Adam Azzie is happy with his three horses who this morning were on their way down to run in the big Festival Of Speed meeting at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
The Mike and Adam Azzie yard have last year’s runner up Bartholdi as well as Supreme Warrior in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m.
Adam said about the five-year-old Act Of War gelding Bartholdi, “He is seven points higher in the merit ratings this year, but is carrying only 1kg more. He has had a very good prep and is spot on. He was very unlucky last year. The speed was in the middle and he was caught behind horses on the inside who could not keep up with that pace. Hopefully, it works out differently this year. It is very competitive but he comes with a lively chance as I can’t fault his preparation.”
Talking about four-year-old Vercingetorix colt Supreme Warrior he said, “He has an issue we have tried to keep on top of and if it is not a factor and he is able to finish as well as he did as a three-year-old he has a chance.”
Both horses travelled to Cape Town for the Gr 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship, but Adam knew they were on the back foot after getting a first hand view of what a vector float was all about. They had to travel on vector protected transport due to quarantine protocols.
“The ventilation was poor, so the horses began sweating, and there was no stop over. We were on the back foot under those conditions and I think a line can be drawn through those runs.”
The fact Bartholdi finished just 1,85 lengths back in fourth gives an inkling of how good he is.
Vercingetorix already has three Gr 1 winners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and Bartholdi must have a fine chance, although he has got the same tricky number one draw as last year.
Bartholdi was seven lengths back in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint last time out, but was drawn on the wrong side and he will probably appreciate the step up in trip as a horse who has won once over 1500m before and also over 1450m.
Craig Zackey rides Bartholdi and Diego De Gouveia is on Supreme Warrior.
The yard run the luckless Gimme A Shot in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Adam said, “She has been unlucky in two of her last three starts. This is a very tough race. Princess Calla is in a league of her own and Desert Miracle has to be respected and also Iphiko finished just half-a-length behind Princess Calla over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth receiving just 2kg so if the HWB Scottsville 1200m doesn’t fine her out. Gimme A Shot does have speed, although they might be a bit quicker than her here. That does not worry me though, I will be happy if it works out like that, and if it doesn’t and she is up with the pace I know she is not a tearaway.”
He added, “Hollywoodbets Scottsville sprint races these days appear to depend a lot on how the race pans out and who is getting pulled through by the right horse.”
He is obviously hoping his trio end up in the right place in the running, which was not the case with Bartholdi last year.
