Dual Vodacom Durban July hero Do It Again has been diagnosed with ulcers and this is now thought to be the reason why he failed to fire in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.
Justin Snaith explained: “We scoped him and did some extensive tests, including with a gastroscope. This revealed the ulcers. I had a feeling it might have been that and so he was already on ulcer medication by the time we did the tests.”
You might think it strange that racehorses could develop ulcers – after all they are exercised like athletes, cosseted like babies, given as much food as they can eat and have no obvious reason to feel stressed– but apparently it is a common complaint.
Snaith explained: “A high percentage of horses in training – world-wide, not just in South Africa – get ulcers and it is partly because of their high-energy feed. Do It Again has been sent to Drakenstein for a holiday and he is now doing very well. He will stay there for a while.”
Stable companion Bunker Hunt, beaten only by Hawwaam in the Premier Trophy before taking fifth in the Met, is on the shortlist for the July.
His trainer said: “He was fully exposed in the Met and had a hard race that day but it’s now the Durban season for him and I am hopeful he could get into the July with a nice light weight.”
Rio Querari
Snaith believes that CTS Ready To Run second Rio Querari has the makings of a good sprinter and said: “He has been gelded and, while I might take him to Durban for a race or two, I won’t do too much with him there because I want him for the next Cape season.”
Erik The Red, who came off a straight line sufficiently to prompt a race review when winning last Saturday’s Kepu Cape Of Good Hope Nursery, remains a possible for the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville on May 30. “I haven’t done a lot of grasswork with him and he is extremely green,” said Snaith who won last year’s Allan Robertson with 22-1 outsider Miss Florida and the 2012 SA Fillies Sprint with Ebony Flyer.
Dean Kannemeyer, successful in the SA Fillies Sprint with Real Princess four years ago, confirmed that he still has the Allan Robertson in mind after Delta Queen franked her first-time potential in the Capetown Noir Kenilworth Fillies Nursery. “I am very excited about this filly,” he said. “She has the blood and so much natural speed.”
Undercover Agent
Ricky Maingard will train Undercover Agent when the recently-sold 2018 Gold Challenge winner moves to Mauritius. The five-year-old should relish the tight Champ de Mars circuit and it’s not hard to envisage a horse of his speed and class leading the opposition a merry dance in race after race.
The 2017 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth, who ran so well in the 2 800m New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers on Met day, heads the eight declared for the Kenilworth Cup on Saturday.
Lastly, but certainly by no means least, the handicappers have raised Cape Derby winner Golden Ducat a whopping 21 points to 110 for Saturday’s victory but that only puts him 25th in the South African three-year-old rankings.
By Michael Clower
