Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

In shape Big City Life gets Big thumbs-up

David Thiselton
Big City Life, last year’s Vodacom Durban July winner, is in tip top shape ahead of his bid to win Saturday’s Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1 600m at Clairwood. “He has come through his preparation run in the Drill Hall nicely and is exceptionally well,’’ said stable jockey Derryl Daniels.
Beth Shaw, a racehorse physiotherapist, also gave him the vote of confidence.
“His muscles are more mature now,’ she said. “He is much better now than when he first arrived for the winter and will run better than he did in Cape Town.’’
Daniels felt that Big City Life would be effective over the mile, which is probably short of his optimum. “He was running on very well in the Drill Hall from a wide draw over 1 400m,’’ he pointed out. Daniels said of the other Kotzen Gold Challenge contender, Fabiani, who does have his problems, “He’s an old campaigner, but is fit and with the physio he’s had is the soundest he’s going to be. I also make him a big runner’’ Daniels said the race would provide a nice pointer for the pairs' July chances. The Mike de Kock yard also have a strong pairing, the brilliant J&B Met runner-up, Mother Russia, and former Summer Cup winner Rudra. Nathan Kotzen said, “Mother Russia is returning from a break but is as well as can be and we're hoping she can win. She was just caught in the Met and I think the mile is a nice trip for her. There is not much between her and Rudra. Rudra has been working well. It’s a bit on the sharp side for him, but he has won over a mile before.’’ Another Summerveld July entry that will attract a lot of attention on Saturday will be the Herman Brown-trained Orbison, who lines up in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1 800m.
“He’s doing well,’’ said Frank Robinson of the rangy Mogok three-year-old gelding, who was an impressive winner of his last start over 1 600m at Greyville having run an eye-catching 3,75 length sixth behind Pierre Jourdan in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1 800m at Turffontein. “If he wins on Saturday he should get into the July and won't have another run before then. If he doesn't we will have to go for the Champions Cup.’’ Orbison was given an eight point raise after his close up finish in the SA Classic, so won't find it easy running with 57kg against older horses. However, the stable jockey Raymond Danielson has never hidden his admiration for Orbison, describing him once as “by far the best horse in the yard.’
The gallant filly, Goat, is looking in fine shape at Paul Lafferty's yard and was pronounced “very well” by head groom, Vusi Ndlovu. She loves Clairwood, where she has won stakes races over both 1 600m and 2 400m, illustrating her versatility. She ran a fine third in the recent Greyville 1900, running on from way back to finish just behind two strong July contenders, Bold Silvano and Aslan, and just ahead of another big July runner, Fort Vogue. She is currently in the top 20 on the July log and could further cement her position on Saturday. Sports Factor could provide her with the strong pace she needs as he did in the Greyville 1900. He has been on a heart rate monitoring and interval training program and is clearly very fit, as he showed on Saturday when leading and then staying on strongly for a brave fourth in the Lonsdale over 2 400m. Leon Setaro, who is taking care of his program, said, “We built him up slowly at first. However, he’s now at a stage where he’s doing considerably more work than the average horse in training and is as fit as a fiddle.’’ Setaro intimated that Sports Factor would play more of a pacemaking role than he did in the Lonsdale, in which he slowed it down in front in an attempt to “pinch it”, although he personally felt the 1 800m trip would suit him better.

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