Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Bass troops ready and false rumour clarified

David Thiselton
Trainer Mike Bass has four runners in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July but yesteday spoke about his other runners on the big day.
English Garden runs in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1 600m and Bass said he would prefer to have more time with this Camden Park colt. “I’m not sure if he’s quite good enough yet, I think he has a place chance.”
Golden Parachute runs in the Grade 2 Gold Vase over 3 000m and Bass said, “He hasn’t found his best form this season as the handicapper smashed him after his runner-up finish in the Reserve Stayers. I did think he would be good enough in the Gold Cup though, but he wasn’t.”
Golden Parachute has come down in the merit ratings, but Bass thinks he is still a bit overrated by the handicapper. However, he added, “If he runs to his best form he can get a place.”
Grisham also runs in this race. He made a good Champions Season debut, beating Test Pilot by two lengths over 1 700m, and that form was franked when the latter won at Scottsville last week.
He subsequently ran a fair sixth in the Greyville 1900 and was then six lengths back in the Lonsdale. His last run was disappointing over 1 950m and he’s better than that.
Bass said, “He’s drawn well and has a nice weight. I think he’ll see out the trip and is not without a chance.”
Thanks John and Super Storm
Bass was confident about the chances of Thanks John and Super Storm in the Grade 3 Schweppes 2200.
“Both have got a good chance,” he said. “Thanks John’s form is exposed. He ran in the Gold Cup, but I don’t think he’s an out and out stayer and I don’t want to run him over those distances all the time. He is a big long-striding horse, so can get a bit out of his ground, so Greyville is not the ideal course for him. But he does have a good turn of foot.
“Super Storm has a very good turn of foot. His last run in the Gold Circle Derby can be ignored as his wide draw put paid to his chances. He had to come from last and passed half the field.”
Bluemambo runs in the second over 2 400m and Bass said, “He is a headstrong sort, who pulls very hard. He should see out the trip. He has been going handy so we will try and drop him out. If we can get him to relax in the running he will run much better and will have a shout.”
We Have Lift Off runs in the ninth over 1 600m and Bass said, “His temperament is improving and he should be
more settled so we are hoping for a better run and give him a place chance.”

Meanwhile, Bass clarified a false rumour that has been circulating regarding his jockey bookings for the Vodacom Durban July.
Bass didn’t in fact fire either Glen Hatt from River Jetez or Karl Neisius from Fort Vogue after the respective pairing had won and finished a close fourth in the J&B Met. Bass offered both Hatt and Neisius the rides via their agents in April. However, Hatt’s agent advised him that he was opting for the Joey Ramsden-trained Bravura, who was at the time the second favourite. Neisius’s agent advised Bass that his jockey was opting for the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Noordhoek Flyer who was the ruling favourite at the time.
Bass was left with little option but to seek new jockeys and remained faithful to them after the scratchings of both Noordhoek Flyer and Bravura, although his initial e-mail to Jeff Lloyd in Hong Kong had been an offer to ride Fort Vogue.
This later changed to River Jetez and then champion jockey elect Anton Marcus became available for Fort Vogue.

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