Jeff Lloyd will have his final throw of the Vodacom Durban July dice on board Rocket Countdown if the Selangor Cup winner makes the cut.
The Guv’nor’s rides on the big day are being organised by Deez Dayanand but his trip is sponsored by Kuda Insurance whose managing director Wehann Smith is part-owner of Rocket Countdown – and the booking was confirmed straight after the horse finished second to the unbeaten Rainbow Bridge in Saturday’s Winter Classic.
Jeff Lloyd (Supplied)
At the moment the gelding is just one of seven listed immediately below the July log’s top twenty but he has crowd-pulling appeal way above the other six. In addition to his legendary jockey, who will be bidding to finally win the great race at the 26th attempt and will hang up his boots shortly afterwards, the horse is trained by the history-making Candice Bass-Robinson who became the first of her sex to train the winner (Marinaresco) last year and in her first season at that.
She has been in blistering form all this season and she has no doubt about her horse’s claims to get into the race, saying: “Why shouldn’t he get in? He deserves his place in the line-up after winning a Grade 2, he was giving weight all round in the Winter Classic, he will enjoy Greyville and he has a turn of foot. I want him to run.”
Oh Susanna, who could create a vacancy as Snaith Racing has said that she is only 50:50 to run, is a prohibitive 4-10 for the Woolavington at Greyville on Saturday, her first race since winning the Sun Met. World Sports Betting quotes Fiorella as 11-2 second favourite and goes 11-1 Lady In Black, 13-1 Elusive Heart, 22-1 and upwards others.
Daisy Guineas winner and leading Durban July fancy Do It Again is 7-2 favourite for the Daily News on the same card with Surcharge on 5-1, Pack Leader next at 6-1 and Majestic Mambo on 15-2.
By Michael Clower
