Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Winning Leap has no stamina doubts

David Thiselton
The Canon Gold Cup to be run over 3 200m at Greyville on Saturday is usually an open affair in the minds of the trainers, being the only Grade 1 event of that distance in the country and therefore having a few question marks
hanging over the runners’ stamina reserves. One horse that has no stamina doubts whatsoever is the Dominic Zaki-trained three-year-old Labeeb gelding Winning Leap. He won the Grade 2 Gold Bowl over 3 200m on May 1 despite being a whopping 6,5kg under sufferance. Raised 14 merit rated points, he then ran in a handicap and slammed a competitive field over the Turffontein 2 450m by 5,5 lengths. Zaki said, “We had battled to get horses fit around the time of the Gold Bowl because of all the rain. He was much fitter for his next start and won easily. He stays all day and is getting better all the time. “His preparation has gone smoothly and he will arrive in Durban on Thursday. He has a turn of foot or can be handy, so should run well in any circumstance.”
The Ormond Ferraris-trained Santa, fourth in the Gold Cup last year, finished 4,25 lengths behind Winning Leap in the Gold Bowl but is now 6kg better off.
Ferraris said, “We were underwater around the time of the Gold Bowl and went in short of work. He is fine now and stays well. He will arrive on Friday.”
Mike Bass pair of Thanks John and Golden Parachute also stay the trip.
Bass said that Golden Parachute is an out and out stayer, but reckoned the handicapper had probably taken care of his chances by raising him an effective eight points for his second place in the J&B Reserve Stayers to Sangria Girl.
Bass added, “How Golden Parachute can be on a higher mark than Hospitality is beyond belief. “Hospitality looks slung in. Thanks John looks well handicapped though. He’s improving and has a big shout. “I think he will get the two miles, although he’s not an out-and-out plodder, he has a good turn of foot over shorter. His wide draw is a worry as he comes from off them and needs to be dropped out, so is going to have to come from far back. His chances could depend on how strong the pace is.” Joey Ramsden also has two good stayers in the line up in the eight-year-old Omaha Beach, second in 2007 and third in 2008, and the four-year-old Predestination. Ramsden said, “Omaha Beach ran well in his first Durban start this season but then disappointed in his next two. However we found the problem and have sorted it out.” Lightweights generally win the Gold Cup, but Ramsden reckoned, “Omaha Beach carried topweight to second place three years ago. To me the main historical point of this race is that you need luck to win it. He is widely drawn here (16) and will need a lot of luck this year.” He echoed that sentiment for Predestination, although he is better drawn in 10 and will be very dangerous carrying just 52kg.
Ramsden said, “He was a promising two-year-old but then lost his way a bit. He is now improving. He has a lot of stamina in his pedigree and won easily over 3 000m last time.”
Ramsden mentioned Hospitality, Thanks John and the Mike de Kock pair as the ones to beat and added, “Both of mine have a good turn of foot so won’t mind what pace there is, although a true pace
is preferable as it makes for a fair race.”
The Dennis Drier yard said of Speed For Gold, “He’s very well and has a good chance if he stays, which he should do having won over 2 400 as a three-year-old. “He likes to come from off them and was too handy in the Greyville 1900 from a wide draw. He is drawn well this time.” Herman Brown said of Strategic News, “He’s well and I think he will stay the trip, but as a stallion whose getting older, its a case of whether he wants to put it in on the day.”
Mike de Kock said of Ancestral Fore and La Foce, “Neither have been the trip. There is always a question mark in that case. “But there’s not a lot of class in the race and the day a South African race is run at a good pace will be a first.”

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