Queen Supreme (Candiese Marnewick)

VDJ log out, Queen Supreme scratched

The latest Vodacom Durban July log was out today and the inevitable contentious decision or two in the borderline area will have tongues wagging.

For example, Lady Of Steel, whose only defeat in six starts was when running third to the Triple Tiara heroine Summer Pudding in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, finds herself outside of the top 18, while Eyes Wide Open, who is yet to make the frame in six starts this season is relatively safe in position 16. However, Eyes Wide Open has proved his July credentials, running a 1,95 length fourth in the big race last year. He has recently been gelded, so is expected to run well in his next start, and can then put any debate to rest.

There are not many other points to debate but there could be in the days to come as the like of Divine Odyssey, Nexus, Roy’s Riviera and others try to force their way in with good runs in the remaining “qualifying” events.

Meanwhile, the only supplementary entry on Monday, the Mike de Kock Queen Supreme, was a surprise scratching today.

The July log is listed below.

VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)
R 1,500,000  2200m
WFA: 3yrs-2.0kgs
1 RAINBOW BRIDGE (5G) 134 Eric Sands
2 VARDY (4G) 134 Adam Marcus
3 DO IT AGAIN (5G) 133 Justin Snaith
4 HAWWAAM (4C) 134 Mike de Kock
5 SOQRAT (AUS) (4C) 132 Mike de Kock
6 GOT THE GREENLIGHT (3C) 118 Joe Soma
7 GOLDEN DUCAT (3G) 115 Eric Sands
8 TWIST OF FATE (4C) 127 Adam Marcus
9 BUNKER HUNT (4G) 124 Justin Snaith
10 BELGARION (4G) 119 Justin Snaith
11 SHANGO (3C) 116 Sean Tarry
12 PADRE PIO (3G) 115 Dennis Bosch
13 SNAPSCAN (4F) 118 Glen Kotzen
14 SILVANO’S PRIDE (4F) 118 Justin Snaith
15 TIERRA DEL FUEGO (4C) 124 Sean Tarry
16 EYES WIDE OPEN (5G) 115 Glen Kotzen
17 CAMPHORATUS (5M) 110 R A Hill/S R Hill
18 MIYABI GOLD (5M) 115 Justin Snaith
19 LADY OF STEEL (3F) 113 J A Janse van Vuuren
20 TRISTFUL (4G) 109 Tony Rivalland
NEXT 5 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
DIVINE ODYSSEY (5G) 114 J A Janse van Vuuren
HERO’S HONOUR (5G) 115 Gary Alexander
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (5G) 114 Justin Snaith
ROY HAD ENOUGH (AUS) (5H) 115 Frank Robinson
ROY’S RIVIERA (AUS) (5M) 111 Frank Robinson

By David Thiselton

Chimichuri Run (Candiese Marnewick)

Tarry has a strong hand

Sean Tarry has a powerful string for the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting on Saturday including five runners in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m.

Gavin Lerena was retained for the ride on Chimichuri Run but Lyle Hewitson had the choice of the other four and interestingly opted for Ikigai.

Chimichuri Run (Candiese Marnewick)
Chimichuri Run (Candiese Lenferna)

Chimichuri Run, the defending champion, ran a 1,25 length third last Saturday in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein.

Tarry said “backing up” horses in this manner was not unusual around the world with the most classic example being horses running in both of the traditional Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, The King Stand Stakes over 1000m on the opening day and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 1200m on the last day.

Tarry said, “Chimichuri Run has come out of the run well enough. It is not ideal being backed up but it’s a long time until the Mercury Sprint so why not. The 1000m in the fast winter going at Turffontein was definitely too sharp for him last weekend.”

The four-year-old Trippi colt in fact has a half-a-length second to One World at level weights over 1600m at Kenilworth to his name in the Grade 2 Concorde Cup, so it not surprising that with the speed he also possesses that his best career run has been over the tough Scottsville 1200m. Last year as a three-year-old off a merit rating of 112 he carried 54,5kg to victory and this year he has to lug 59kg off a merit rating of 126. However, five of the eleven horse field are under sufferance, which makes his task easier, although in Invidia’s case he is only under sufferance because the connections opted to not take a penalty for his runner up finish in the Post Merchants (he would otherwise be carrying 52,5kg instead of 52kg).

Ikigai’s program has been affected by COVID-19 otherwise he might have taken part in either the WSB Guineas and Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, or both. Tarry thus thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of this race where he gets weight, instead of running on weight for age terms, and the fact he had not raced for a while would make the 1200m distance suitable for a fresh start. 

