HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY PREVIEW

RACE 4 – Douglas Whyte Stakes (Grade 1) – 1600M Fatal Flaw

Age: 2 (at last run)
Sex: f
M/Rating: 105 (at last run)
Owner: ASSM Racing Syndicate (Nom: Mr A Chadha)
Breeding: New Predator (AUS) – Alinga (AUS) by Rock of Gibraltar (IRE)

When you are the owner of a filly that runs second to arguably the best two-year filly in the country in the form of Quid Pro Quo in a Grade 2 Golden Slipper, you are assured that two things will happen to your filly. The first will be that you will know you have an exceptionally good filly in your ownership, and the other is that her merit rating will be given a severe bump. ASSM Syndicate has known the former since they purchased Fatal Flaw, and the latter also happened after her last run when her MR rose sharply from a 92 to a 105.

Fatal Flaw runs second to Quid Pro Quo in the Golden Slipper

Fatal Flaw has done little wrong in her five racecourse appearances. In her first run she was green but ran on well in a 1200M down the Vaal straight finishing four lengths off Across the Pond. She then ran a close second to Queen of Fire, finally breaking her Maiden at her third start beating Oxalis Gold (pictured above) comfortably in her first run around the turn despite still showing greenness.

She then ran a particularly good second to the highly rated Tarry filly World of Alice, just being run down in the last fifty metres to lose by a short head in a Juvenile Plate over 1600M. That day World of Alice was receipt of three kilograms and on Sunday has to meet Fatal Flaw at level weights. Theoretically, the weight turnaround should see her finish ahead of the Tarry filly.

In her last run, from the worst of the draw, Fatal Flaw showed good gate speed to get to the head of the field after 200 metres around the tight Greyville circuit. She kept up that relentless gallop quickening away from all comers at the 400M. However, she could not withstand the finishing burst of Quid Pro Quo at the 200M, who from a one draw had settled well and then ran on powerfully to win in good fashion.

Fatal Flaw overcame plenty of obstacles in that run, and on Sunday will have certain factors more in her favour. She will have a better midfield draw of seven, will be running an extra 200M which should allow her to settle on the lead. Also, Quid Pro Quo will have to navigate a draw of twelve, which will be more difficult than having the inside box seat barrier in her last run.
With much in favour on Sunday compared to her last start where she ran second to Quid Pro Quo, one of the best tacticians in the saddle in the form of Pierre Strydom in the saddle, coupled to the step-up trip and her propensity to enjoy racing up with the pace, could see her run a massive race for her owners.

RACE 6 – Mercury Sprint (Grade 1)

At My Command’s last two runs, with both being the first and second runs after a two-month break, have been excellent. In the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint at Scottsville Racecourse, he raced from a middling draw down the centre of the track, finding a brilliant finish to finish second to Lucky Lad (he is the third nose from the left in the above picture, Lucky Lad being the nose furthest from the camera). He had raced very well over the middle distances in graded races, but reverting to a Grade 1 sprint race, he could not go with the sprinters early in the piece. However, as his motor kicked in halfway down the straight, At My Command was seen weaving in and out of the traffic running on strongly in the last 200M.

His next run in the Post Merchants was just as impressive. Jumping from a thirteen draw at the Greyville circuit, he was forced to take his medicine, with Craig having to tuck him in at the back of the field. He turned into the straight five horses wide, making his run down the centre of track, steadily making up the ground from the back of the field. However, the winner of the race, Café Culture, had been given the run of the race by Richard Fourie from the plum one draw, and had quickened away from the field down the inside rail. At My Command continued to run on strongly, only having Café Culture ahead of him at the finish as he hit the line strongly.

On Sunday he has a much better draw of five, has that third run after the rest which means he will be at his absolute peak, has Craig in the saddle, and has the favourite in the race, Lucky Lad, running around the one turn tight Greyville circuit from a thirteen draw. At My Command is showing the form that he displayed when his Merit rating was a 126, and if he runs to that rating from a good draw, being primed and ready and given a patient and forceful ride from Craig, he could gain that elusive fifth win for Khaya Stables.

