Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Captain Scott has never been better

David Thiselton
The Vodacom Durban July runner Captain Scott needs to improve a little to be in contention for the big race according to trainer Alec Laird, but added that the handsome grey is “as fit as he’s ever been.”
Laird, who was in Johannesburg yesterday, was very pleased with the July gallop that Captain Scott put in. “Most of the horses did easy work, but he went a fair pace from the off and did one of the hardest bits of work,” he said. “The gallops are part of the program and he did some work on the grass this morning (Monday). We won’t have to do too much more with him.”
Laird said there were some stamina doubts about the gelding. “He’s only run once beyond 2 000m in the Gold Circle Derby last season, but he was widely drawn and nothing went right for him that day. Captain Al doesn’t throw horses that go this far but he is out of a Badger Land mare. He’s been effective from 1 400-2 000m so the 2 200m will be stretching it a bit.”
Captain Scott won’t race with blinkers on. “His run last time without blinkers was good enough. In the July over this distance you don’t want a horse to be too keen, you want him to relax. In the Cup Trial we put them on to help him with early speed. But Kevin Shea said he got there in the finish and didn’t want to go past. Hopefully having them off will help with his concentration.”
Laird’s current Summerveld assistant is Archie Watson, an Englishman who worked for Ian Balding, trainer of 2003 Epsom Oaks winner Casual Look.
Watson oversaw his grass work yesterday and said, “He worked nicely, I was very happy.” He said Captain Scott’s draw of 15 was not ideal. “We’d have preferred to have been near the inside, but the 19 and 20 draws did finish first and second last year.” Reminded of last season’s slow pace that enabled the wide draws to loop the field, “We would still like a fast pace, it makes it fairer for everybody.” He revealed that Captain Scott preferred “the ground on top”, so the 9mm forecast for Thursday and Friday won’t be the best news.
Watson gave Captain Scott a definite place chance. “This is the race that has always been planned for him,” he said. “We were very happy with his last run. He finished near the big horses and now has a swing at the weights.”
He added, “He finished just 5,5 lengths behind J J The Jet Plane in the Golden Horse Casino Sprint, which showed he has definite speed. He can throw in a good kick too.” This is the biggest race Watson has been involved with in his career and he is looking forward to the big day. “It reminds me of races like the Grand National and Melbourne Cup where the whole country will have a bet.”
He has watched some July replays including the Alec Laird-trained London News win in 1996. “That was incredible,” he said.
Watson concluded by saying that Captain Scott, who is affectionately known by the yard as “Scotty”, was “a complete gentleman in everything he does.”
Laird was told of the possible co-
incidence that his great Uncle Syd Garrett trained the number 13 winner Left Wing to July victory 50 years ago and now this year he had the number 14 in the race, the rugby number for the right wing.
He told of an amazing co-incidence regarding his only July winner London News.
“I bought Henk Vos’ July canvas before it was completed. It had taken him five years to paint and on the canvas at the time Sea Cottage (trained by his father Syd Laird) was painting number two with saddlecloth two.
“I commissioned Henk to complete the painting. At the time we joked that maybe I would have the only missing horse still to be done, which was to be painting number 20. The following year London News won with saddlecloth 20!”

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