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L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and J&B Met winner Futura is well on track for a tilt at the Gold Challenge and Vodacom Durban July under his new trainer Justin Snaith.
A disagreement between the ownership syndicate saw Futura transferred from Brett Crawford after he had prepared to win three G1 races.
“We are excited about the magnificent son of Dynasty’s Champions Season prospects,” said Snaith Racing spokesman Jono Snaith.Snaith added that Futura was one of the cleanest and soundest horses in their powerful string and that top jockey Sean Cormack was pleased with what he had been doing so far in his work.
“With Richard Fourie in Cape Town, Sean Cormack is riding Futura in all of his work. We will have him on the grass next week and he is well on track for the Rising Sun Gold Challenge to be run at Greyville on 6 June.”Snaith added that it was unfortunate to lose the services of Futura’s regular rider Bernard Fayd’herbe, who is obligated to ride King Of Pain for his stable during the Durban season.
“We were gutted to lose Bernard Fayd’herbe. Bernard was clearly our top choice as he has ridden Futura perfectly and he has very close ties to our stable,”Snaith said.“Richard Fourie has done well with last year’s July winner Legislate and he will stick with him.”
Meanwhile Crawford’s Champions Season string includes Durban July entry De Kock, Alexis, Maybe Yes, Gulf Storm, Sail South, Zacharias, Cuve Brut and Valerin.De Kock won the G2 Selangor Cup over 1600m as a three-year-old but fractured his near fore knee in his next start in the Cape Guineas.
He won his comeback over 1000m last September but has run below par in three sprints since.He is entered in the G2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at the Champions Season’s opening meeting on May 2 at Greyville.
Alexis is a top class filly by Dynasty and is set for the KRA Fillies Guineas on May 2.Crawford won the KRA Fillies Guineas with Maybe Yes last season and has the G2 Tibouchina over 1400m and the G1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on her agenda.
She has her Champions Season pipe opener in the G3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Scottsville on Sunday.Gulf Storm is a tough four-year-old sprinter and looks an ideal type for the G1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint. He is running in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville on Sunday.
Sail South is entered in the Drill Hall Stakes while Zacharias, who won twice in KZN last season, is entered in Sunday’s Listed Scarlet Lady Handicap over 1800m.