DAILY NEWS 2000 (GRADE 1) – R 2 000 000

GREYVILLE RACECOURSE

DATE:                                               Saturday, 30 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION:                   3 Year Olds at Level Weights

ENTRIES:                                       11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee: R 4560

SUPP ENTRIES:                          11:00am Friday, 22 May 2015 – Fee R 18240

WEIGHTS:                                     Friday, 15 May 2015

Colts & Geldings – 60,0kg

Fillies – 57,5kg

Northern Hemisphere allowance applies

DECLARATIONS:                        11:00am Monday, 25 May 2015 – Fee R 18240

2014 DAILY NEWS 2000 (Grade 1)

Horse: Legislate

Jockey: Richard Fourie

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Owners: Mr W J C Mitchell, Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) & Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D E Evans)

Breeder: Cheveley Stud

ABOUT THE DAILY NEWS 2000:

The final “classic” tests for three-year-olds, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 Grade 1. Daily News day at Greyville on Saturday, May 31 the country’s premier meeting for the young potential champions and very importantly, give them a final opportunity to secure a place in the country’s greatest event, the R3,5-million Vodacom Durban July.

The quality of the three-year-old crop is the barometer for the international status of a country’s racing industry and with many outstanding young locally-bred horses having proven themselves on the international stage, the South African industry has gained enormous overseas respect and interest.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

NEED CONTENT

2013

This was one of the best races of the season with a strong field of three-year-olds bidding for the major share of the R1.5-million stake to produce a heart-stopping finish with just a short head and two heads separating the first four past the post.

The Mike de Kock-trained Silvano colt Vercingetorix had narrowly defeated Dean Kannemeyer’s top performer Capetown Noir in the KRA Guineas and the pair were set to do battle again in a star-studded field of three-year-olds from all parts of South Africa.

Vercingetorix had tracked stable companion Rock Cocktail into the home straight where he was quickly sent forward to take the lead. But he soon came under pressure from Capetown Noir and they again fought a tremendous battle for the line. In the last stages the outside No Worries from the Gavin van Zyl stable blasted into the fray and the three went to the line almost as one horse with Vercingetorix just holding off No Worries by a short head with Capetown Noir a head back in third just a further head in front of Wylie Hall.

With this win Vertingetorix retained his unbeaten record which he later carried forward to his first race in Dubai.

2012

The country’s top three-year-old clash, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 looked a one-horse affair when Jackson was backed to the exclusion of all else in the field and he did not disappoint. His sire Dynasty had won this race nine years previously before going on to score a sensational win from 20 draw in the Vodacom Durban July and, after Jackson’s facile victory in the Daily News 2000, there was strong belief that he could emulate his famous father’s success in the big one.

Jackson had won the prestigious Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby and defeat by Variety Club in the KRA Guineas was of little concern to trainer Brett Crawford who stated that the 1 600m was too short for his charge and this classic 2 000m event had been his mission for the season.

The pace had been set by the Argentinean-bred Vettel from the Mike de Kock stable and he stayed on doggedly in the finish. However, he had no answer to the finishing burst from Jackson and had to settle for second place nearly four lengths back and just half a length ahead of Shogunnar.

2011

Daily News 2000 – In one of the most exciting finishes to this famous race, the Mogok colt The Apache exploded through from the back of the field to snatch victory in the shadow of the post by a short head giving a sensational victory to young trainer Gavin van Zyl.

Under Raymond Danielson, The Apache showed brilliant acceleration and a fighting spirit when joined by favourite Run For It from the Justin Snaith stable as the two fought it out after getting the better of English Garden and Black Wing.

It was a sensational run by The Apache who was last when the field swept into the home straight and over the subway and added to the status of the Scott Bros sire Mogok that had previously produced Gypsy’s Warning that had performed with success in the United States and Orbison that had finished third in the Vodacom Durban July the previous year.

The Apache went on to run fourth in the Vodacom Durban July before winning the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1 800m at Greyville.

2010

The Mike de Kock magic was on display at Greyville yesterday as his horses Irish Flame and Bold Silvano, ridden by Kevin Shea and Anthony Delpech respectively, ran one-two in the Grade 1 R1 million Daily News 2000.

The hotpot favourite Noordhoek Flyer, who went into the race as ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite, lost a shoe in the running, but even then was disappointing in fourth place.

Kevin Shea said about Irish Flame, who went into the race as July second favourite having been a facile winner of the SA Derby in very soft going in his last start,

“This was the test to see whether he would handle Greyville and whether he would like fast ground. He proved he could do both. He showed a very good turn of foot at the top of the straight.”

Karl Neisius, who rode Noordhoek Flyer said, “I was a bit disappointed as he didn’t kick all the way to the line. He might not have seen it out but it’s difficult to tell as he did lose the shoe.”

2009

Big City Life consolidated his position as top three-year-old in the country at Greyville yesterday when winning the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 under a ride that combined both tactical and physical skill from Bernard Fayd’herbe.

With the false rail at just five metres, Big City Life would have found it a lot tougher to come around the field from behind than he had when winning the Grade 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville in his previous start, a day on which the false rail was set wide.

Fayd’herbe consequently sprang the Glen Kotzen-trained even money favourite out from his wide draw of ten and had him right up with the pace in the first few hundred metres, before managing to get him onto the rail in second place behind pacemaker Fenerbahce.