South Africa ’s champion trainer, Geoff Woodruff, is happy with the preparation of his three runners in Saturday’s R2-million Vodacom Durban July and has no concerns about the pace at which the country’s premier event will be run.  

From his base at the Vaal, Woodruff said he had no idea what had prompted the betting support for his three-year-old Fort Wood gelding Dunsinane that has seen his odds shorten in from 14-1 to 11-2 second favourite – “it’s not my money.”

Discussing his runners he said the six-year-old Argentinean-bred gelding, Eventuail, was now fit. He had run two races since his long break from racing and, contrary to the views of the panel that had discussed his performance in the official gallop last week, he was “more than happy” with it.

Eventuail had a massive task with top weight and a wide draw but he was confident the gelding would run well.  

The three-year-old Dunsinane was fit and “very well within himself” and he was extremely happy with the gelding’s preparation. He was unproven over the distance but so were other runners.

“If you look at his pedigree, sure there is a lot of speed in his first dam but in his second dam there is plenty of stamina. He is by Fort Wood and yes, he is unproven over the distance but Trademark was in a similar situation and he didn’t forget to win the Vodacom Durban July.

“He has a good turn of foot which he gets from the speed in his first dam and the way he won the Jubilee Handicap, with consummate ease, convinced us to go for the July.”

Woodruff said the original plan for Dunsinane had been the Classic at Turffontein but the gelding had taken ill and he had been forced to take him out of the race.

He was then aimed at the KwaZulu-Natal Guineas which he won and then at the Jubilee Handicap in open company which was the race El Picha had used into the Vodacom Durban July when he won it for the second time.

 

“It was after he won that race so well that we decided to go for the July. People have taken the line through Jamaica who he beat in that race and said it was not impressive yet Irridescence only beat Jamaica by a length in the Rosenberg so if she is given such a good chance why not Dunsinane.”

He said if Dunsinane was able to “roll along” in the middle part of the race after the field had settled down, he did not see that the extra 400 metres of the Vodacom Durban July compared to the Jubilee Handicap would make much difference and the gelding had the turn of foot to accelerate in the finish to have a winning chance.

 

Of his third runner, the gelding Pavlovich, Woodruff said he had battled his way into the race the hard way, finishing in the money in features like the Nijinsky, SA Classic, SA Derby and the Daily News 2200.

“He is the type of horse you would be surprised to see win the July but he will run a good race and can earn a stake. He is a game sort but just lacks the brilliance needed to win the big races but I am delighted to have Felix Coetzee on him and Felix will give him a perfect ride.”

 

Woodruff said he had no concerns about the pace and did not see any of his runners being too handy. The race was, to his mind, run in three stages – the first stage where the horses all went fast at the beginning and then got a fright and eased back, then the second stage before they got a fright again that they were not well placed and speeded up from the 700 or 800metre mark.

 

He felt the horses needed to be reasonably handy with not too much ground to make up and not have to rush around the field into the finishing straight. Often, the winner “popped out of the pack”.

 

“I have nearly won the race twice coming from the back of the field, with Tytola in 2002 who came from well off the pace and was beaten a short head and a short head by Ipi Tombe and Angus and last year when Superwood came from last to run second to Greys Inn.”

 

Trainer Mike Azzie, affectionately known as “the Azzman”, is bidding to reinstate another famous racing name on the Vodacom Durban July Roll Of Honour when he runs his four-year-old Badger Land colt, Night Watch, in the R2-million Grade 1 event over 2 200 metres at Greyville Racecourse in Durban on Saturday.

 

Grandfather George Azzie, one of the greats of his time, won the race three times with Preto’s Crown in 1955, Numeral in 1964 and Riboville in 1974. Joe Azzie, George’s brother, won the race in 1937 with Ballyjamesduff and became the first trainer to win the race for a lady owner – Mrs MV Henkes.

 

Speaking yesterday, Mike Azzie said his grandfather George won his first July exactly 50 years ago and he was hoping to put the Azzie name back on the winner’s list again this year.

 

Great racing names have appeared repeatedly on the roll of honour from the legendary Syd Laird who won it seven times and Terrance Millard who won it six times to Peter Kannemeyer. Their sons have gone on to win the race in recent years – Alec Laird with London News, Tony Millard with Dancing Duel and Dean Kannemeyer with Dynasty.

 

Now Mike Azzie hopes to put the Azzie name back on the list on Saturday.

 

The ultimate professional with a passion for his work and for the horses he trains, Azzie said yesterday Night Watch’s participation on Saturday was the culmination of a two-year-plan and he seriously believed the colt had a good winning chance.

 

With a strong staying pedigree being a full brother to dual Canon Gold Cup winner, Highland Night, the plan to run Night Watch in this year’s Vodacom Durban July was set in motion two years ago when he won a 1 600 metre race early in his three-year-old career.

 

“We were very impressed with his win and when it was suggested we go for the July that season, I said no. I did not want to run him as a three-year-old, I planned instead to bring him through patiently to run him as a four-year-old.

 

“He has been prepared just for this race in a way to get him in with the lowest weight possible. His preparation has been perfect and the way he won the Sledgehammer at Scottsville was very impressive.

 

“I did not want to run him in the Astrapak 1900 and pick up a penalty so we went for the Gold Challenge at Clairwood instead. It was a little close to the July but we did not give him a hard run and he came through that very well and is in top condition now. I am very happy with him and Gavin van Zyl is also happy with him.

 

“He will race up handy. I wouldn’t like to go to the front but would like one or two horses ahead of me.

 

“If the pace is too slow, I might have to go and make it myself but I would prefer not to. He stays very well but has also got a good turn of foot and if all goes well on the day, they are going to have to go to beat him.

 

“It is just four days to go to the Vodacom Durban July - and I’m a happy man.”