He added, “He is well and has a lot of speed.” He carries 54,5kg.

Tarry said last year’s Gold Medallion winner Eden Roc was a different horse this season as he had strengthened a lot and he was now a 1200m to 1400m type.

He added, “He is in top shape.”

Eden Roc comes off an impressive win in the Post Merchants which makes him two from two over the Golden Horse Sprint course and distance. He was given a five point raise but still carries a light weight of 53kg and is a leading contender. His Post Merchants jockey Stuart Randolph retains the ride.    

Warrior’s Rest is known for his courage and resolute galloping style and Tarry said, “His run was pretty good last time (1,90 length fourth in the Post Merchants over course and distance). He comes in with a low weight and is also in top shape.” He carried 52,5kg and will be ridden by Callan Murray.

Tarry said about Wonderwall, “He is a kilogram-and-a-half under sufferance and would probably prefer the bend, but he has earned his place and has won four out of his last six starts (the last one over this trip and the other three from 1400-1450m).”

Ant Mgudlwa rides.

Tarry runs another defending champion, Celtic Sea, in the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness.

He said, “She has had a good prep and is doing well.”

The yard are expecting her to be right there in her bid to retain her title despite being second favourite behind Run Fox Run.

Gavin Lerena has ridden her all season and stays aboard.

In the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Tarry runs Ecstatic Green and Dubawi Princess.

He said, “Ecstatic Green comes from the strong Springs Of Carmel formline. She won very well last time and is a filly who seems to be improving.”

He continued, “Dubawi Princess will step up big time over this tough 1200m and will go even further, although this is a tougher race than she has experienced to date.”

Ikigai (JC Photographics)
Ikigai (JC Photographics)

He concluded by saying the pair were “very close” and he did not want to attempt to separate them.

Hewitson is aboard Ecstatic Green and Grant van Niekerk rides Dubawi Princess.

Tarry runs the filly Slalom Queen in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Medallion and said, “The outside draws could turn out to be disadvantageous so it made no sense to run three horses in the fillies race all from outside draws so I’ve put her in here (where she has a low draw of four).”

Slalom Queen ran a head second to Mount Pleasant at Turffontein over 1100m when giving him 0,5kg and the latter then came out and won the Grade 2 SA Nursery. 

Slalom Queen subsequently ran a 1,10 length second in the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m, which gave her valuable experience of Hollywoodbets Scottsville. 

However, Tarry cautioned, “She is a speedy filly and the Scottsville 1200m might be a bit tough for her.” Hewitson is aboard. 

Tarry runs Tilbury Fort in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1750m.

He comes off a 13,25 length sixth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein.

Tarry said, “He is fine, he has a tough task at the weights but I expect him to improve from that last run and he has quite a good record with Lyle. We can’t be bullish but I think he will run well.” 

Tarry has in recent SA Champions Seasons travelled his horses back and forth between Randjesfontein and KZN and that option became open to him again with the latest COVID-19 regulations, but he has decided rather to keep his string at Summerveld as he was mindful that the regulations could change and he also did not want to be caught on the wrong side of a rules misinterpretation again.

Sachdev Scratched from VDJ

Sachdev has been scratched from the Vodacom Durban July after not pulling up well after his disappointing run in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 on Sunday. 

He will be rested for the remainder of the season.

Another scratching is the Gary Alexander trained son of Ato, Chijmes.

By David Thiselton

Magnificent Seven (Liesl King)

Nexus is on trial

Over the years, the World Sports Betting Cup Trial (Gr 3) has shifted from Clairwood to Hollywoodbets Greyville and on Saturday to Hollywoodbets Scottsville for the first time given the programme revamp due to the dreaded Covid-19.

All 12 runners in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Cup Trial are entries in the big race and the sponsors have Justin Snaith pencilled in to add another runner to his current six-horse compliment come Saturday, July 25.

Magnificent Seven (Liesl King)
Magnificent Seven (Liesl King)

The World Sports Betting Cup Trial is the dreaded last-chance saloon for most and given the competitive nature of the contest, the market spread is not wide.

The Snaith-trained Nexus is a lukewarm favourite at 28-10 with the sponsors with Herodotus (11-2), Magnificent Seven (6-1) and Cat Daddy (7-1) the only other runners in single figures. But the longest priced runner is Tilbury Fort at 16-1. Snaith saddles both Nexus and Magnificent Seven.

