Trainer Robbie Sage believes Coral Fever has been harshly treated in being given ten points for his Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge win at Turffontein on Saturday and he said a tilt at the Vodacom Durban July remains “up in the air.”
The five-year-old Judpot gelding has a good turn of foot but he pointed out the tight Greyville track with it’s short run in required a different type of turn of foot. “At Turffontein you can build up momentum but at Greyville you need to quicken off the mark.”
Coral Fever (JC Photographics)
The merit rating changes are usually determined by the line horse which is chosen. Coral Fever, rated 110 going into Saturday’s race, confirmed form with the 109 merit rated Abashiri, but the handicappers probably decided the latter had been peaked for this event and had proved himself better than his merit rating. So they went back to one of the placed fillies, the 108 merit rated Silvan Star or the 112 merit rated Nother Russia to find a line horse. Coral Fever not only gave that pair 3,5kg and 1,5kg respectively but also beat them by four lengths and 5,25 lengths.
Coral Fever was raised to 120 and Abashiri has been raised to 117.
Coral Fever shortened in the July betting with Betting World from 22/1 to 16/1 and Abashiri has shortened from 25/1 to 16/1.
Sage’s Var colt William The Silent caused a 45/1 shock on Saturday in the SA Nursery over 1160m, which has unfortunately been downgraded to a Grade 2.
However Sage was not overly surprised by the colt, who had won on debut and then been beaten 9,85 lengths by Bold Eagle at level weights in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m. He started at shorter odds than Bold Eagle in the latter race and Sage explained, “He had sore shins after his first start and didn’t enjoy his next start. I gave him time off to get over the shins and thought he would be thereabouts as he is a decent horse.”
Sage is thinking about Scottsville’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion for William The Silent. He believes although the colt showed exceptional pace on Saturday he will train on and go further in time. If that is the case then at this stage the tough Scottsville 1200m should be an ideal course and distance for him.
By David Thiselton
