The 2007 Durban July winner and later international traveller and dual Dubai handicap winner Hunting Tower (Fort Wood) is still going strong at 19 years of age at Mauritzfontein Stud, who own and bred him.
He is a companion to the weanling fillies at Mauritzfintein Stud and loves his life.
Hunting Tower was trained by Charles Laird and was ridden to victory in the July by Anton Marcus.
Laird became the last of a famous racing dynasty to win the July.
His Uncle Syd Laird trained seven July winners and is the only trainer to have been inducted into South Africa’s Hall Of Fame.
His great Uncle Syd Garrett won five July’s two as a jockey and three as a trainer.
Charles’ great Uncle Alec Laird rode one July winner, Nobleman in 1911, who is the only two-year-old to ever win the big race.
Charles’ cousin Dennis Drier has trained one July winner.
His cousin Alec Laird, Syd’s son, has also trained one July winner.
That is 16 July winners for the extended Laird family in all.
