last year, which proved then to be on the “wrong side.”
Drier also runs Gr 2 Cape Merchants winner Triptique and felt the 1000m would be a touch far but added he was in good shape and would be “flying at them” at the finish.
Drier ran fourth in Saturday’s CTS Million Dollar with second favourite Seventh Plain and said, “No excuses, although the draw did us no favours. It was a great race and well done to the winners, it’s a very nice race to win.”
By David Thiselton
Picture: Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)
