Sid Moodley just wanted a good draw on Tuesday morning and he duly got one. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Passionate owner Sid Moodley is deserving of a runner in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and he is upbeat about the chances of the Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding Madison Valley.
It has been a long held ambition of Sid’s to win big races and it will be a dream come true if he can win the country’s biggest race and to do it in his hometown.
He had some tense moments at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field and Draw Ceremony on Tuesday morning and said after drawing barrrier position two, “I am very, very chuffed with it.All we wanted was a good draw. I think with that draw, we stand a good chance.He normally runs from off the pace, but it is always good to have a good draw over the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2200m course and distance.I think from that draw, we can see our chance.”
Madison Valley has shown a tremendously strong finishing run in his best starts.
He came from the tail of a 19 horse field in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup to run a 2,35 length fourth.
He beat See It Again and Royal Victory and faces the former on the same terms and the latter on better terms.
He faces Atticus Finch on 3kg better terms for a 2,35 length beating.
All of those horses are shorter in the betting than him.
The question mark might be whether the short straight suits him as well as the long straight of Turffontein Standside.
However, he had to jump from a wide draw in the Summer Cup and in the July he could be closer to the pace from that good draw.
Madison Valley was rested and gelded after the Summer Cup and has been brought on slowly, culminating in a good win in the traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m.
He should now be at his peak and is one who can not be ignored, especially considering he has the top July-winning jockey Gavin Lerena aboard.
Sid is sure to have some other runners on the day and he said, “We are working very, very hard to have a good day.We are just hoping for everything of the best.”
