Brett Crawford said: “We are now getting him ready to go to Durban and his programme could possibly be the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes  (May 2), the Rising Sun Gold Challenge (June 13) and the Vodacom Durban July (July 4).”

The Gold Challenge is likely to see the four-year-old clash with old rival Legislate for whom the Drill Hall has also been named as a possibility. The July weights are published four days before the Gold Challenge so Futura can be expected to have top weight.

Crawford was among the South African buyers at last week’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne and purchased the top lot, a Snitzel filly for AUS $560 000 (R5.2 million).

He said: “I had bought in Australia before but not at this particular sale. I bought just the one horse and she is for the Ridgemont Stud (run by Craig Carey).”

– Picture: Liesl King

Vercingetorix, who was attempting a follow-up win in the Gr1 event, was racing into the home bend and approaching the straight when jockey Christophe Soumillon felt that something had gone wrong.

Mike de Kock commented: “Christophe couldn’t persevere with Vercingetorix but he said the horse wanted to carry on, he was trying to run to the end which shows just how courageous he is, he had more rivals behind him than ahead of him at the post despite his discomfort.

“It’s a big setback, Vercingetorix would have been a serious runner for us on World Cup night, we had him on top of his game or this race, he was extremely well. But we have to face reality. This is what I hate about racing. One gets up only to go down. I guess it happens in most other sports. Thankfully our horse is okay, the injury is not life-threatening.”

Vercingetorix was taken to a veterinary clinic and on examination found to have injured a ligament. Mike said: “He will be spending the night there and he is comfortable and not in pain.”

While his racing career has come to an abrupt end hopes are that Vercingetorix, as an entire, will be able to build his legacy at stud. Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, he’s by top stallion Silvano from a mare by National Assembly and Mike commented: “He has a good pedigree and I think he will be a suitable stallion for South Africa, but his future at stud will be discussed with Sheikh Mohammed.”

Vercingetorix won seven of ten starts, including two Gr1’s and two Gr2 races. He was Gr1-placed twice.

– Mikedekockracing.com
– Picture: Nkosi Hlophe

Richard Fourie’s mount yesterday opened at 18-10 with Betting World who make Candaleeyah favourite at 16-10. This one was reported to be hanging in from 300m out when third on her last run (Shane Humby: “She needed company – she was all on her own”) and Andrew Fortune rides her for the first time.

Saint Donan is 18-10 favourite for the opening Wilgerbosdrift Stud Maiden although he has a touch of seconditis after finding one too good for him in his last three starts. Panga Panga beat him rather easily three weeks ago and the third and fourth haven’t exactly boosted the form.

However Dolf Maeder has made no secret of his belief that this wasn’t his horse’s running and says: “He is better than that and his recent work is good although this might be a bit tight for him. He wants a mile and I was going to run him over that in a couple of weeks. But the owner is going overseas then so he runs here.”

Seattle Kat just might be a better bet at 5-1. He was less than half a length behind the favourite two races back and last time’s poor run can be excused. He was reported coughing by the course vet. “He did cough a little bit afterwards but it was more that he was choking in the race,” says Mike Robinson. “I am putting on a tongue tie and a stronger jockey. I want Karl Neisius to restrain him.”

The outcome of race two should provide a pointer to Ashram in the Cape Thoroughbred Sales Maiden and Greg Cheyne’s mount is expected to start favourite. “She has had three good runs over 1 200m but she didn’t win so we are going over further,” says Glen Kotzen who adds, significantly: “She is bred to go further.”

She may well prove to carry too many guns for Gauteng and Camara’s Park while the hat-trick seeking Big Ed carries a degree of confidence in the Jonsson Workwear Handicap.

Gareth Wright’s mount has come into his own since being upped to 2 500m (Humby: “He was too immature to go over it previously but now he is over his right distance”) and was only raised 1.5kg for last time’s defeat of Juddering Angel who franked the form by going on to win three weeks later.

Marwing, with his main yard now based in Ashburton, has had great success since his move and his horses have blossomed. Uncle Tommy made his local debut over a mile on the Greyville turf in the Christmas Handicap, finishing five lengths adrift of another old campaigner, Fourth Estate.

He was then switched to 1400m on the poly and the result was never in doubt in spite of giving the speedy filly Captain’s Daughter 12,5kg.

Uncle Tommy (JC Photos)

Uncle Tommy has the ‘grandstand’ on his back again but gains some relief from four-claiming apprentice Akshay Balloo who has been riding with new found confidence in recent weeks.

Uncle Tommy’s optimum trip looks to be 1400m but there is no doubting that he his lengths better on sand and poly than on turf and he will be racing off his turf rating, nine points lower than his sand rating which should see him right up there.

The handicappers appear to be on the hunt for Kings Archer who has risen steadily in the ratings in spite of not winning a race.

“We will see if the handicappers have got it right tomorrow,” said Duncan Howells. “Every time he runs a place he gets more weight. I don’t think he’s an 83 but having said that he does have a light weight and he’s fit and well. Here’s hoping.”

Cat In Command has smart form over the course and distance and landed the odds again on the Scottsville turf last time out. He is in receipt of 6kg from Uncle Tommy which puts him in with a big chance.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a maiden over 1400m on the poly where there looks to be a few to consider.  All Together Now was sent out favourite on debut at Scottsville but the stable where not wildly confident. That was borne out as All Together Now found himself out-paced for much of the race but finishing two lengths adrift of the hard-pressed winner Ace.

He takes to the poly for the first time but given his pedigree he should appreciate the extra furlong.

Dennis Drier is back in town after a three-month stint in Cape Town for their season and has lit the fire in his yard. His horses are coming to the boil and he looks set for a good evening. Drier’s runner First Sea Lord, like All Together Now, made a smart enough debut and is expected to pick up on that effort.  Marwing’s runner Fabrizio has the benefit of experience and has the makings of a promising trifecta.

Summerhill-based stallion Solskjaer failed to land a bid when offered up for auction last week but he is capable of a good winner. Drier saddles the Solskjaer filly Red Label in the fourth with Cousin Annie as back-up. Red Label is in very good form over the course and distance but this is a race where it may prove wise to go as wide as finances permit.

Gill’s Fancy is another Drier runner that looks to have plenty of scope and should enjoy the step up in trip when she takes on a fairly modest field in the fifth. The Dynasty won very comfortable on the Scottsville turf when shedding her maiden and has the benefit of a good draw.

Drier saddles Tell The Tale in the sixth, a comfortable winner of his last start, and the lightly raced son of Jet Master could prove too good for Strategic’ s Pride and top weight Mumsy’s Jet who has come very well since being gelded.

Yorker was expected by many to be among De Kock’s runners carded for the much-anticipated Super Saturday meeting at Meydan this weekend, but the five-year-old son of Jet Master has not made enough progress during his short time in the UAE.

De Kock commented: “Yorker has taken more time to adapt to conditions here than we anticipated, so we’ve backed off him. He hasn’t been working as well as he should be and given the time constraints we’ve had to rethink our plans. We’ll ship him on to the UK and play things by ear from our Newmarket stables. The horse will show us when he is ready.”

Yorker has won six of 14 career starts, including three Grade 1s.

– Mikedekockracing.com