Star Major Could Be The Daily News Headliner

Star Major was hugely impressive in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas (Picture: Race Coast) 

The entries for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 were announced on Monday and the question is will the race lead to big merit rating increases as is often the fear.

Two years ago it seemed a safe race for the Hollywoodbets Durban July favourite Green With Envy to run in, because on 123 he was rated seven points higher than any other horse in the race.

However, such was the way the race panned out that he was raised four points.

The connections appealed and their deposit was forfeited with the conclusion of the panelists being the controversial line horse was correct based on the fact that had other suitable line horses been used Green With Envy’s rating would have been even higher.

So this will cause the connections of the chief Hollywoodbets Durban July horses involved in next Saturday’s race, Note To Self (118), Jan Van Goyen (118), Star Major (118), Hazy Dazy (117), Chronicle King (115), Viva’s Liberte (114) and Happy Verse (113) to be nervous.

Most of these horses will be viewing the race as a “preparation” for the July.

However, among them the connections of the colt Star Major might be viewing it as a good opportunity to improve their horse’s stallion credentials.

Star Major by Querari has always been highly regarded and is progressing into the star they thought he could be.

He was ultra impressive when winning the Gr 2 WSB Guineas last time, showing a magnificent turn of foot that saw him bursting through the centre to claim victory by 0,90 lengths at odds of 25/2, upsetting the 8/10 favourite Tin Pan Alley, who admittedly did not have things pan out well for him.

Star Major was a decent 3,20 length fourth in the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby, where he was beaten 2,45 lengths by Note To Self and a neck by Viva’s Liberte.

However, he has clearly come into his own since then.

The distance should not be a concern for him, because he is out of a Silvano mare, who is in turn out of a Galileo mare.

So all in all Star Major looks the one to beat.

Tin Pan Alley is by Galileo sire The United States, but he has a speedy female line and is at this stage considered by most to be a 1400m to 1600m horse.

However, he has plenty of class and if settling better than he did in the WSB Guineas he could see it out.

Viva’s Liberte is another classy sort who needs to settle better.

Note To Self is already proven over the trip and this massive-striding son of Futura is currently the July favourite.

Jan Van Goyen ran a cracker in his first run as a gelding and the high regard he is held in has already been backed up by a magnificent win in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. He is by Master Of My Fate, who can impart stamina, out of an Oratorio mare, but his female line is quite speedy. He is a small horse with a big action and the race will tell whether he gets the trip.

Hazy Dazy has a fine turn of foot and with her gender allowance could be dangerous over an ideal trip. That is if the connections choose to run her here instead of in the Gr 2 Woolavington 2000.

Happy Verse looks held on Cape Derby and WSB Guineas form, so has to be considered a slight disappointment to date for one who has always been held in high regard.

Chronicle King won well last time when stepped up to 1700m and he should be cherry ripe. He is by former Daily News winner Vercingetorix out of a Western Winter mare whose three wins were from 1200m to 1600m, but that mare was in turn out of a mare by stamina influence Saumarez.

The Daily News 2000 is a major three-year-old race in SA and it is a feather in the cap to win it.

One top trainer once said it is best to go all out to win a build up event, because what you might otherwise gain by the merit rating not increasing you will lose in the value of  the preparation.

The entries for the big race are shown below: