Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Hospitality is thriving in Durban, Kotzen appeals Big City Life rating

David Thiselton
Mike Stewart was confident of a big run from Cape Town-raider Hospitality in Saturday’s Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup, to be run over 3 200m at Greyville racecourse. Stewart said of the out-and-out stayer, “He’s well. He arrived on the Sunday after his last Cape Town race. We have raided so he doesn’t get sick or anything. The weather is so much better here, he’s thriving. He had a good workout on Saturday and Felix will sprint him up [today].
Pacemakers “I can’t see many pacemakers in the field. He has a bad draw but has 500m to get to the front and will otherwise have 700m of the back straight to get to the front. He is well weighted and I think he has a big chance.”
A Gauteng trainer, Weiho Marwing, said about Starzene, “She is fit and well and stays well but has a bad draw (20). She likes to be up there and they never go really fast in these races which makes the draw even tougher.”
Sean Tarry was more confident with his charge Vertical Takeoff, “He’s doing very well and I think he has a big chance.
“I don’t think it’s a strong field. They went very slow in the Lonsdale and he had to come from last. He ran on very well. On Saturday he is drawn well and can sit anywhere he likes. I think he will stay and he has Pierre Strydom aboard.”
An interesting Port Elizabeth raider is the Yvette Bremner-trained Refined In Fire, who won a feature race over 3 200m at Arlington last time in his first attempt at a staying trip.
He will arrive early on Friday morning, and Bremner said, “It will be fun, there is no pressure. He took a tumble in training last Thursday but is fine now. He’s a very good horse and is getting better.”

Meanwhile, the Glen Kotzen yard have appealed the four point merit rated raise that Big City Life was given after winning the Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1 600m at Clairwood.
Big City Life was raised from 114 to 118 and now finds himself just one point behind Pocket Power, who was lowered one point after the race.
The line horse that the handicappers used was apparently Smart Banker on the grounds that he was previously unbeaten over a mile. However, his Grade 1 wins over that distance had both come at Turffontein.
Blue Tiger, who finished 0,25 lengths behind Big City Life in the Gold Challenge, has been raised from 110 to 116.

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