No. 2012 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 27th - THURSDAY 30th JANUARY 2014 No Cares! Trainer Gavin Van Zyl turns back the clock as he guides the Kahal gelding No Worries through his Met gallop paces on Thursday
FlaMINGo paRK 12:20pm (Monday) p.3
ClaIRWooD 12:20pm (Tuesday) p.10
FaIRVIeW 12:25pm (Wednesday) p.17
Vaal 12:10pm (Thursday) p.30
Gr1 J&B Met Gallops at Kenilworth on Thursday
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With interest and debate reaching a peak as we enter the final week countdown to the R2,5 million Gr1 J&B Met, Thursday’s public gallops did little to answer any questions. The cloud of rumour and speculation that continues to plague the favourite Jackson may also just be tactical gamesmanship that is often seen in major sporting contests in the modern era. aturally it must be highly irritating and annoyingly distracting for the connections of this magnificent horse to have to deal with PR damage control in the build up to what is surely the son of Dynasty’s biggest test to date.
Thumbs Up
Jackson was well beaten by Capetown Noir in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate three weeks ago but after he had stretched from the 900m marker on his own on a beautiful Cape Town Thursday morning, trainer Brett Crawford declared that he and jockey Glen Hatt were
‘happy with the way he moved.’ “He enjoyed the workout and that is important. He has a tough draw to overcome but contrary to the stories out there, he is well and will be ready to put his best foot forward.” Without the benefit of stopwatches and comparative times, the genuine analytical value of the compulsory gallops are seriously limited. Movement and body sweat aside, we really learnt very little from what is largely a marketing exercise, although the prospects of the likes of Royal Zulu Warrior and Ice Machine rose a few notches in our estimation, after good workouts. But it remains perception.
Mother City Magic
The third favourite Capetown Noir was the first horse to work and Karl Neisius guided him up the straight from the 800m marker. The lovely son of Western Winter finished with ears pricked as he took in the tents and marquees under construction. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer declared that he was pleased with the gallop. “At this stage he is a very fit horse and I felt that the breeze from the 800m was enough. He is unbeaten on the summer course and Karl knows him well. I expect a big run from him.” The Sansui Summer Cup winner Yorker was ridden by Greg Cheyne and galloped with Master Sabina (Ossie
Noach) from the 1000m. The Jet Master pair galloped alongside each other and crossed the line together, with Yorker probably going a bit more comfortably. Trainer Geoff Woodruff said that the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate was a ‘disastrous’ race. “It could have been a virus but they just didn’t settle well here. But mine have all turrned the corner. Master Sabina always saves his effort for the race, while Yorker is always an over eager work horse,” he said.
Boom Boom
Yet another Jet Master in the boom colt Master Of My Fate (Sean Cormack) galloped with a tongue tie from the 1400m with an unnamed companion. He sat two lengths off his
companion and stretched away with pricked ears. On the negative side he was sweating and he looks in danger of becoming even more coltish. The Met crowd and buzz will be a major test. His relaxed trainer Dennis Drier called his charge a ‘difficult bugger.’ “But he is not a nasty naughty, he is just a man. I am naturally worried about the penalty he has been lumped with. Cont. p.2