Betting for the Golden Horse Sprint is equally tight with Kasimir, 33-10, at the top of the boards but a host of runners are in single figures in a typically open sprint handicap.

Run Fox Run and Celtic Sea dominated in the market for the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness with the former a narrow favourite at 12-10 with 13-10 on offer about the defending champion.

After four straight wins over the Cape summer, Erik The Red will be tested to the full in the Golden Horse Medallion and is relatively easy to back at 29-10. Tempting Fate, who will give Dennis Drier and unprecedented ninth win in the race, and the Mike de Kock inmate Al Muthana are joint second favourites at 7-2 with debutant Validus in the mix at 7-1.

The Ashley Fortune-trained Validus is obviously an unknown quantity in the Medallion but she saddles hot favourite Winter Smoke in the Allan Robertson Championship. You can get 12-10 about Winter Smoke with Vernichey (7-2) and Delta Queen (4-1) the only other runners quoted in single figures.

By Andrew Harrison

Snaith’s Vodacom Durban July jockey bookings

Snaith Racing this morning announced their chief jockey bookings for the Vodacom Durban July.

Stable jockey Richard Fourie will be aboard Belgarion, meaning he will have to slim 1kg from his official minimum riding weight down to 53kg. 

Anton Marcus remains aboard Do It Again, whom he rode last time out to third place in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. Marcus thus has the chance to win a second July on this son of Twice Over, having won on him in 2018, a victory which gave the top jockey a record-breaking fifth July triumph.

Grant van Niekerk will be riding Bunker Hunt.

Keagan de Melo rode Silvano’s Pride to victory in the Grade 2 Tibouchina on Sunday and he retains the ride. 

In other VDJ news the Mike De Kock-trained Queen Supreme was supplemented into the big race yesterday. 

By David Thiselton

Rivarine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Rivarine set for Mercury Sprint

Mike and Adam Azzie’s Grade 1 Computaform Sprint winner Rivarine will definitely be raiding Durban on Gold Cup day to take part in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m.

Rivarine is by Var out of the Grade 1 J&B Met winner River Jetez, who is a full-sister to the great Pocket Power.

Rivarine (Nkosi Hlophe)
Rivarine

Rivarine’s full-sister Delta Queen will be attempting to make it two Grade 1 wins in successive weekends for the Var and River Jetez  union as she runs in the Allan Robertson on Saturday. Both siblings were bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm.

Mike Azzie said one of the keys to fulfilling the potential they always knew Rivarine had was they had found a jockey in Devin Habib who was listening to their instruction of holding the athletic horse up. 

The yard had also got on top of some of the now six-year-old gelding’s small niggles and Azzie said this had allowed them to “reach the bottom of him again.”

With his hold up and fast-finishing style he should be suited to running around the turn in the Mercury Sprint.

In fact as a juvenile he won over the Greyville course and distance in fine style, beating the subsequent Grade 1 winner Gunner among others.

In other Azzie yard news Mike said Wylie Wench’s unplaced effort in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes had been “all wrong” and the yard were awaiting results of blood tests before taking their next step.  

Meanwhile, the first son of Var to go to stud, Talk Of The Town, has arrived at Avontuur. 

Talk Of The Town was retired for health reasons from racing after just 5 runs, from which he registered three wins on the trot from his last three starts. He was favourite for the 2018 CTS Million Mile, but was withdrawn and never raced again.

By David Thiselton

Ronnie's Candy (JC Photographics)

Ronnie’s Candy for KZN Champions Season?

St. John Gray is planning the next move for his classy filly Ronnie’s Candy, who deservedly earned Grade 1 status last Saturday when winning the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m, and the KZN Breeders Million Mile or the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m are the most obvious targets.

Gray said she had come of Saturday’s race well.

Ronnie's Candy (JC Photographics)
Ronnie’s Candy (JC Photographics)

The four-year-old King Of Kings filly was dropped out to last from a wide draw on Saturday and displayed her devastating turn of foot in the straight under Piere Strydom to beat a good field which included Grade 1 winner Queen Supreme and well performed sorts like Vistula, Saragon, Running Brave, In the Dance and Magic School.  

She is in line for the Equus Older Female Of The Year award now alongside the like of Queen Supreme, Celtic Sea and Clouds Unfold as she has also won the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1600m this season.

Gray said that types like her who come from off the pace could often go further than their optimum distance, with a case in point being his own top class mare Dancewiththedevil, who won the Grade 1 Summer Cup over 2000m on top of her four Grade 1 mile victories.

