Dual Vodacom Durban July hero Do It Again has made an amazing recovery from the ulcers that were believed to be the cause of his disappointing performances in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

“It took a month but we have scoped him again and he is now 100% clear,” said Justin Snaith at Durbanville on Saturday, getting out his phone to illustrate his point with a series of pictures.

The first, taken by the trainer’s vets using a camera inserted into the horse’s stomach, was real x-rated material showing a mass of ulcers – appearing as white spots with many of them having blood coming out of them. The second was the same picture taken the same way a month later with not a white spot to be seen.

The third picture was a video of Do It Again being led away down a track at Summerveld, immediately after coming off the float from Cape Town. He was bucking, and kicking out with his hind legs, in obvious delight and seemingly in a picture of health.

“We took him to Durban early this time so that he could get his stressing over with,” said Snaith who is at this stage treading warily with the horse’s programme – “I haven’t yet decided where and when he will run because I want to see how he gets on before I decide anything.”

But a crack at a record-breaking third July is high on the wish list: “If all goes well with him Do It Again, Bunker Hunt and Belgarion (Peninsula Handicap) will give us a very strong hand in the July – and I need a strong Durban season to make up for the summer in Cape Town.”

By Michael Clower