Reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Do It Again had a “nice easy” gallop on his own at Kenilworth yesterday ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m on December 14.

His eagerly anticipated campaign will include the defence of his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate crown and a chance to make amends for his Sun Met defeat and it will culminate in an attempt to win the country’s premier race, the Vodacom Durban July, for a history-making third time in succession.

Trainer Justin Snaith said, “I’m sure he will pull up well from the gallop and will be ready for a nice start to the season. There have been very few races for him so this is still a preparation race and he will come on quite a lot for it. The July is going to be major this year as it will be all changing but it a long way away and we are not even thinking about it yet, the concentration is completely on winning the Queen’s Plate and the Met.”

A mile was considered to be on the sharp side for Do It Again at this time last year but in the Green Point he went within a whisker of becoming the first horse to ever defeat Legal Eagle over that trip, finishing a head third with Undercover Agent splitting the pair in a famous blanket finish which saw fourth-placed Rainbow Bridge beaten only a neck.

However, Do It Again later proved himself the country’s best miler by winning both the Grade 1 weight for age (wfa) L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Grade 1 wfa Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

Snaith said a lot more thought had been put into the Cape Summer Season this year as there were some Cape representatives on the programming panel. He is very happy with the season’s layout.

There is four weeks between the Green Point and the Queen’s Plate and three weeks between the latter race and the Met. However, in the best change to of all the Grade 1 Cape Derby has been moved out to February 22, meaning three-year-old classic horses have the option of the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 21, the R500,000 CTS 1600 or the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m on Sun Met day and then the Cape Derby. 

Snaith has an exciting string of three-year-old Derby prospects and mentioned Sachdev, Captain Tatters, Bayberry, Silver Host and Double The Fun as being among them. For the Guineas he mentioned the first two of that list and added Wild Coast, who is Beach Beauty’s first foal to race. 

Snaith said he was a bit thin on the classic fillies side at present but believed one or two would “come alive” in time for the SA Champions Season.  

He lamented the lack of preparation opportunities for his top older horses with a good example being Equus Champion Sprinter Kasimir, who was going to have to wait until Queen’s Plate day to get a run. 

By David Thiselton