Gimme A Prince (Picture: Chase Liebenberg)
Michele Wing and the Gold Circle team interviewed the trainers of the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint’s top five horses in the betting.
Read the comments below and watch the video at the bottom.
Trainer Comments
(Top 5 runners in the market)
4. GIMME A PRINCE: “We go into this race well-drawn. He’s shown that he’s a top horse in the country. He galloped on Thursday (20 July 2023) and he put up an exceptionally good gallop. He has raced there (Hollywoodets Greyville) before. He’s got to be a big runner”, Dean Kannemeyer.
9. ISIVUNGUVUNGU: ”He’s a high quality horse. I think he’s equal top-rated sprinter in the country at the moment. We restricted him to a 1000 meters since early in his 3-year-old year, because he was wrestling and not wanting to settle over the extra furlong, so we are testing the waters here. I think the horse has a lot of confidence in Richard (Fourie) and if he settles in the run on Sunday, he certainly should be a big factor”, Peter Muscutt.
6. THUNDERSTRUCK: “He’s got it all to do with the top 2 (Gimme A Prince and Isivunguvungu) at the weights, but he’s got a reasonable draw and S’Manga gets on well with him. I couldn’t have him any better. Obviously, healthy respect for the top rated horses; they will be tough nuts to crack, but we’re ready to test them”, Sean Tarry.
11. WILLIAM ROBERTSON: “He ran a very good second from a bad draw last time (2022 running of the Mercury Sprint). He’s a year older and stronger now. We’re expecting a big run from him and hoping we can win this year and atone for last year’s second”, Corne Spies.
7. SURJAY: “His previous 2 runs over 1200 meters have been ‘top’. At the weight conditions, he’s a bit under sufferance with a couple of horses. From that perspective, it is going to be a little bit difficult for him, but he has a fair draw of 7. He’s definitely a horse for the quartets on the day”, Brett Crawford.
