David Thiselton
The Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase on Hollywoodbets Durban July day has always been a pointer to the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup and this year’s winner of the former race, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts, will have a fine chance of landing a treble of staying events in the latter race as he also won the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers.
An interesting fact about the Futura gelding is that he is the first horse to be running in the colours of Garth Musikanth, whose brother Dean is also a part-owner along with Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith and J Murcia.
Ahead Of The Facts, ridden by the peerless Richard Fourie, was backed as if he couldn’t be beaten and the flood of money saw him starting at 15/10.
Fourie dropped the 110-rated gelding out from a wide draw of nine.
He was content to sit near the back before improving position around the final bend.
Fourie went for a run down the inside and Ahead Of The Facts showed a turn of foot that was reminiscent of last year’s Equus Champion Stayer King Pelles.
He made up the ground in a matter of strides and went on to win by half-a-length from Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids, who were the winner and runner up in the Gold Cup two years ago.
The winning margins of 0,50 lengths and 1,30 lengths flattered Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids as Fourie was easing Ahead Of The Facts up at the line.
However, Ahead Of The Facts was receiving 1,5kg from both of them and there will be a weight reversal in the Gold Cup considering Ahead Of The Facts was raised seven points to 117, while Master Redoute was raised three points to 115 and Shoot The Rapids remains on 117.
Fifth-placed Holding Thumbs, beaten 3,40 lengths, was lowered one point to 117.
The Gold Cup weights are subjected to the Operator’s Condition 2.1.2.10 which states:
Handicap Races of 2800m and further (including Graded, Listed and other Feature races): Weights may be compressed at the discretion of the Handicapper i.e. the Handicapper may depart from allocating 0,5 kg for each merit rating point.
Ahead Of The Facts will thus have it harder on paper, but Jonathan Snaith stated after Saturday’s race that the Gold Vase was actually just a stepping stone race to the Gold Cup.
He said, “The Gold Cup was his main mission. He has had three runs in Durban and the Gold Vase was the one in between. Hopefully his best run will be his third run.”
The owners were all ecstatic and Dean Musikanth said, “He is our first stakes winner and we have won Grade 3s with him on Met day and July day. He cost just R100,000 and considering his class that was for nothing! I am over the moon, I actually don’t know where to walk, but I do know where to have a drink!”
The Capetonian group of friends were looking forward to a celebratory toast to their champion and revealed that Richard had been very confident before the race.
Garth Musikanth confirmed he had got his colours completed about two years ago especially for this horse, who made his debut as a two-year-old on August 31, 2024, although he did own a handful of horses before that.
Ahead Of The Facts in fact finished a tailed off last on debut over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, beaten 17,95 lengths and it was only when stepping up to 2000m in his fourth start that he began to show what was to come.
That is not surprising considering he is by stamina influence Futura out of a one-time-winning mare by stamina influence Silvano.
Saturday was his fifth career win.
Jonathan Snaith found Ahead Of The Facts at the 2023 National Yearling Sale and said, “We were fans of Futura. We had a good Futura in our yard at the time called Future Swing who was shaping up to be a stayer. Ahead Of The Facts was a magnificent horse, beautiful conformation and he moved like a dream. He was a bit light and immature and I think that is why no-one liked him. But he had the frame and he had the action and he had a beautiful temperament, which we noticed at the Sale. He’s been a wonderful buy and I think he’s a massive runner in the Gold Cup as well. Considering this was not his main mission it was an impressive win and it was the way he won … he went from second last to first in a matter of strides, an impressive turn of foot. Richard, more so than Justin, was very confident. He said he had been unlucky in his previous start when he ran second and he actually said in the parade ring to the owners, ‘What are you nervous about? He is going to win whether I go to the front or stay at the back. I’ve got this!’ He was extremely confident from weeks ago and I think it was reflected by the money that poured on and everybody bankered him in the Pick 6 … he was a lot of people’s Pick 6 banker, so we are delighted that the public have benefited.”
