Gladatorian will face some old foes in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth On Saturday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The Stuart Ferrie-trained Gladatorian has unfortunately landed a good and a bad draw respectively for his two immediate assignments in Cape Town and the connections would have preferred them to be the other way round.
The Vercingetorix gelding is drawn two in Saturday’s Ridgemont Green Point Stakes but has landed draw 17 out of the 25 entries in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Kings Plate.
Ferrie has not taken Gladatorian to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yet because he pointed out he was fit enough for the Green Point and with his main aim being the King’s Plate the Green Point would also serve as his opportunity to see the course.
Nevertheless, the six-year-old never runs a bad race.
It would be no surprise to see him charging at them in the finish and even getting up to win.
Gladatorian does not really need a good draw as he comes from off the pace anyway.
However, Ferrie said, “A good draw is good draw and bad draw is a bad draw … it is not a train smash for him if he gets a bad draw, but it is still preferable to be drawn well.”
Gladatorian, among others, faces the quartet he beat in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup, The Real Prince, See It Again, Fire Attack and Dave The King in the Green Point on Saturday.
Stuart said, “I guess it is the homeground for The Real Prince and Gladatorian hasn’t been for a gallop at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. He is fit enough to win, he’s not going to need the run, but our main aim is the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.”
He added, “There is a long straight and the pace will hopefully be on with Dave The King and Snow Pilot in the field.”
Ferrie’s Gr 2 Post Merchants winner I Am Giant runs in the Gr 2 Splashout Cape Merchants over 1200m.
Stuart took him to gallop at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth when he was down there last week.
He said, “He worked well. He has to carry topweight but let’s hope it is because he deserves to carry topweight.”
I Am Giant carries 62kg together with Cafe Culture and Surjay, all three of whom are merit rated 122.
He has drawn in barrier five in a big field of 18 and so he should get cover from the South Easter in behind horses if there is one on the day, but the problem is the tendency of the whole field to come across towards the inside, which means lower drawn horses need some luck to find a run.
