Gladatorian, who ran a cracking second in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, has enjoyed stepping up in trip and is pictured winning with ease over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in September (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Trainer Stuart Ferrie said based on Saturday’s scintillating performance by the five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Gladiatorian in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile he would get 1800m, which would make his route for the Champions Season straight forward.
However, the connections are in two minds about going for the prestigioius Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate in early January.
Ferrie said, “From the wide draw we dropped him out and then Muzi falling off (he was dislodged from Back In Business) probably cost us another length too. But that is what Gladatorian does to us. He likes to run at them, this time he just never got there.”
Gladatorian had at least 15 lengths to make up in the straight and maybe more.
Ferrie said, “Tristan (Godden) thought he had a lot to do but halfway down the straight he thought he might even get there. The Turffontein mile is tough and he wasn’t stopping, so his route for the Champions Season is quite easy, (IOS) Drill Hall (1400m), (Hollywoodbets) Gold Challenge (1600m) and (World Pool) Champions Cup (1800m).”
Ferrie was asked whether the L’Ormarins King’s Plate would be an option and he replied, “There’s nothing left here for him here in KZN until the Champions Season, but traveling to Cape Town for one race is different to traveling to Jo’Burg. It’s a long way to go. It is not completely off the radar, but we have not decided yet where next to run.”
Gladatorian was chiefly kept to sprints in his first three seasons and his biggest success to date has been winning the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m.
However, his sire won the Daily News 2000 and his dam Harvest Crimson was by Durban July winner Dynasty. Crimson Harvest herself won from 1200m to 2000m and was out of a dam by stamina influence Badger Land.
So that would suggest Gladatorian should enjoy further.
Recently Gladatorian’s full-sister Ladyofdistinction duly enjoyed the step up to 1400m in her third start, although his half-brother by Gimmethergreenlight called Monumental has only had one win in 17 starts and that was over 1400m.
Gladatorian is owned by Messrs Late Agasthamuni Gujadhur, E G Hart de Keating, M L Jean Hardy and Gold Circle’s CEO Michel Nairac.
He was purchased for R400,000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale of 2021 by his first trainer Dennis Drier and has to date had 7 wins and 8 places in 21 starts for earnings of R1,219,937.
