There were the usual aggrieved parties after the announcement of the Vodacom Durban July field in the Classic Room at Greyville yesterday and this time it centred around the omission of Pack Leader, who was chosen instead as first reserve.
Trainer Glen Kotzen pointed out Pack Leader had Grade 1 form, having run in four Grade 1s in his career, including two third places, the latest one being in the Investec Cape Derby when finishing two lengths behind July second favourite Do It Again, from whom he receives 1kg in the July.
Pack Leader
Owner Hugo Hattingh said Pack Leader had just been “coming into himself”. He revealed, in order “to put it into perspective”, huge money had been offered for Eyes Wide Open from an overseas party after his Cape Derby victory and the same amount had been offered for Pack Leader at the same time. Both offers were turned down. Monetary concerns are of no concern of the final field panelists and in their defence, Pack Leader’s disappointing sixth place finish in the Grade 1 Daily News was always going to put him under pressure for a July spot. He was unlucky in that race but luck should not be a factor either. Matador Man’s unlucky run in the WSB 1900 should also not have been of concern and he finished a 2,75 length third in that Grade 2 event. It was deemed better form than Pack Leader’s 3,75 length third in the Cape Derby and his 3,5 length sixth in the Daily News. Matador Man also has a stamina doubt, so his excellent form at Greyville was probably what counted in his favour.
Kotzen did make the valid point that in the Listed Sledgehammer, when having a preparation run and beaten a short-head, Pack Leader had beaten Dark Moon Rising by 0,75 length when giving him 1,5kg and he was now due to face him at level weights, not to mention that if weight for age changes were taken into account Pack Leader would in effect be 3kg better off in the July.
However, Paul Lafferty, trainer of Dark Moon Rising, responded by pointing out the Sledgehammer was only a Listed event and had just been a preparation run for his charge. He also pointed out he had been finishing like a train and added, “If Pack Leader does get in to the July we will race him for a car.” Lafferty did not specify what make of car it would be.
Dark Moon Rising (Candiese Marnewick)
Dark Moon Rising is certainly a progressive sort, like most progeny of Ideal World, and he will relish the step up in trip. His eye-catching finishes in both the Sledgehammer and WSB 1900 came behind unsuitably slow paces. He only failed by half-a-length in the 1900, a Grade 2 event. Lafferty makes Dark Moon Rising the horse to beat in the July and his only concern is the perceived lack of pace.
Another question raised was how two horses from the Jubilee Handicap formline, Yakeen and Tilbury Fort, had made it into the final field despite being under sufferance in the weights. The winner of that race, Yakeen, is 2,5kg under sufferance and Tilbury Fort is half-a-kilogram under sufferance.
“I remember winning the Jubilee with a horse who had won four out of six and he didn’t get into the July,” grumbled one trainer. Indeed last year’s Jubilee Handicap winner Coral Fever did not get into the July.
However, in the panellists’ defence Coral Fever has proven them mightily wrong this season as he is this season’s July topweight. Furthermore, Yakeen is a progressive three-year-old who is improving all the time and once he was included it was tough to leave Tilbury Fort out, considering the latter ran to the same rating and is better weighted in the July.
Pack Leader will need a horse to be scratched before 8:15 a.m. next Friday in order to get in and the connections of second reserve Crowd Pleaser will be hoping for two scratchings.
By David Thiselton
