Gold Challenge promises sibling rivalry

A field of 12 top horses, including 8 entries for the Vodacom Durban July, will contest the R750 000, Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1 600m at Clairwood Racecourse in Durban on Saturday.

The Gold Challenge, originally called the Champion Stakes, is run on traditional weight for age terms and usually attracts the highest calibre of race horse in the country. This year however, the field appears fractionally weaker in comparison to years gone by and Pocket Power stands out clearly as the horse to beat. It has been a little frustrating that this race has eluded our star performer as times past suggest and it’s the one race we would desperately like for him to win.

In his First attempt in 2007 he got going late and went down a short head to Successful Bidder, and last year it was Dancers Daughter that stole an early march and he only managed 4th position.

Pocket Power will be a worthy favourite to capture this year’s title with his most pragmatic threat perhaps coming from his sister River Jetez. The two have only met head to head twice before in last year’s Vodacom July where she finished 4th and this years running of the J&B Met where the filly put up a late charge to finish in 3rd.

Oddly enough the siblings have never been paired up in their work at home. On Monday Mike sent them side by side around the Clairwood lime track and they both put up exceptional efforts with nothing separating them at the pull up!

Pocket Power has been putting up his usual good work, never brilliant work, but he always enjoys it and never tries to shirk it in any way. He turns 7 next month and shows no sign of losing his ability or determination in any way at this stage.

River Jetez will receive a 2 and a half kilo allowance under the weight for age conditions as opposed to a 7 kilo advantage in this years Durban July so it may be a key pointer to form pundits to see how this race pans out.

Of the balance there are perhaps only a few to upset the apple cart.

Specialist milers Kapil and Our Giant should never be underestimated over this distance and may surprise.  Ivory Trail returns to his most suited trip after a good prep in the Drill Hall and he too could put up a big effort if he is ready. Blue Tiger will be an interesting runner.

He has been sprinting well this last year and we decided to run him from the one draw, but more importantly will give us an opportunity to see where he fits in, and this will be a good pointer for us towards the future for him. He has won a 1400 before and being by Counter Action his pedigree does suggest that he will get the trip, so if he goes well on Saturday we may prepare him for some of the bigger races next season.

My Selections:

Pocket Power

River Jetez

Kapil

Ivory Trail

Final Field

1  7 POCKET POWER           58.0 121     B Fayd'Herbe Mike Bass

2  6 OUR GIANT (AUS)        58.0 115 B   A Marcus      Charles Laird

3 11 BUY AND SELL            58.0 111      F Coetzee    Sean Tarry

4 10 KAPIL                       58.0 110      P Strydom    Stan Elley

5  2 IVORY TRAIL              58.0 109 B    A Fortune    Joey Ramsden

6  1 BLUE TIGER                58.0 108      S Randolph   Mike Bass

7  4 THEREALSLIMSHADY    58.0 106      J Geroudis    Alec Laird

8 12 BUSCADOR                58.0 105      G Lerena      Geoff Woodruf

9  8 LIKEITHOT                 58.0 105      M Byleveld   Charles Laird

10  3 PIRATE'S GOLD          58.0  96      S Cormack   Glen Kotzen

11  5 LITTLEREDCORVETTE  58.0  86      R Fourie      Glen Puller

12  9 RIVER JETEZ             55.5 108      K Neisius     Mike Bass

The Cup Trial

Mike comments on his runners:

African Appeal

He is course and distance suited. A past winner of the Gr1 Champions Cup in 2007 as well as a past winner of this same event in 2006 over the Clairwood 1800m. He is yet to regain this form but could well surprise and might well do enough to get into the money from this draw.

Bill Of Rights

A great prep run two weeks back running fourth at level weights to Pocket Power. He would have raced in the Lonsdale at Greyville but drew worst of all. He always seems to have the most rotten luck when it comes to the draws. Drawn widest of all yet a again but will have a better chance with this longer run in at Clairwood, so we decided to run him here. Working very well and will have an excellent money chance.