Ronnie’s Candy looked to be going away at the line of Saturday. 

Gray also pointed out that in her only attempt at 1800m in the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap she had been beaten 4,25 lengths into second by Queen Supreme but had been giving the latter 7,5kg.

Gray races his own homebreds almost exclusively.

Many are mystified by how well he does with such obscurely bred horses as Dancewiththedevil and Ronnie’s Candy, who are by the uncommercial stallions Modus Vivendi and King Of Kings respectively.

He pointed out that he is a firm believer in nicks and patterns and said he would often avoid a commercial stallion if there was no nick.

He admitted though that the nicks and patterns did not always work.

However, they did work in the case of Ronnie’s Candy, whose Jet Master dam Bennie Andthe Jets had provided a “beautiful” mating for King Of Kings.

Looking at her pedigree from an amateur perspective some of the famed nicks which exist on both the male and female sides of the pedigree are Nasrullah/Princequillo and also Sir Gaylord exists on both male and female sides. The latter is an example of a genetic affinity that exists when combining his dam Something Royal, who is also dam of Secretariat, with Royal Charger.

Bennie Andthe Jets is currently in foal to Potala Palace. 

By David Thiselton

Gold Season (Candiese Lenferna)

Gold Season eyes another KZN feature

Ashley and Andrew Fortune’s Listed Gatecrasher Stakes winner Gold Season is now being targeted at either the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on VDJ day or the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stake over 1600m on Gold Cup day. 

“He’s a very laid back horse and had always shown us that he was capable of going places,” said Andrew.

Gold Season (Candiese Lenferna)
Gold Season (Candiese Lenferna)

Ashley added, “You can only be so confident as he was a Maiden taking on winners. We were hoping for a place as his work showed he could run a place, but his win confirms what we think of him.”

The Gimmethegreenlight colt had only run in one previous race, finishing a 3,50 length fourth over 1200m, and that form was franked on Saturday when the fifth-placed horse, Nourbese, finished third in the Grade 2 SA Nursery. 

On Sunday Craig Zackey found the rail in midfield and Gold Season ran on steadily in the straight to beat the well regarded Paul Peter-trained Master Of Disguise by 1,70 lengths. He was receiving 4kg from Master Of Disguise. The latter cost himself by taking a strong hold in the running and should be watched as he oozes class. 

Gold Season arrived at Summerveld two days before Sunday’s race and will continue staying there until his next race, which will be his last outing of the season.

The Fortunes found this colt at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale together with owner Preggie Somasundrum and they clinched him for R375,000. 

Andrew said, “Preggie wanted to stop at R150,000 and I kept kicking him!” 

Andrew, Ashley and Preggie had all liked him in all respects, including his pedigree. Andrew recalled, “He had this thing about him that spoke to you.” 

Andrew won twice on his mother, the Joey Ramsden-trained sprinter Miss Gold Digger, who is by Rich Man’s Gold. 

Gold Season is a half-brother to Easy Lover (Right Approach), who won two Listed races over 1600m and finished second in the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m, so he should stay further than 1400m.

Also in the Gatecrasher Stakes, Royal Exhibit caught the eye staying on strongly from way back for third. This Mike Miller-trained Oratorio colt has plenty of substance and looks to be one to follow.

The fancied Glen Kotzen-trained Fast Love is a nice looking type too and should be given another chance after his disappointing fourth. He had to overcome a tough draw so had an excuse for not building on his impressive debut win.

By David Thiselton

Lyle Hewitson (Candiese Lenferna)

Hewitson booked for Got The Greenlight in VDJ

Got The Greenlight will be prepared out of his home base of Turffontein for the Vodacom Durban July and incumbent national champion jockey Lyle Hewitson has been booked for the ride.

Hewitson, whose minimum riding weight is 52kg, was booked some time ago and it has worked out perfectly as Got The Greenlight looks set to carry 53kg, meaning he will hardly carry any deadweight.

Got The Greenlight (Candiese Lenferna)
Got The Greenlight (Candiese Lenferna)

Under the current lockdown protocols the Joey Soma-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt will have to stay at Summerveld until Wednesday before traveling back to the Highveld.

He becomes unsettled in any stable away from home and relaxes as soon as he is back in his own stable at Turffontein.

Furthermore, Soma only has a small string so there are not many capable of working upside him. 

Soma thus needs to improvise and he feels being on tracks the horse is familiar with will help his cause. 

