Dual Grade 1 winner Seventh Plain is reported in great shape for Saturday’s CTS Million Dollar but he has been hammered with a nightmare draw – 19 out of 20 – and over the Kenilworth 1 400m that is a huge handicap. Four inside him will come out to leave a field of 16 but even so Anton Marcus’s legendary starting skills face meeting their Waterloo.
Dennis Drier said: “Seventh Plain might have a little stride-along on the course on Wednesday but he is spot-on and it will be his third run after a rest – although I don’t believe in that theory.
“I thought he put up a hell of a good performance in the Sophomore. It’s hard to give up-and-coming three-year-olds the weight that he did. It’s a pity about the draw but we do have the right jockey for it.”
Seventh Plain wore a tongue tie for the first time in the Sophomore and will do so again on Saturday, with Drier explaining: “I saw him with his tongue out two races back so, rather being safe than sorry, I put one on and he enjoyed it.”
Silver Mountain, on paper the one they all have to beat, galloped at Kenilworth over 1 400m before her runaway Cape Fillies Guineas win but at Kenilworth last Wednesday Mike Bass only put her over 1 000m.
Candice Robinson explained: “She doesn’t need a lot of work. Aldo Domeyer rode her and she went with Rodney (second reserve in the CTS). I think it’s going to be a rough race with everybody jostling for position. It’s up to Aldo now but we will need a bit of luck.”
With nearly R16.8 million up for grabs for the first five and the winner taking half, it’s not hard to see some of the jockeys throwing normal caution and respect for each other to the four winds.
But Seventh Plain is not the only strong contender to collect a bad draw. Gavin van Zyl’s Redcarpet Captain is drawn only one better at 18 and Cape Guineas fifth Victorious Jay just two places inside him.
Abashiri, joint highest-rated of the 18 declared for the Investec Cape Derby, was ruled out by Mike Azzie after outclassing the opposition in Saturday’s Sea Cottage Stakes – scoring by two and a half lengths even though he drifted halfway across the course in the final furlong.
Azzie said: “This is the best I have trained since National Currency but taking him to the Cape after this would be a bad move due to his poor draw (16). We will let Rabada fight for us there and keep this boy at home for the Triple Crown.”
Justin Snaith, dubious about letting Politician winner Black Arthur take his chance, is now totally positive and said: “Black Arthur came out of the race really well and he is a definite runner.”
By Michael Clower
Photo (Nkosi Hlophe): Seventh Plain
