Since all the focus is on Pocket Power, thought I'd post this (... no author listed)...
http://www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za/rnews0913.html
KAPIL BOUNCES BACK FROM BROKEN LEG
Kapil would have seemed an unlikely runner, let alone winner, of the Vodacom Durban July back on the day in 2005 when he fractured his leg, but some three-and-a-half years later he is fancied by a few to be wearing the victor’s sash late on Saturday afternoon.
The Stan Elley-trained six-year-old Jallad gelding had won his first two starts as a juvenile but returned one morning from the training tracks extremely lame.
It was discovered that he had fractured a hind pastern.
“He had two pins inserted and then had to stay in his box for three months,” recalled Elley. “It is an operation that has a reasonably high rate of success.”
Kapil began walking after the three month box rest and was then slowly brought back into work.
"He returned to the racecourse after an eight month break 100% sound and won his first comeback race,” said Elley.
Kapil is chiefly remembered for his outstanding performance in the 2006 KZN Guineas at Greyville, in which he faced a highly regarded crop of three-year-olds that included two subsequent July winners, Eyeofthetiger and Hunting Tower.
A howling tail wind blew down the straight throughout the racemeeting that day and it seemed that frontrunners would be favoured, contrary to Kapil’s style which has always been characterised by a flying finish from well off the pace.
Garth Puller ignored the pundits and the trends of the earlier races and had Kapil in last pace turning for home at which point the horse produced one of the more memorable finishes in Greyville history, mowing them down to win by 1,25 lengths.
Kapil was then sent out favourite for the Gold Challenge at Clairwood but was beaten into second by the multiple Grade 1 winner, National Spirit.
It was in that race that Elley believed his soundness issues began.
“He pecked half-way around the turn and returned with a sore back,” said Elley. “I have a very good chiropractor who has treated his back since then.”
Currently, Kapil tends to jar up in his races. Elley said the reason is simply because of his age.
“For a Jallad he actually has good legs,” he added.
Elley keeps him to the sand in his workouts these days to protect his legs.
Kapil spent his four-year-old and part of his five-year-old years in Dubai, Hong Kong and the U.K., where he finished third in a Group 2 race in Dubai before coming fifth in the Dubai Duty Free, which at that stage was the joint-richest turf race in the world.
He has earned a cheque in every one of his six start since returning to South Africa, although he has not won any of them.
In his last race he finished just 1,25 lengths back in second to Pocket Power in the Gold Challenge over 1600m. He will face him on 5,5kg better terms in the July which makes him a huge runner on paper.
However, he is a horse with plenty of speed who is at his best over a mile and there is a doubt about him staying the 2200m of the July. Pundits seem divided on the issue.
In the J&B Met, run over 2000m, he ran on well to finish fourth despite having been baulked twice in the straight. On that evidence he might see out the 2200m and a further positive is that he switches off almost completely in the running.
Kapil was allocated an almost perfect draw of five for the July.
“I will leave the tactics to Piere Strydom,” said Elley, who added that once the July field jumps the importance of a good draw seems to vanish out of the window.
Kapil has always been a character.
“He has a very nice nature, but you have to be very alert with him as he’s playful,” explained Elley. “His groom Johnson Ngozi has learnt to sit very tight on him for the moment you relax he will try and throw you off. He can also nip when you are not expecting it. Myself and Garth (Puller) have told Piere everything he needs to know about him.”
Of the dangers on Saturday Elley said that he had always liked River Jetez and made her a huge runner at the weights, although he added that he also had “massive respect” for Pocket Power.
He didn’t believe River Jetez’s draw of 15 would be much of a problem due to the experience of Glen Hatt and it would also help her to stay out of trouble.
Elley has trained for 35 years and does not have sleepless nights before a big race anymore, realising that he has “done all he can and what happens will happen.”
He revealed an interesting statistic in that two of his most loyal owners, James Drew and Mike Fullard, who are part-owners of Kapil, have had 199 winners in their ownership careers.
What better race to get the 200th than in the Vodacom Durban July.
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Awww this sucks.
RUSSIAN SAGE WILL MISS THE ARLINGTON MILLION
(from SAracing, no author)
Russian Sage unfortunately will definitely miss his engagement in the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes the first week of August in the United States, as a minor hoof ailment set him back after his arrival in England, confirms trainer Mike de Kock from his yard in Newmarket.
Barry Irwin said "Naturally, we are disappointed not to be able to bring the colt over for the Million, as we feel that both the 10-furlong distance and the galloping nature of the Arlington Park layout would suit him. However, we are very happy that Mike has him going the right way again and look forward to seeing him in action at York."
Russian Sage instead will make his next start on August 21 in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes going 9 furlongs at York in a race in which he carries no penalty for being a Group 1 winner.
The Champion Colt at 3 in his native South Africa and a double Grade 1 winner including the Cape of Good Hope Derby, Russian Sage ran well without winning in a pair of starts in Dubai over the winter, but he bled from both nostrils when subsequently unplaced in the Grade 1 Duty Free.
A lot of horses suffered from respiratory ailments in the United Arab Emirates over the winter because of the dust kicked up from nearby construction and Russian Sage was among many first-time bleeders on World Cup night.
De Kock, who won last weekend's Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket with another South African import in Imbongi, confirmed that the change in venue has had a dramatically beneficial impact on his horses from the desert.
"The horses in England are just so different to what they were in Dubai," he said. "I am confident we will see the best of Russian Sage there."
Russian Sage as of now has no long-term game plan, as the interruption in his training schedule has waylaid any definite schedule. "Right now, we are more interested in getting the colt back on track than in mapping out any long-term plans," Irwin said. "Right now, all options will be considered. He is owned by an international group racing men and woman that have as their ultimate goal standing him at stud. We will carefully watch and assess his run in the Strensall and then come up with a more definite game plan. We could be looking at races in the United Kingdom and Europe, a trip to the United States, or a foray to Hong Kong with a possible return to Dubai. We'll play it by ear for now."
The Group win by Imbongi last week heartened Team Valor International's racing partners, as that colt finished just behind Russian Sage when he dead-heated with Jay Peg for second in the Group 2 Jebel Hatta in Dubai. Imbongi got the better of Russian Sage when they met over a mile in the Grade 2 Guineas in Durban last year at 3. The form shown by these two colts is a great advertisement for South Africa," Irwin said. "We feel that over 9 or 10 furlongs that Russian Sage can make an impact where ever Mike runs him."
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SA Racing (no author listed)...
DOUBLE BLOW FOR SHEA AS ARCHIPENKO SCRATCHED
Archipenko has been ruled out of Saturday's Coral-Eclipse.
The South African entire, a general 14-1 chance to win the Sandown showpiece, has a swollen fetlock.
Juan Nel, assistant to trainer Mike de Kock, said: "It's a race we've been targeting for a long time and it's very hard to take. We discovered the problem early on Thursday morning and it's a huge disappointment."
He added: "We haven't had a full prognosis yet, so we're a little bit in the dark in terms of when he'll be back.
"It's a huge blow, but that's racing."
Archipenko, a Group One winner in Hong Kong, was last seen in action on these shores winning the Ascot Summer Mile last July.
It is double blow for international Jockey Kevin Shea, who took the mount in England and hence misses the biggest race in Africa, the Vodacom July, a race he won last year when Dancer's Daughter deadheated with Pocket Power.