Gold Circle press release - Marinaresco

Michael Clower
Durban July hero Marinaresco is to leave his history-making trainer to join Mike de Kock for an international campaign.
Candice Bass-Robinson has decided that the option of continuing as the trainer when the five-year-old moves overseas is not practical for her. She has her own yard adjoining Summerveld as well as one of the biggest stables in Cape Town.
She said: “He goes into quarantine in the middle of the month and will go via Mauritius to Mike de Kock’s yard in Newmarket. After that nothing has been finalised but maybe Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai. He remains in the same ownership (Marsh Shirtliff, Bryn Ressell, Mike Bass and Fred Green) and I will be sorry to see him go.”
Marinaresco set a weight-carrying record when becoming the first Durban July winner to be trained by a woman and also one of the first (if not the first) to win the race for a trainer in their initial season. His other triumphs included the Champions Cup, Winter Guineas and Winter Classic.
Last Winter, who finished one place in front of him when runner-up in the Sun Met, could be on the same plane to Mauritius following a meeting between owner Lady Laidlaw, Dean Kannemeyer and Jehan Malherbe on Friday.
Kannemeyer said: “We are all on the same track with this and we are now busy negotiating to get him out of the country. I will remain the trainer and we will go via Mauritius but we still have to decide whether we go now or wait until July but, personally, I think the sooner the better.
“There is Hong Kong in December but, if it proves the horse is not ready for that, a race I have long wanted to win is the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (won by the Alec Laird-trained London News in 1997) there in April.”
Kannemeyer fears that the horse would end up with top weight if the decision is made to wait for the Vodacom Durban July. Last Winter is a 10-1 chance for the Greyville spectacular with Hollywoodbets which has African Night Sky favourite at just over 7-1 and Marinaresco on 25-2.

1.)..........."Last Winter is a 10-1 chance for the Greyville spectacular with Hollywoodbets which has African Night Sky favourite at just over 7-1 and Marinaresco on 25-2."

2.) Stipes report on the Met

a) Jockey M J Byleveld (NIGHTINGALE) reported that he felt something amiss with this mare in running. The Veterinary Surgeon was requested to examine the mare on her return to the unsaddling enclosure and submit a report.
b) COPPER FORCE (*L Hewitson) over raced in the early stages, was bumped and became unbalanced at the 1800m.
c) CAPTAIN AMERICA (C Orffer) was hanging out over the final 350m, shifted out, which resulted in KRAMBAMBULI (B Lerena) having to be steadied off the heels of CAPTAIN AMERICA (C Orffer) at the 300m.
d) Jockey Grant van Niekerk was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.10 in that, whilst riding the horse OH SUSANNA (AUS), he saluted in a celebratory gesture prior to the finish line. Jockey G van Niekerk signed an admission of guilt and was fined R1,500.00.
e) OH SUSANNA (AUS) (G van Niekerk), the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Trainer S J Snaith was advised. (CS)
f) LAST WINTER (P Strydom), the second placed horse, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Trainer D Kannemeyer was advised. (CvA)

Two things :

The stipes appear singularly unmoved by the thrashing meted out to African Night Sky in the Met as no mention is made of it in their report nor was any action taken. Clearly they must have been out looking for another bottle of Mumm or Bolt's autograph.

By my count this horse was struck at least 16 times in the last 300 metres with a whip action that could hardly be described as having provided 'guidance'.

In recent memory I can cite two horses that received similar treatment from the same jockey in 'big' races - namely McDuff & King Of Pain. Clearly they never forgot that treatment and were never the same again.

King Of Pain took two years before winning again and I think I am correct in stating that McDuff has not won at all since his hiding at Greyville

On that basis alone I wouldn't be rushing to back the current July favourite.

I viewed a run of the Met a couple of days ago and then read on the forum that a good few guys think that Last Winter will go on and win the July if he can repeat the Met run. IMVHO i dont think that Last Winter will win the July on the Met run as the horse came from way back and if repeating that run on the shortish run it at Greyville then it wont win. Needs to be very handy hitting the straight.

Why has Hollywood got no ante post PLACE betting for the July?

....read in the post race jock comments that the jock of African Night Sky..... reported that he had the run of the race, but did not have the horse underneath him..... :oops: .....may need to find plenty to win the July....or maybe just might prefer a softer ride.....at the weights that particular jock wont again get to beat him into submission.... :S