David said, “He drew badly (widest of all in 14). I’m not happy about that because it makes it very difficult. I’ve had an ex SA champion jockey saying to me why I’m even running him from there because I can run him later in another Gr 1, but we entered him for both races on the day and got the worst draw in the Umkhomazi as well. We have to take in the Gr 1. He’s a seriously nice horse. We hope we can overcome the draw but the stats are against him. So it’s going to be a tough call for him, but he is very well. He’s obviously maturing. He’ll be a better three-year-old and will be going for the BSA Sales race or the Graham Beck and then on to the Dingaans. But we’re taking a shot at the Gr 1 in Durban. Unfortunately the Golden Horseshoe used to be a Gr 1 and it was devalued, so it’s a little bit unfair, because I think it was competitive enough to be a Gr 1.”   

 

David is aware of everybody saying the draw should not be such a big deal because he came from a mile back to win the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. 

 

He pointed out, “He does quicken and all of that, but he hasn’t been slow out before, he’s always been up there and running on the pace. When he jumped I really didn’t think he would win from there. The jockey managed to get him through the right gaps, even though it was near impossible, but he managed to and thank goodness he won. I did think he could win on the day jumping out well. He turned his head to the side twice and as they jumped his head was to the side. The jockey had to correct it and bring it forward, so that’s why he was slow.”

 

He continued, “But he is a seriously nice horse. I see Sean Tarry has kept his other horses in which leaves Lucky Lad out wide too. It is going to be a hard ask for both of them. Lucky Lad has put everything together in all of his starts and he seems to be getting better and better. We have both got it against us with the Tony Peter horse, Main Defender. He’s got a plum draw. He’s going to take advantage of that I am sure and we’re going to have to try and find our way from the back.”

 

He added, “Sandringham Summit’s form has been exposed, he has done nothing wrong. First time out against Lucky Lad his saddle did slip, he had his tongue over the bit and hanging out of his mouth, so he did have his excuses the first time we ran against Lucky Lad. He won quite well the next time and the following time he  had a minor issue with the bridle. He hit the front probably too early and started digging his toes in looking for company. So coming from slightly off the pace won’t do him any harm, he’s got the gears. But Lucky Lad, the same thing and he is obviously a superstar. We will have to race him literally off the same draw, we’re in the same boat. We’ve got Tony Peter’s horse to beat based on talk and the draw, so we’ve got a bit of work to do. But you never know with these races, there are two-year-olds that improve over the mile as well, so I can’t rule out any other horse in the race either. I respect the whole field, especially coming from our bad draw.”

 

There was some luck involved in landing Sandringham Summit at the Sale.

 

David said, “We all went to have a look at the lot that had come out before him and both Zane Kirsten and Rakesh Singh bid on him, but he went for too much money. We had all liked the horse that came out next when we had visited the stud farm. So they bid on him and they didn’t want to let him go. To buy a horse at that price you take a huge risk and we might have overpaid a little bit (R1.7 million), but at this point it looks like it was worthwhile, because it is very hard to come by a horse like him. He showed from the beginning that he could run and he’s got the ability. He’s a very smart intelligent horse. He knows exactly what you are asking of him. People can laugh at those types of statements, but there are those horses that do and are willing to work with you rather than you have to show them over a lengthy period of time what they have to do and understand. He’s learning with racing as well. He will be a really, really smart three-year-old.”

 

Calvin Habib retains the ride on Sandringham Summit, who like Lucky Lad was bred by Varsfontein Stud. He is owned by Rakesh Singh.

David has two other runners on the day, Flying First Class in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m and No Fllter in the Gr 2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante over 1200m.