If you were Anton Marcus

Looks like he’s got the pick from Hawwaam, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Barahin in this years Durban July ( ps it’s only sixty days to go)

Who would you ride?

Is Moore coming over ?

buy my own island.
drink wine
and sleep in my hamock

Dave Scott wrote: Is Moore coming over ?

He be riding most probably in Sandown that day.

Personally I would go for the Daily News with Hawwaam, nothing left to prove against older horses except maybe beating his brother in the July to take Horse of the Year. problem with the July is that it is a handicap so not very attractive. That being said, Mike will win the trainers title if he wins the July based on stakes available for the rest of the season.

Anton will no doubt want to ride Hawwaam in the Daily News and July and ride Rainbow Bridge in the Rising Sun and Champions Cup but this would be unlikely as the minute he gives up the ride on Rainbow Bridge in the July he wont get the mount in the Champions Cup.

Maybe the opportunity to get Jeff Lloyd out to ride Rainbow Bridge.....could cause excitement and interest in a race that's losing its shine a bit..... Maybe even to talk to Doug White

Just my opinion, all disclaimers apply

Tigershark wrote: Personally I would go for the Daily News with Hawwaam, nothing left to prove against older horses except maybe beating his brother in the July to take Horse of the Year. problem with the July is that it is a handicap so not very attractive. That being said, Mike will win the trainers title if he wins the July based on stakes available for the rest of the season.

Anton will no doubt want to ride Hawwaam in the Daily News and July and ride Rainbow Bridge in the Rising Sun and Champions Cup but this would be unlikely as the minute he gives up the ride on Rainbow Bridge in the July he wont get the mount in the Champions Cup.

Just my opinion, all disclaimers apply

.....is there not a stiffer handicap penalty for winning the Daily News.....:huh:

That's why I don't rate the July for 3yr olds Muhti unless your going purely for the prize money. Handicap conditions and trainers hiding 4 & 5yr olds coming in with low weights makes it less prestigious for breeding or global rating purposes. I would go so far as to say that whichever older horse wins the July, I would still choose to breed to Hawwaam.

As previously discussed the annual racing program is in need of urgent and constructive changes. We don't need to lose races but better scheduling is needed. We have too many Grade 1 races that are not nationally represented by the best in every region. The Tripple Crown is the only recognised program for 3yr olds..... but I disagree that it is a reflection of the best 3yr old. We are breeding with predominantly speed sires and yet have a Grade1 over 2450m and no other Grade 1 beyond 2200m for all ages in the rest of the program. Dumb if you ask me and simply not relevant considering the factors at play currently.

Barahin is the July horse this year. MDK May have some other bombs yet to show up.
Hawaaam would be the daily news
Soqrat has had a long season
Adjaat the derby winner
Problem now is the go kart course may prevent us seeing any of them until the summer season in gauteng .

No reason Hawwaam doesn't go Daily News and July if drawing well, the prize money will clinch the title. De Kock will have no problem supplementing Hawwaam for the July. Soqrat will have the Rising Sun and Champions Cup as his goals.

Top 4 in the ante-post also

Muhtiman wrote:

Tigershark wrote: Personally I would go for the Daily News with Hawwaam, nothing left to prove against older horses except maybe beating his brother in the July to take Horse of the Year. problem with the July is that it is a handicap so not very attractive. That being said, Mike will win the trainers title if he wins the July based on stakes available for the rest of the season.

Anton will no doubt want to ride Hawwaam in the Daily News and July and ride Rainbow Bridge in the Rising Sun and Champions Cup but this would be unlikely as the minute he gives up the ride on Rainbow Bridge in the July he wont get the mount in the Champions Cup.

Just my opinion, all disclaimers apply

.....is there not a stiffer handicap penalty for winning the Daily News.....:huh:

Better if he wins because he can't carry more than 57.0kgs irrespective of how far he wins by, thereby putting others under even more sufferance - that is the plan, is it not - to maximize every weight advantage your horse can get?

My understanding is that when accepting the ride on Rainbow Bridge in the SunMet, Anton committed to riding RB in all his races through Champions Season, ie The Rising Sun Gold Challenge; the Vodacom Durban July and the WSB Champions Cup - if indeed he accepts for all of these. Michael Rattray purchased RB with a specific mission to win the VDJ, a race which he has never won as an owner. But then again we have seen such agreements/commitments going south before......................

I would think that Anton will definitely ride Hawwaam in the Daily News if MdK decides to go that route. If then, MdK decides to go for the VDJ - a race for which he would be well handicapped - Anton would have a real dilemma on his hands. Hawwaam or Rainbow Bridge??