The Tyrone Zackey-trained soldier Judicial’s Sansui Summer Cup participation hangs in the balance after he cast himself (rolled) in his box earlier in the week and banged one of his legs.
Zackey said on Wednesday it remained to be seen whether the swelling would come down in time for him to run, but added, “I will be the happiest man in the world if he is able to start, but won’t be cross if he doesn’t because he’s been so good to us. I worry about the horse and there are a lot of other races, we don’t want to hurt him.”
Zackey said the six-year-old gelding by Miesque’s Approval, who finished a three length third and a 1,1 length fourth in the last two running of the Summer Cup respectively, had been “bursting out of his skin”.
“He ran a good race in the Victory Moon with that weight and it was maybe because he was so well that he rolled in his box.”
Judicial has a plum draw of two, as opposed to his draws of 13 and 20 in the last two renewals of the big race. Karl Zechner, who rode him to third two years ago, knows him well and is aboard again.
Zackey’s only other runner on the day is Front Rank, who runs in the tenth race, a MR 95 Handicap over 1600m. Zackey said nothing could be found wrong with the consistent five-year-old Mogok gelding after his disappointing run two weeks ago over 1800m at Turffontein. That was in fact the first time he had been tried beyond a mile.
He has won over Saturday’s course and distance before and has a plum draw of three with Zechner up. Betting World have priced him up at 11/2 in the ten horse field. Zackey said, “He has been working very well and is a good each-way bet.”
By David Thiselton