The R1 million World Pool Gold Cup will be a race of special importance to the Justin Snaith yard this season, considering Sean Tarry came from more than R2 million behind to challenge them for the Champion Trainer title at that meeting last year.
Tarry is currently just over R1.2 million behind the reigning champion Snaith.
On Saturday the Snaiths would have been relieved Future Swing came out of the Hollywoodbets Durban July in one piece.
At about the halfway mark Shoemaker suffered epistaxis and when dropping back alarmingly there was a chain reaction that saw Future Swing being squeezed on to the running rail, causing him to lose a shoe. Jockey Richard Fourie returned with a scuffed riding boot.
However, the four-year-old Futura gelding must be a tough horse, because not only is he still in one piece but he has also pulled up sound.
That means he will be able to run in the Gr 3 R1 million World Pool Gold Cup.
S’Manga Khumalo, a twice winner of the Gold Cup, has already been booked for the ride.
Jonathan Snaith said, “The Hollywoodbets Durban July is often a messy race and this year was no different. Take nothing away from the winner, Oriental Charm, he did it the hard way and fought off all challenges and was the deserved winner. We couldn’t have been happier for Greg and Gina, who are close family friends. They absolutely deserved that win for all they do for racing. Future Swing probably got the worst of the scrum during the running, but luckily came through the race sound. He’s being aimed at the Gold Cup with S’manga Khumalo.”
Future Swing is very much a staying type. He has only ever run over a staying trip once, in the Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup over 2500m, and he won it. As a progressive sort he could still be ahead of the handicapper off a 110.
The Snaiths also have the talented 109-rated One Way Traffic entered and he is capable of winning too. He comes off a decent 2,20 length fourth in the Gr 3 DSTV Gold Vase over 3000m. The handicappers acknowledged his consistency as a stayer by making him the line horse.
What could be adding to the Snaiths wariness of Tarry on the last big day of the season is that the current weather in Cape Town is being disruptive to the racing program and Tarry might be able to inch closer in the minor racing before the big day.
However, Jonathan did have some optimistic news in that regard.
He said, “Futura Park is totally flooded like the rest of Cape Town. We can only get horses fit by swimming them! Cape Racing is doing a tremendous job at making every effort to make sure lost meetings are added back and for that we are very thankful.”