Got The Greenlight sauntered to his second Grade 1 victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville and third career Grade 1 when winning the Daily News 2000 under Bernard Fayd’Herbe yesterday.

It was the coming together of the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban three-year-old form and Johannesburg well and truly put the others in their place.

Got The Greenlight was still cantering as they turned for home, while the favourite Golden Ducat and the fancied Sachdev were already being driven.

He had to veer around Padre Pio, who had set the pace well clear of the rest of the field, but he then exerted his authority.

He might have appeared to be tiring in the latter stages as Fayd’Herbe had to drive him out but Soma pointed out he was a “very intelligent horse” who only did what he needed to and tended to idle when in front. In fact, he did the same in the Grade 1 SA Classic but when challenged by Green Laser and Youcanthurrylove he simply changed gears and found the extra to repel them.

Soma added he was hardly blowing at all after yesterday’s race and said he had come of it sound and well.

The eventual 1,50 length runner up yesterday, the Dennis Bosch-trained Vercingetorix gelding Padre Pio, had appeared to be fading coming up the hill from the 800m mark but in actual fact Craig Zackey was just giving him a breather and he stayed on well in the straight.

However, Bosch’s immediate thoughts of a next target seemed to favour the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m on Gold Cup day rather than the Vodacom Durban July. 

Philanthropist gelding Golden Ducat was attempting to earn a history-making third Grade 1 victory over the weekend for the reigning Equus Champion broodmare Halfway To Heaven, who is also dam of Hawwaam (Silvano) and Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World).

However, he took a long time to get going in the straight and was eventually beaten 1,55 lengths.

Shango was finishing fastest of all for a 3,05 length fourth in a run which was quite reminiscent of Pomodoro’s fifth pace Daily News finish in 2012. The Sean Tarry-trained Captain Of All colt runs in the same blue and red Chris van Niekerk silks carried to victory by Pomodoro and Heavy Metal in the 2012 and 2013 Julys respectively. 

Of all the preparation races, participants in the Daily News 2000 have produced the most July winners. By David Thiselton

Invincabelle held in high regard

Invincabelle can get punters off to a winning start in the opening Investing Made Easy Juvenile Plate at Kenilworth today.

This Querari colt ran against mostly fellow newcomers when scoring on debut just under three weeks ago but he made a good impression and his connections clearly hold him in good stead. “He is a very smart horse and we have always thought a lot of him,” enthused Corne Orffer while Brett Crawford confirmed: “He has always shown nice work at home.”

Brett Crawford (Liesl King)
Brett Crawford (Liesl King)

The ground that day was good to soft and it is going to be a lot more testing today, particularly after all that rain last week including the 80mm that put the kibosh on Saturday’s fixture – the four features (including Katak’s race) will now be run next Tuesday.

Invincabelle is understandably hot favourite but a possible danger at a decent price is 5-1 shot Tarantino who has already won on genuinely soft ground. Robert Khathi reported that day that his mount “had no speed and at one stage I wasn’t going anywhere” but his mount dug deep and is likely to do so again.

In terms of class, or potential class, this is one of the best races of the day. Matthew The King and Jet Dark, both good enough to win first time out, also pose serious threats.

Lady Warrior showed early speed when six lengths-fourth to Caya Coco on debut in good to soft 13 days ago and just might improve enough to take the Properties You’ll Fall in Love With Maiden. She has been nibbled at (from 11-2 to 9-2) but is still at a reasonable price. Spring Awakening is favourite and Aldo Domeyer’s mount has obvious claims after showing up well first time.

The Snaith newcomer Really Royal has eased from 8-10 to 11-10 in the Trade The Markets Juvenile Fillies but she will need to be good to get the better of previous winner Captain’s Flo whose third to Captain’s Ransom in the Perfect Promise was even better than it looked – she had to ease off the heels of the second horse at a crucial stage.

Sakura Trick showed promise on debut, despite hanging from the 300m, and the Brett Crawford filly looks best on form in the Don’t Call It A Dream Maiden. However don’t overlook the claims of 18-1 shot Apache Girl.

Cape Of Storms would be a topical tip for the last but he is hard to fancy after his six-month absence but Worlds Your Oyster has won three out of four and should handle the ground in the Bred In The Purple Handicap. Hammie’s Fan (race six) and Rosalie Runs (race seven) are others sure to act on the going.

