Justin Snaith galloped his four biggest SA Champions Season stars, Snowdance, Oh Susanna, Do It Again and African Night Sky, on the Greyville turf yesterday and was pleased with all of them.
He said Snowdance had needed the outing most.
“She was almost too well and needed to burn some of it off.”
He said he felt better about her after the gallop but added she would still not be at a hundred percent for the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas. However, he added, “But is she still good enough to win it? Yes.” He elaborated, “If she does win it those boys had better watch out!”
Snowdance
He was referring to another possible target of hers, the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, where she would face the best male milers in the land.
However, he emphasised all of his horses this Champions Season would be taking it one run at a time and there was no definite route for any of them.
Oh Susanna also looked well yesterday. Her huge stride creates an impression that she is bigger than she actually is.
Snaith, asked about her fitness levels, said, “She is always fit. She is just a naturally fit horse.”
She will be avoiding Snowdance by running in the Daisy Guineas against the boys. However, her chief target will be the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.
Snaith believed she had a chance in the Guineas and said, “She hasn’t run since the Met and will be better suited to the 2000m of the Woolavington, but she is very talented.”
He added Oh Susanna’s chances of lining up in the Vodacom Durban July depended on the weights.
The four-year-old gelding Marinaresco won the July last year with top weight but Snaith said, “For a three-year-old filly to carry a big weight is a different story.”
Snaith said Cape Derby runner up Do It Again had “clicked” in Durban. “He is thriving.”
He certainly looked a picture yesterday.
He continued, “African Night Sky also put in an impressive gallop. He is loving it in Durban too.”
African Night Sky is the ruling 6-1 July favourite with Track And Ball. This four-year-old Dynasty gelding finished sixth in the Sun Met and thus escaped a merit rating raise, so is potentially well weighted.
Oh Susanna is at 8-1 for the July and Do It Again is a 16-1 chance.
By David Thiselton
