Tag Archives: Marchingontogether

Marchingontogether. Image: Candiese Lenferna

Marchingontogether Going Straight For The Gold Cup

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The Gavin van Zyl-trained Track & Ball Derby winner Marchingontogether’s next race will be in the Grade 3 Gold Cup on August 29, so he will thus be avoiding the Vodacom Durban July consolation race, the Grade 3 Campanajo 2200.

The Pathfork gelding will be attempting to emulate the respective 2017 and 2018 feats of Hermoso Mundo and It’s My Turn by completing a hattrick of Grade 3 staying race victories in the Gold Cup.

Van Zyl said, “I would like to have him going in to the Gold Cup with fresh legs.”

He has no doubt the big horse will see out the 3200m trip.

Van Zyl has won the Grade 3 Gold Vase twice but has never won the Gold Cup.

His Grade 1 SA Derby winner Seal won the Gold Vase in 2012 and Heart Of A Lion won it for him in 2015.

Seal went on to run a gallant fourth in the Gold Cup, which was still a Grade 1 back then, carrying topweight.

Van Zyl admitted Seal still edged it in comparison to Marchingontogether before adding, “But Marchingontogether is a very, very good horse.” 

He said he had avoided the July this year with Marchingontogether as he felt he still had to prove himself at a lower level but he added that if winning the Gold Cup he would consider the July next year.

Marchingontogether was not given a merit rated raise for his Track & Ball Derby win, so the connections will be hoping It’s My Turn lines up in the Gold Cup. It’s My Turn remains on a 118 merit rating and Marchingontogether on 110, despite the former having received 1kg from the latter in Saturday and running a 1,1 length second. 

Meanwhile, the Van Zyl-trained Gabor, who was Equus Champion two-year-old filly last season, is being prepared for the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day.

The father and son team of Gavin and Gareth have won four Graded races this season and three other features between them.

Gareth scored his first Grade 1 victory two weekends ago when landing the Allan Robertson Championship with Vernichey. The latter also won the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes.

Gavin has won the Grade 3 races the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup and the Track & Ball Derby with four-year-old Marchingontogether. 

Gavin has also won one Listed race and a Non-Black Type event and Gareth has won one Listed race.

It is ironic that Gareth’s star filly Vernichey is by Vercingetorix as the latter denied Gavin’s No Worries victory by a nostril in the 2013 running of the Grade 1 Daily News 2000, a race he had won with The Apache in 2011.

Nevertheless, the Voadacom Durban July is the race Gavin would most like to win in KZN followed by the Gold Cup, so he might achieve one of his major goals next month with Marchingontogether.  

-David Thiselton

Image: Marchingontogether - Candiese Lenferna

Marchingontogether Marches On

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-David Thiselton

The Gavin van Zyl-trained four-year-old Pathfork gelding Marchingontogether made it five wins in seven starts at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday when running on well under Warren Kennedy from midfield in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m to win by 1,10 lengths from It’s My Turn.

It’s My Turn enhanced his chances of being included in the Vodacom Durban July field while another July entry, Eyes Wide Open, is now in danger of not being included in the top 18 as he could only manage a moderate fourth, beaten 4,80 lengths, in the small eight horse field. Dark Moon Rising finished third. 

July entry Duke Of Spin finished seventh so has no chance of making the final field. A section of rail had to be moved outward before the running of the Derby due to inconsistent going caused by a downpour. 

After the Derby was run the meeting was abandoned following a jockeys’ protest. The Grade 2 Track And Ball Oaks was thus not run. It might be rescheduled for next Saturday, but that will not help Roy’s Riviera, who was out to qualify for the July. The July final field announcement and draw ceremony takes place on Tuesday.

Marchingontogether will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Hermoso Mundo and It’s My Turn by becoming the third horse in the space of four years to complete a hattrick of Grade 3 staying race victories in the Gold Cup.He was an impressive winner of the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville in his previous start. Hermoso Mundo won the Gold Bowl, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup in 2017.

It’s My Turn won the Track And Ball Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup in 2018.The other highlight of yesterday’s meeting was the victory of the Garth Puller-trained Captain Fontane on his debut over 1200m under Lyle Hewitson.

This Cheveley Stud-bred Captain Al gelding is a full brother to Snowdance and comes from one of the best families in South Africa. His Grade 3-winning mother Spring Lilac (Joshua Dancer) is a daughter of Equus Champion Broodmare Mystic Spring and is thus a half-sister to champions Rabiya and Bela Bela and to Grade 2-winner and Grade 1-producing broodmare Secret Of Victoria among others.