Do It Again’s participation in the Sun Met on Saturday fortnight hangs in the balance after the horse’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate run was found to have taken more out of him than normal – and apparently this was due to a delay after the race as much as to the 22 minute hold-up at the start.
Justin Snaith said yesterday: “We are doing a lot of things to try and get him ready and we are going to see what his wellbeing is like closer to the race. Much will depend on the next week or so.
“The ten minute wait after the race was something the horses didn’t need and there seemed to be confusion between the course vet and the stipes. We were waiting for the all-clear from the stipes and every time the vet asked if he could let the horses go there was no answer forthcoming. The horses were tired and dehydrated and we wanted to get a hosepipe on them.
“What happened makes my job of getting Do It Again ready for the Met that little bit harder and it just might prove to have been the turning point in whether he runs or not.”
Senior stipe Ernie Rodrigues, who was dealing with another matter while the course vet was waiting for a decision, yesterday confirmed that there was a delay in giving the go-ahead for the horses to leave the parade ring post-race.
In contrast Adam Marcus was delighted with the way the winner Vardy came out of the race and said: “You expect a horse to take a day or two to recover after winning a race like that but Vardy was jumping out of his skin and I couldn’t be happier with him.
“Twist Of Fate (fourth) also came through it exceptionally well and Aldo Domeyer feels he will be better suited to the 2 000m of the Met.”
The trainer’s uncle kept punters happy by winning on his only ride of the day, the superbly bred newcomer Our Prized Jewel who started 9-10 favourite for the 1 200m maiden. The Ridgemont-Highlands homebred is a half-sister to Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain and to Cloth Of Cloud who won the SA Nursery.
The 9-10 shot led two furlongs out and won convincingly. “She hadn’t been tuned up at home and she might take another run or two to learn what it is all about,” said Anton Marcus. “But she is a nice filly, she has ability and I like her.”
Also odds-on was Cape Guineas runner-up Viva Rio who put up a good performance under top weight in the Tabonline.co.za Progress Plate with Morne Winnaar’s mount scoring by two and a quarter lengths.
“This should have been a 1 800m race going towards the Cape Derby (Feb 22) but they changed the programme and put it back to a mile, “said Glen Kotzen.” Viva Rio is a proper horse and the Derby is where he is heading.”
By Michael Clower