RACE 6 – Mercury Sprint (Grade 1)

Age: 4 (at last run)
Sex: g
M/Rating: 118 (at last run)
Owner: Hollywood Syndicate (Nom: Mr A Delpech)
Breeding: Querari (GER) – Vars Honour by Var (USA

I am Giant’s last run was all wrong. From a 13 draw, he hopped out and tried to move across to the rail, but the size of the field prevented Kabelo Matsunyane from slotting him into a comfortable position on the pace which is his preferential running style. He was forced to sit three deep around the turn and towards the rear of the field, not ideal for a horse that enjoys being up on the speed. He did try and make his run with At My Command at the entrance to the straight but the bustling from wide draw had taken its toll, and he flattened out at the 200M, finishing just over four lengths off the winner Café Culture.

His penultimate run was more the form of a horse of his ilk, where in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint at Scottsville Racecourse he was up on the pace all the way down the Scottsville straight just being pipped on the line by Lucky Lad and At My Command (he’s the second nose from the left in the above picture). Despite racing under sufferance versus the majority of the field, he sat up with the pace, running on strongly under a top ride from Kabelo with four horses flashing past the post as one.

In his penultimate run he had finished 0.4 lengths off Lucky Lad in the Senor Santa Stakes, and therefore his merit rating has been increased from 104 two runs ago by a hefty 14 points to a 118 which he runs off on Sunday. He races from an inside barrier position of three in the Mercury Sprint, and the Hollywood Syndicate owned colt will have a much easier time to get on the pace.

He has the gate speed to jump well and settle just off the pace around the tight Greyville circuit, and there is no reason to think that he cannot improve on his last run. His gate speed coupled with his preference for racing up on the speed over the 1200, should see him finishing right on top of the of the horses at the top of the betting boards, and with luck in running he could run a very forward race.

RACE 6 – Mercury Sprint (Grade 1)

Surjay
Age: 5 (at last run)
Sex: g
M/Rating: 119 (at last run)
Owner: Mrs S Viljoen
Breeder: Estate Late Dr R J Antrobus
Breeding: Vercingetorix – Something Of Value by Badger Land (USA)

Prior to its last run in the Grade One Golden Horse Sprint, Surjay has run out of the top three once in its last nine runs over the distance of 1200M, with most of those being in feature races. He was up on the pace all the way down the lane at Scottsville, just fading in the last 400 metres to finish just over three lengths off the winner Lucky Lad. This was his second run after a rest, and he might just have needed the run.

In his previous run in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes, he had to concede two kilograms to Lucky Lad, taking up the running 200M from home before going down narrowly to Lucky Lad and I Am Giant. This was his first run after a three-month layoff and will the Golden Horse Sprint now under his belt as well, he will strip a much fitter horse on Sunday.

The 1200M is his absolute forte, having only run out of the first three twice in the nine attempts he has run over the distance. He finished third in the 2023 edition of the Mercury Sprint at Greyville to the exceptionally talented globetrotter Isivunguvungu. In that race, run almost a year to the day in 2023, Surjay, Isivunguvungu and the highly rated Thunderstruck engaged in a titantic struggle down the Greyville straight with short heads separating them at the line.

Lest we not forgot, that Surjay ran, and beat superstar Kommetdieding over the 1200M at Kenilworth racecourse in the Bantry Bay Stakes (pictured above) at the back end of 2022, and therefore you cannot doubt the sprinting prowess of this colt. On Sunday he jumps from the very favourable barrier of two, has natural gate speed and has the expertise of Louis Mxothwa to guide him around the Greyville 1200M. He will be having its third run after the rest, and with luck in running that every horse requires on the big racedays, Surjay could be right in the firing line as Mercury Sprint field thunders down the straight to the winning post.

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