Pitching three-year-olds up against the experience of older runners can be a tough task for the younger generation, but even more so when the race is Africa’s biggest race of the season, the R3.5m Group 1 Vodacom Durban July (2200m) at Greyville on Saturday.
However, that has not stopped three of South Africa’s top trainers, Brett Crawford, Geoff Woodruff and Justin Snaith from doing just that with their respective stable stars.
Snaith is even running a three-year-old filly, In The Fast Lane, in the feature race along with the Dynasty colt Legislate and the four-year-old More Than Ready four-year-old gelding Readytogorightnow (AUS).
The Jet Master filly In The Fast Lane comes into the race off a Group 1 win in the Woolavington 2000 at Greyville on May 31st where she defeated the other fillies by a decisive 1 1/4L. The win earned her 54kg for the Durban July and she has the favourable barrier of four for Grant Van Niekerk.
The stable’s number one jockey Richard Fourie has the stable elect Legislate who is also coming off a Group 1 win in the Daily News over 2000m at Greyville on May 31st. The win though was a narrow affair over Woodruff’s pair of Horse Chestnut gelding Rake’s Chestnut with the Black Minnaloushe colt Louis The King third 1 1/2L away.
Crawford’s Captain America, a big Captain Al colt, was fourth in the race just behind Louis The King.
Missing form these classic duels was Crawford’s Futura. Another colt by Dynasty, Futura, was deliberately kept away from taking on his fellow three-year-olds by the Cape Town trainer with a strategy towards the first Saturday in July and the richest race of the South African season.
It was not without the risk however that Futura would miss the cut for the field, but the planning paid off with not only a place in the field, but the lowest weight at 53kg while Legislate has to carry 56kg under Fourie. Legislate also has the impost of barrier 14.
Futura won his first two races of this campaign, at Clairwood over 1600m on April 20th and at Greyville over 1900m on May 16th. Crawford then sent him out against the older horses in the Group 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on June 7th. The result was a narrow defeat for third.
“I have run him against the older company which I think is a big plus. The whole reason I kept him away from the other three-year-olds was that if he had run in the Daily News against the three-year-olds he would have ended up in my opinion running close up, and he would have probably carried level weights with them in the July because of the merit rating,” said Crawford.
“So I have kept him away because I could get him in on the bottom weight, which is what I have achieved, and I think for them to give him 3kg (against Legislate) I think is in his favour, so I am very happy about that.
“His (first) run at Greyville was devastating. He had a fantastic turn of foot and he made up a lot ground as he was far back. His last start he actually did not show that turn of foot, but in saying that the ground was a little bit soft on the day, it was a slow run race, he had no cover in the race and he did not accelerate like we expected him to. He only got beat a head, head, but a couple of yards past the post he was in front so I just think it was the way the race panned out on the day,” he said.
Glen Hatt rides, as he has done throughout Futura’s six race start career, and with barrier three Hatt has options to put the colt to sleep as the rest work for position. The current feeling is that the early pace may not be strong in the race and Hatt will be able to keep Futura close to the lead, and on the rails waiting for the false rail at the top of the main straight for his run under the light weight.
Crawford has no doubts about Futura running out the 2200m, while the stable mate Captain America might have found the 2000m of the Daily News at his limit.“Futura will definitely get the trip I have no doubt, Captain America there is a little bit of a question mark,” said Crawford.
Futura looked in fine form in a light piece of work at Summerveld on Thursday. The stable has been in good form over the Champions Season and Crawford is looking forward to this continuing on Saturday and a first win for both himself and Hatt in the Durban July with the colt.
“We have done exceptionally well. We only have 12 horses here and I think we have had 10 winners from about 24 runners so the stats are looking good,” he said.
The Vodacom Durban July is Race 7 on the 11 race programme at 4.20pm local time and 12.20am Sunday AEST and broadcast on Sky Racing2.
