The Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup, to be run on July 27 on World Pool Gold Cup day at Hollywoodbets Greyville, is usually believed to favour fresh horses who did not take part in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
However, in Royal Victorys’s case he only had one run going onto the July so now has his third run after a layoff and trainer Nathan Kotzen confirmed that he is not jaded at all.
He said on Tuesday, “He is jumping out of his skin. This morning I just trotted him and he was so fresh I am going to have to start cantering him. I’ve given him a couple of days off and he’s eating up, he hasn’t left anything, and is so fresh I can’t believe it.”
The Pathfork gelding was attempting on Saturday to become the first horse to win all of the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup, the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge and the July.
Nathan was proud of his third place finish and only had one lament.
He said, “I just think he should have gone in for a run. He rolled off the fence and Barbaresco slips through on his inside and turns for home next to the winner (on his quarters) … that is where Royal Victory should have been.”
Royal Victory ended up behind Oriental Charm and only got a clear run after Flag Man towards the outside began hanging inward.
However, Muzi Yeni can hardly be blamed as there were potentially three horses who could have been occupying the inside rail turning for home, the leader Oriental Charm, Flag Man, who was behind the leader, and Purple Pitcher, who was on the rail behind Flag Man and in front of Royal Victory.
He thus made a split second decision to roll off the rail, but unfortunately all of the aforementioned three did the same. Had he remained patient the inside gap would have been there but it looked an unlikely happening at the time he made the decision to roll outward.
Nevertheless, Royal Victory remains the highest earning horse in the country this season with an accumulation of a cool R4,625,250 and as he is a gelding there is always next year.
He was used as the line horse by the handicapper and remains on a merit rating of 125.
The horses merit rated higher than him among the weight for age Champions Cup entries are See It Again (131), Dave The King (127), Green With Envy (127) and Flag Man (126), while Cousin Casey has joined him on 125 after his July runner up finish.