SELECTIONS

Race 1: Invincabelle
Race 2: Lady Warrior
Race 3: Captain’s Flo
Race 4: Sakura Trick
Race 6: Hammie’s Fan
Race 7: Rosalie Runs
Race 8: Worlds Your Oyster

By Michael Clower

Got The Greenlight (Candiese Lenferna)

VDJ gets the green light

Given the rampant rise in Covid-19 infections, the chances of next month’s Vodacom Durban July being run in front of a full house are almost non-existent – such is the pity.

What the lock-down has necessitated is a revamped SA Champions Season programme and Hollywoodbets Greyville dished up a smorgasbord of potential VDJ winners today, giving students of form much to chew on before the big race.

Got The Greenlight was victorious in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 with Joey Soma issuing a warning; “Don’t forget that there is a race coming up at the end of July,” his parting shot in his post-race interview after his charge had kept his clean sheet at the course with a thoroughly deserved win.

Got The Greenlight (Candiese Lenferna)
Got The Greenlight (Candiese Lenferna)

Rainbow Bridge turned in a smashing front-running performance to land the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and in doing so set himself up for another crack at the Vodacom Durban July.

Do It Again is showing signs of finding his best form in time to defend his VDJ title and although not quickening behind Rainbow Bridge he was staying on stoutly which augurs well for the big race.

Vardy turned in a tremendous performance, turning for home last and making up lengths in the straight, and Adam Marcus will be well please with what he saw.

Eric Sands has done a marvellous job with Rainbow Bridge although it was left to Peter Muscutt to put the finishing touches to the gelding with Sands marooned in Cape Town.

Cirillo, second in this race last year was the expected pacemaker but he was never able to get to the front as Rainbow Bridge took a hold. “It wasn’t our plan to go to the front,” said Sands, “but there is no use fighting them.”

Warren Kennedy, who was an early booking for this race and the VDJ, let Rainbow Bridge stride in front and although a little keen his mount was not over-doing it. Anton Marcus kept close tabs on Rainbow Bridge and had last year’s winner Do It Again in the box seat with Vardy bringing up the rear of the seven-horse field.

“It wasn’t by design (to go to the front) but to let him come out and be happy and no one really committed,” said Kennedy.

“I thought he would come out a bit fresh not having run for a while but he came out wanting to run a bit so I let him get there in his own time and he enjoyed it.

“He needed it and it was a bit of pace work.”

Got The Greenlight came from the clouds in the Grade 1 SA Derby over the testing Turffontein 2450m, but came up empty in the last 100m, so the 2000m of the Daily News was right up his alley. With the track running fast, Bernard Fayd’herbe, just recently returned from injury, had the front runners in his sights from the jump and was quick to challenge pacemaker Pardre Pio in the chase for home. It was always a given that Got The Greenlight would make up the ground although Fayd’herbe was never going to let him forget that he was in a race.

Summer Pudding (JC Photographics)
Summer Pudding (JC Photographics)

Golden Ducat travelled wide into the straight, making his run along with Got The Greenlight but it took a little time for him to start up his engine and only got going when the race for the lead was all but over, finishing a short-head behind Padre Pio who stayed on gamely for second.

“He’s a special horse, he’s such a professional,” said Fayd’herbe of Got The Greenlight. “Going through the 1400 I was smiling to myself. I saw Warren (Golden Ducat) moving up on my outside and I knew I had the race. It panned out just the way I thought it would.”

One who will not be contesting the VDJ is Summer Pudding who is destined for a well-deserved rest. She has had a testing three-year-old campaign, unbeaten in six starts and winning all three legs of the Triple Tiara, so one would have thought that the Grade 1 Woolavington may have been a bridge too far.

Paul Peter was also in two minds whether to run the filly but was prompted by Stephen Jell to let her take her chances if she came along the right way. “I was oohing and aahing but Stephen said if she was alright, to run her.”

Summer Pudding looked under pressure a long way from home but she rallied superbly in the straight to reel in arch rival Lady Of Steel and hold a challenge from Driving Miss Daisy.

Kennedy kept niggling at his mount throughout the race and when Lady Of Steel pinched a lead at the top of the straight she looked to have the race in the bag. But Kennedy switched out for a clear run to the line and Summer Pudding responded. “She never travelled with me the whole race and she does hit a flat spot,” said Kennedy. “But she always does that. At the 400 I thought maybe Bernard’s horse (Lady Of Steel) had me.

“But in a bun fight you can bet your life on her, she won’t get beat,” commented Kennedy, fresh from victory aboard Rainbow Bridge.

“She’s a special, lovely filly. She just doesn’t know how to get beaten,” confirmed Peter.

By Andrew Harrison