Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

‘JJ’ is set for a safe landing

David Thiselton
J J The Jet Plane will be running in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood on Sunday, a race he won in his only previous attempt in 2008.
Trainer Lucky Houdalakis said yesterday, “He hurt his foot and missed 10 days of work. He only came back into work on Monday. He is not 100% fit, but I think he will be fit enough.”
J J is one of South Africa’s, and even England’s, best loved thoroughbreds, partly due to his children’s storybook name and partly due to his humble beginnings, having been bought cheaply due to his Charlie Chaplin-like front feet.
The five-year-old gelding by Champion Sire Jet Master was the 2008 Equus Champion Sprinter and has won his only start since returning from England, easily recapturing the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino crown over 1 200m at Scottsville that he had also won in 2008.
He will arrive in Durban from his Vaal base on Saturday afternoon.
Sean Tarry is pleased with both his contenders for the Mercury Sprint, Mythical Flight and Captain’s Gal.
The prevailing going at Clairwood down the straight points to the outside being the more favourable side, so Captain’s Gal could be better drawn in 17 with Mythical Flight having a low number, barrier three.
Captain’s Gal, having beaten an ultra-strong field in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1 200m at Scottsville in late May, finished a disappointing third-last in the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1 400m at Greyville on Gold Cup day, beaten 15 lengths.
However, Tarry wasn’t perturbed, “There was nothing wrong with her, it was more a case of her doing too much early on from a bad draw. When Piere saw she wouldn’t be in contention he left her alone.”
Captain’s Gal galloped on Monday and Tarry was very happy with her.
He added, “Originally I had her earmarked for the Garden Province on July day, but she’s drawn badly there so we’re going for this race too."
The four-year-old Captain’s Al Filly will be ridden by Anton Marcus.
Mythical Flight was a shock 4-10 loser of this race as a three-year-old in 2007, but was narrowly beaten by two very good horses in War Artist and Rebel King.
Now six-years-old, the Jet Master gelding has lost a little of the tremendous early pace he had as a three-year-old, a season that culminated in him being named Equus Champion Sprinter.
Since returning from overseas, Mythical Flight he has not won in five outings, but did finish third in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1 000m.
He has finished unplaced in both his Champions Season starts in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1 200m and the Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1 200m.
Tarry said, “His form dipped in Durban. He has had one or two hassles here, but we are very close to sorting it out. I am hoping for a much improved run.”
Mythical Flight also put up a very pleasing gallop on Monday.
Mike Bass’s assistant Robert Fayd’herbe spoke about the yard’s three runners, Blue Tiger, Rushing Wind and Gaultier.
Of the trio he preferred Blue Tiger, who ran second in the Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 12, and said, “We gave him a break and have freshened him up. He galloped well this week.”
Rushing Wind ran a fine race at Scottsville to finish second in the Golden Horse Casino Sprint and won his last start over that same course and distance on July 2.
Fayd’herbe said, “Scottsville suits him with the hill at the end. He hasn’t got the early pace to match them, so it will be a bit more difficult for him at Clairwood.”
Gaultier has been off form, but Fayd’herbe said, “He’s very well and is working well, we can’t find anything wrong with him. In fact Aldo (Domeyer) worked all three of them this week and said Gaultier had worked the best. But he doesn’t seem to be putting it in at the races.”

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