David Thiselton
Two impressive winners over the weekend, the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Musical Score and the Alan Greeff-trained My Best Shot, have been supplemented for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Three-year-old gelding Musical Score beat some useful older horses over 1400m at Turffontein Standside in a Pinnacle Stakes event on Sunday and will attempt to qualify for the July in the traditional Highveld pointer, the Jubilee Stakes over 1800m. He is by Oratorio and Lucky described progeny of this sire, based on his experience with the like of Viva Brazil and War Legend, as “chilled” horses who stay well. Furthermore Musical Score’s Captain Al dam Esteemal won up to 1800m and is a half-sister to Elusive Silva (Silvano), who won the Gr 2 Greyville 1900, the Gr 3 Winter Derby over 2400m, the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m, the Listed Sledgehammer over 1750m and he finished third in the July.
Lucky said, “You can go up the divisions and if he comes out and wins the Jubilee comfortably and we think it’s a good enough performance then we can go (for the July). But if we’re not sure we don’t go. I don’t want to be a field maker.”
Musical Score was ironically bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm, who have just announced the closure of their thoroughbred breeding operation.
He was bought for R450,000 at the Cape Racing Sales Cape Premier Yearling Sale of 2023 and quickly proved to be a worthwhile purchase for Laurence Wernars as he won by 3,25 lengths over 1200m on debut in the first month of this season.
He has gone on to win four times from 1200m to 1600m in nine starts and was raised four points to 112 by the handicappers for Sunday’s win.
Houdalakis also has the promising Wild Intent involved in the July. The twice winner from 1200m to 1700m has finished narrow seconds in his last two starts in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes over 2000m and the Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m, so has relished the step up in trip and will have no stamina doubts. That is not surprising as this Gimmethegreenlight gelding is out of the Australian-bred Dylan Thomas mare Wild Ash, whose four wins included a Listed win over 2450m and two other wins over 2450m and 2600m respectively.
Lucky said, “He is a nice horse and is improving and we will run him in the Cup Trial and see how he fares and then make a decision about the July. If he can’t win that he won’t qualify.”
Meanwhile, Lucky revealed that Royal Force had suffered epistaxis from both nostrils on Sunday which explained his poor run. That was very disappointing for Lucky who said, “There is not much between Royal Force, Musical Score and Wild Intent and once Musical Score had beaten that field on Sunday I said ‘how far is Royal Force going to win by?'” He is one to watch when coming back from his epistaxis suspension.
Meanwhile, Dyce is on the injury list and will not run again this season, but Lucky believed he would make a comeback later on.
He has retired Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner None Other after she refused to jump last time out. She has returned to the farm she was born and bred at, Wilgerbosdrift Stud.
Lucky also reserved special mention for his “soldier” Bob’s Your Uncle, a now six-time winner who has won his last two starts.
He said, “If things go his way he is hard to get past because he doesn’t give up.”
The Alan Greeff-trained three-year-old Fire Away gelding My Best Shot has been ultra impressive, albeit in the lesser centre of the East Cape. He is the first horse to ever land the East Cape Triple Crown, which consists of three sophomore races over 1400m, 1600m and 2400m. In the Listed East Cape Derby on Friday he showed he will stay the July trip and he displayed his usual exhilarating turn of foot when coming from last to win by 5,25 lengths under regular pilot Richard Fourie.
My Best Shot and Musical Score have both entered the July market at 40/1 with World Sports Betting, while Wild Intent is a 25/1 chance.
