Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Mokaro’s on a mission

David Thiselton
The Stephen Page-trained Mokaro will attempt on Saturday at Greyville to be the first horse since Highland Night in 2003 to win the Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup, run over 3 200m, twice in succession and the first since Icona in 1991 to win the big race with top weight. He has a tough task carrying 60kg especially considering that his preparation was interrupted when he contracted a “bit of a virus” when first arriving at Clairwood. Last year he had two preparation runs going into the race, but this year has only had one. “He is working well and I’m quite happy with him, but it might be one run too soon,” said Page. “He has a wide draw and a big weight so is up against it. I think he is a true two mile horse so I would like a genuine pace to make it into a true test of stamina.”
Another Cape Town trainer based at Clairwood, Greg Ennion, was more confident.
He sends out the huge five-year-old Wolfhound mare, Sangria Girl, who is well drawn, and said, “She loves Durban. She is doing well and has peaked at the right time. “She was very badly ridden in the Lonsdale and actually ran a cracker running on strongly from 16 lengths back. With the same jockey she won from start to finish in the J&B Reserve Stayers and he won’t make the same mistake again.I would like a genuine pace and we won’t be scared to set it if it’s too slow.” Mike Stewart has raided from Cape Town with the out-and-out stayer Hospitality and was also confident. “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]. I take him to Isipingo beach on slow days and took him for a walk around Greyville on Monday. 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 based at Clairwood, Weiho Marwing, said about Starzene, who finished a 0,75 length second to Winning Leap in the Gold Bowl at Turffontein over 3 200m and is now 5kg better off, “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, also based at Clairwood, 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.” Glen Kotzen, based at Summerveld has two runners, the lightweight four-year-old Silvano filly Reconcile and the four-year-old Strike Smartly gelding, Robinson Crusoe. “Reconcile is better than Winona, who finished less than five lengths back in 2007 despite being rushed into the lead at the 1 600m. “She’s only been with us since November and I think she is a runner. Felix Coetzee regarded her as a Gold Cup horse after winning on her at Scottsville over 1 800m. “Robinson Crusoe will stay the trip. This race has been his mission from a long time ago.” Duncan Howells runs the six-year-old mare Bold Wonder and said, “She is very, very well, very fit and very sound. She was running on well against some good horses in the Lonsdale and on that run must have some sort of a chance. “For the Gold Cup you need a horse that can be saved before running on. She likes to be dropped out and come from off them so her wide draw is not a concern.”

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