Can Master Of My Fate colt Zapatillas give Brett Crawford and Kabelo Matsunyane a rare Hollywoodbets Durban July/World Pool Gold Cup double? (Picture: Brett Crawford Racing).
Michele Wing and the Gold Circle team interviewed all of the Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup trainers.
Read the comments below and watch the video at the bottom.
(Runners in market order)
11. SEE IT AGAIN: “He came through his race very well (Hollywoodbets Durban July). He pulled up sound … he’s a very sound horse. Talking about the draw, in my mind it’s not ideal but my jockey is happy with it. I’m very proud of him and very proud to have a horse of this calibre in the province. He’s a champion”, Michael Roberts.
1. DAVE THE KING: “He’s got to have a chance, but whether he’s good enough, I don’t know. In the July, he sort of didn’t quite get home, but he was right there with 250m to go. This is probably rating-wise, the highest we’ve had the whole year”, Mike de Kock.
12. AL MUTHANA: “He’s a top class miler. 1800m might be a little bit far for him, we hope it isn’t, but he’s very badly drawn. It’s a big disadvantage. It should be a great race and may the best horse win”, Ricky Maingard.
2. ZAPATILLAS: “He’s got a fantastic barrier draw. He’s had a great preparation leading into this race. I thought his come-back run was outstanding (Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge). I do think he’s going to make his presence felt. For me, he’s a definite runner”, Brett Crawford.
3. TRIP OF FORTUNE: “He’s had a phenomenal season. He had the fastest 400m to finish in his last run (Hollywoodbets Durban July). He’s pulled up well and he’s fresh. His work at home has been good. He’s got a good draw. He’ll be running on at the finish”, Candice Bass-Robinson.
10. PRINCESS CALLA: “It probably one of the strongest renewals of the Champions Cup that I’ve seen in a while. She’s won very comfortably over the mile. She’s run to really good horses over further than the mile. Richard (Fourie) knows her well enough to navigate the draw. Why have I placed her there? Well, obviously to have a crack at winning it”, Sean Tarry.
4. SAFE PASSAGE: “He definitely has come on from that run (Hollywoodbets Durban July) and we’re trying blinkers on him too. Whether he’s good enough to win, I don’t know. There’re some high quality individuals in the race”, Mike de Kock.
7. POMP AND POWER: “July day was certainly a very disappointing run. We had a little bit of an issue on the day, which I think put paid to some of my horses in the main race. Up against these horses and the last run, it’s very hard to say we’d have any chance here. Can he pop-up on the day? Certainly, he has that type of talent. Very hard to have a lot of confidence. Very, very strong field”, Justin Snaith.
5. RASCALLION: “He’s come on very nicely from his run on July day (Hollywoodbets Durban July). He didn’t have much luck in running. I think he’ll be very competitive. He won a group 2 1800m in Cape Town”, Vaughan Marshall.
9. SECOND BASE: “Mentally, he’s probably in the best space since joining my yard. Unfortunately we have the wide draw to contend with again. But we do have his favourite jockey on, Chase Maujean. He’s not exactly favourably weighted. He’s a horse you can’t leave out, because if the right Second Base shows up, he’ll definitely be right there”, Robyn Klaasen.
8. MK’S PRIDE: “His mission was that mile race (KwaZulu-Natal Breeders Mile (NBT)). He was weighted to win and he did. It was his peak run. It is quite a strong field. My horse is fit and well. I expect a first 3 run”, Muzi Yeni (jockey)
6. BARTHOLDI: “Bartholdi has not gone the 1800m before. His 5 wins have come from 1000 to 1500m. That said, his sire Act Of War won up to the mile and his damsire, Mullins Bay, was successful from 18 to 2100m. Furthermore, although he’s based in Gauteng, he knows Hollywoodbets Greyville, having twice raced at the track”, Racing News.
