Derek Brugman has given his side of the Rabada saga after trainer Mike Azzie was forthright in saying he did not want to run the Vodacom Durban July contestant in this Sunday’s KZN Breeders Million Mile.
Azzie believes the three-year-old has a big chance in the July due to a preparation which has gone perfectly, on top of the horse’s obvious ability as a twice Gr 1 winner. He is also convinced Rabada will stay the trip.
He pointed out little had gone right for Rabada in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and yet he had still won the race.
Azzie’s bullishness will be dampened by running Rabada in the Million Mile, as he believes this will upset the horse’s July preparation and affect his chances of winning the big race.
However, Brugman, racing manager to champion owner Markus Jooste, said Rabada’s chief mission, from at least two months ago, had been the Million Mile. The July was always just going to be a bonus.
Rabada (Left) It’s My Turn (right)-Nkosi Hlophe
Brugman often applies the adage “keep yourself in the best company and your horses in the worst” and said this was a case in point.
He said Azzie, due to the excellent preparation Rabada had been enjoying, recently requested a diversion from the original plan and asked whether the Million Mile could be skipped. However, Brugman had simply made a decision to stick to the original plan.
He is not regarding the Million Mile as a foregone conclusion and recognises the tough task on paper Rabada has with the like of Malak El Moolook and Intergalactic, due to the structure of the weights.
However, as it is a limited race with a first prize of R625,000, he and the owners believe it an opportunity too good to miss, especially when considering Rabada still has his entire four-year-old career ahead of him.
Brugman said Rabada would be monitored after the Million Mile and a decision would then be made whether to run him in the July or not.
However, he added no rash decisions would be made and they would not run the horse in the July just for the sake of it.
Punters who backed Rabada after the final field announcement will get their money back if he is scratched.
Meanwhile, first reserve runner Trophy Wife did her compulsory July gallop at Randjesfontein earlier this week, but it was unfortunately not recorded and this was apparently due to a hitch with the camera.
David Thiselton