Meteor Shower

Won well last time out. He is in fine fettle and will use this race as his final prep for the July while trying to impress the judges for the final. Has won over this trip before, is doing well, and he too will have a money shout.

Judged Excellent

At the weights perhaps the stable elect. Doing very well and in great shape. His last run should be ignored as he was too strong for Jockey Delpech and over raced. If he can be nicely covered up and settled he should have a good winning chance at the weights in this field.

 Final Field

1 14 BILL OF RIGHTS          60.0 106     B Fayd'Herbe Mike Bass   

2  3 SURFIN' USA               60.0 106     P Strydom    Mark Dixon  

3  8 SENOR VERSACE         59.5 105 B   A Fortune     Charles Laird

 4  6 SINGING SWORD        58.0 102 B   S Cormack    Tyrone Zackey

 5  2 AFRICAN APPEAL        57.5 101     G Lerena       Mike Bass   

 6  4 METEOR SHOWER (IRE 57.0 100 B  M Byleveld     Mike Bass   

 7 16 EL PADRINO              56.0  98  B  Lerena          Dave Goss   

 8 15 VISION OF GRANDEUR 56.0  98 B   F Coetzee     Justin Snaith

 9 10 CAPE TOWN             55.5  97      A Delpech      Gavin van Zyl

10 13 AUTUMN FROST       54.0  94 B    M Yeni          Mike de Kock

11  5 EIGHT STREET (AUS) 54.0  94      A Marcus       Charles Laird

12  7 JUDGED EXCELLENT   53.5  93      G Cheyne       Mike Bass   

13  1 CASHEL                  52.0  90 B    R Fourie         Charles Laird

14 11 RAY SAUCE             52.0  90 B  *K Teetan       Sean Tarry  

15 12 IMPERIAL COSSACK  52.0  88 B    R Danielson    Joey Ramsden

16  9 ROYAL DAY              52.0  86      A Forbes        Bart Rice   

Tibouchina Stakes

Victoriana is doing well and has quite a nice draw, not sure if she is up to this standard but we would be delighted if she gets a place in this group 2 feature if she gets the trip, she won a sprint last time but she does settle nicely so she should see out the trip

Final Field

1  2 CHARMING LADY       58.0 100 B   S Cormack      Dennis Drier

2 15 ORACLE NEWS         58.0  99      P Strydom      Paul Lafferty

3  4 PRESTIC                 58.0  98      A Delpech       Gavin van Zyl

4 16 ETHEREAL LADY       58.0  97      A Fortune       Sean Tarry

5 12 MAELSTROM            58.0  97      S Randolph     Alistair Gord

6 14 MOCHACHINO          58.0  97      B Fayd'Herbe   Mike Azzie

7  7 SAHARA                  58.0  94      G Cheyne        Dennis Drier

8 11 NORDIC MOON         58.0  92 B    K Neisius        Brett Crawfor

9  1 MOTHER RUSSIA       56.5 103      A Marcus       Joey Ramsden

10  8 SPARKLING GEM      56.5 102      F Coetzee      Justin Snaith

11 10 CAPTAIN'S GAL      56.5  91 B   *K Teetan       Sean Tarry

12  3 PROMISES TO KEEP 56.5  90       R Danielson    Basil Marcus

13  6 VICTORIANA           56.5  90      G Lerena        Mike Bass

14  9 COCOA BEACH        56.5  89 B    R Fourie         Basil Marcus

Stable News

Both our Cape and Kzn yards are enjoying a good run of form and our horses have really come well. In the last week we have booted home 6 winners, including a group 3 with Nevvay, as well as being group placed 3 times (Thundering Jet. Kiss Again and Seminole)

Mike is very pleased with the way the Durban string is coming along.

They are thriving in the summer conditions and putting up outstanding work. Mike pointed out specifically that Air Combat really looks a picture and that he has turned the corner both physically and in his work. Another horse to keep a beady eye out for is Fort Vogue, said Mike.