Future Swing – Model Case Study For Futura’s Progeny

Future Swing (left) clinches a quadruple for Richard Fourie on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Greyville (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Justin Snaith has done a fine job in continually bringing Future Swing on, culminating in a superb win in the Gr 2 WSB 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

The yard’s handling of Future Swing could provide a case study in how to manage a Futura.

Futura has from day one appeared to produce rangy, big-actioned types.

They were clearly going to need a bit of time and were going to get better with age and when going over gound.

That is exactly how it has panned out for Future Swing’s career.

Jonathan Snaith confirmed, “Supreme patience is required by the trainer and connections in bringing a Futura to his or her best. Future Swing only broke his maiden in the October of his three-year-old season and only hit his straps over summer as a four-year-old.”

The yard were confident of a big run in Saturday’s race.

Jonathan spoke last last week to Turf Talk about the yard’s runners and Friday’s newsletter carried the following paragraph, However, the one of the Snaith trio that Jonathan himself most likes for the race is Future Swing and added that was especially the case when considering Richard Fourie was aboard. Like Mucho Dinero, Future Swing had not run since LKP day before his last run and like Mucho Dinero his main mission is the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He said Future Swing had therefore also needed that last start and he also expected him to bounce back over this more suitable trip. The yard regard him as a stayer and the July trip of 2200m would probably be the bottom of his optimal range. However, they are trying everything they can to get him into the July.

He duly delievered.

He showed enough early pace to secure the rail in a handy position from draw three.

He then strode out beautifully under Richard Fourie at a relaxed tempo behind a reasonable pace set by the Brett Crawford-trained Oriental Charm (Vercingetorix).

Futura is a son of the July-winning legend Dynasty, whose progeny have always been suited to Hollywoodbets Greyville due to their ability to accelerate.

Future Swing duly showed a fine turn of foot at the top of the straight and with his big action then stayed on resolutely to get the better of a resilient Oreintel Charm by 0,30 lengths.

The Snaiths other two runners, Mucho Dinero (Twice Over) and Without Question (The United States) also put up good performances.

Mucho Dinero gave the winner 2kg and was beaten 2.30 lengths into fifth and Without Question gave the winner 6kg and was beaten three lengths into seventh.

Justin Snaith has won four of the five WSB 1900s run this decade (Belgarion (2020), Do It Again (2022), Pacaya (2023) and Future Swing (2024)).

Belgarion went on to win the July and dual July-winning legend Do It Again was an desperately unlucky fourth in the big race in 2022.

Ravi Naidoo’s Kalinga is a part-owner of Future Swing, together with Drakenstein and Pam Isdell, and the horse runs in Naidoo’s French grey and violet cap colours. Naidoo might be double-handed in the July because he is the outright owner of the Sean Tarry-trained Cousin Casey.

Future Swing was receiving 2kg from Oriental Charm on Saturday. The latter is only a three-year-old, so Future Swing is not going to have it easy confirming form with him in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, considering he will, as things stand, be 3kg worse off for a mere 0,30 lengths beating and the latter will also have had a further two months of weight for age growth behind him.

That is just on paper though and Future Swing, who is clearly coming into his own, was shortened into 10/1 for the July by the big race’s sponsors Hollywoodbets, while Oriental Charm was initially shortened to 20/1 but has since come in again to 14/1.

The yard have said it was unlikely Future Swing would run again before the July.

Jonathan Snaith spoke about all of the yard’s July entries, saying, “Future Swing came through his race particularly well and he’ll most likely not run again before the Hollywoodbets Durban July where he will carry 54kg, most likely under sufferance. No jockey has yet to be confirmed.

Mucho Dinero improved dramatically (from his run and Kabelo said he was a little unlucky and the slower pace cost him. He is going straight into the Cup Trial as part of his final preparation for the HWB Durban July. This will be his third run after a rest, and he’s expected to produce a tremendous effort. He’s a monster runner in the Cup Trial!

Without Question was blowing heavily after his race and was clearly in desperate need of this run. The connections have not yet decided on his next mission before embarking on the HWB Durban July.”

Another Snaith July entry, The Grey King, also ran at Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting and with first-time cheekpieces on this three-year-old Vercingetorix gelding put up a good front-running display. He had to carry joint topweight of 61,5kg in the Middle Stakes event over 1900m and finished a 1,40 length second. The winning time of the race was 1,38 seconds slower than the WSB 1900, but The Grey King was carrying 7,5kg more than what Future Swing carried to victory in the 1900. Jonathan pointed out that he was arguably the most succesful syndicated horse in the country, having had just eight starts for two wins, three seconds, including in a Gr 3, and one third. He runs for The King’s Club and has about 30 partners or syndicate members in all. Sean Veale will be riding him in the Daily News 2000.

Meanwhile, the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes winner Royal Aussie will go for the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and also the Gr 1 Champions Cup on the last day of the season.However, a run in the July has not been decided on yet. The four-year-old Royal Mo gelding’s below par 9,05 length eighth in the WSB Met was his only race to date beyond a mile, so there is a stamina question mark.

Jonathan said Triple Time Triple had had a minor setback and he would most likely be taking the Gr 3 Gold Circle Derby route into the July. This Twice Over gelding had been in fine form, finishing a 1,50 length second to Future Swing in the Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup over 2500m when giving the latter 4kg, a shorthead second in the Gr 2 New Turf Westeren Cape Stayers over 2800m and then, in his KZN pipe opener, a 2,80 length second in a Progress Plate over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

The Snaith’s Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot comes off a decent 0,60 length third to July favourite Green With Envy in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas with the top class Sandringham Summit splitting them. He will either be going for the Gold Challenge or Daily News 2000. A decision will only be made one the connections have seen the nominations.

The highly regarded Trippi gelding Hluhluwe ran a decent two length fourth in the WSB Guineas in his first outing as a gelding. He will be going for the Daily News 2000 over a much more suitable trip and Grant van Niekerk will be up.