A change is often as good as a holiday and the five-year-old Woodman gelding, Silverpoint, appears to have regained the enthusiasm and fitness he showed when running second to Dunford in the 2005 Vodacom Durban July.
Previously with veteran trainer Ormond Ferraris and now with another stalwart and highly talented Gauteng trainer, Mike Azzie, Australian-bred Silverpoint will line up with the 15 other runners in the R2-million, Grade 1 J&B Met at Kenilworth on Saturday, January 27.
The winner of the South African Derby at Turffontein in 2004 and just three lengths behind Zebra Crossing in the Cape's showpiece event last year, the gutsy gelding will be having his second run for Azzie and has come on enormously after his unplaced run in the Grade 2 London News Stakes at Newmarket at the end of December.
“We bought him from Ormond Ferraris and I erred in being too soft on him in preparation for the race at Newmarket . When we got into the ring before the race I saw just how soft I had been on him and he ran accordingly.
“He tired in the last 300m and he was blowing when he got back. But he has come on enormously since then and he put up a fantastic gallop on the grass this morning (Tuesday). He was fresh after the gallop and went straight into his manger and I am very happy with the gallop.
“I have got Garth Puller to ride him and there is no jockey that has ridden in more J&B Mets than him. I think I have got the perfect jockey for him.”
Azzie, who is approaching his 50 th birthday and has trained about 1 000 winners throughout South Africa and overseas including 21 Grade 1 races, said he was not concerned about his charge's 14 draw.
“With Pinero and Lion Tamer in the race I don't think we will have the Cape shuffle this year and the wide draw will benefit us in that Garth will be able to place him where he likes.
“When I spoke to Garth he said I should just tell him how I want him to ride the horse but I told him I would get him fit and he should ride him as he sees fit. Who am I to tell a man with his experience who has ridden in more Mets than anyone else how to ride him.”
Azzie said the gelding was a very laid back horse and was a pleasure to train.
“He hasn't been given a nickname yet but if I had to give him one it would be Gentleman Jim – he is such a pleasure to work with.”
Silverpoint, who has won five races and been placed 14 times in his 27 runs, will travel to the Cape next Tuesday.
Azzie said his Jet Master filly Stratos would be a “huge” runner in another Grade 1 race on J&B Met day. She runs in the R400 000, Fancourt Majorca Stakes over 1600m where she meets some of the country's most talented fillies including Sun Classique, Soft Landing and Festive Occasion.
The four-year-old filly last ran in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1 600m at Newmarket late in November where she was denied victory by Neil Bruss' First Again who flew up late to beat her by a length. She is drawn well at three for next Saturday's race at Kenilworth and will be ridden by in-form Anton Marcus.