Potala Palace will like Derby trip

MIKE Azzie was happy with the way Potala Palace had travelled down to Cape Town for his big engagement in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby on J&B Met day at Kenilworth on Saturday, while Dean Kannemeyer and last year’s Met winning trainer Darryl Hodgson also commented on the chances of their runners on the day.

Azzie said, “He travelled well and we took him for a nice walk. I’m very happy with him.”

Potala Palace (photo, yellow silks), who won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville as a two-year-old last season, is highly rated by Azzie, who warned after his first and only win in three runs this season that he would get better the further he went.

Azzie was unhappy with the ride he was given in the Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m when he was taken to the front after a sluggish start from a wide draw.

The Singspiel three-year-old colt was duly held up last time in a MR 94 handicap over 1600m and stayed on well for a creditable three length third considering the trip was too sharp for him and he was meeting some useful older horses off a merit rating of 105.

Azzie said, “That was a nice comeback run and he has come through the run perfectly.”

Potala Palace will stay under vector protection at the Kenilworth Quarantine Station and Azzie said, “It’s not ideal, but you have to take what is thrown at you.”   

Dean Kannemeyer runs one of the country’s most exciting three-year-olds, Divine Jet, in the eighth on Saturday, a MR 96 Handicap over 1200m.

Divine Jet is merit rated 101 and Kannemeyer said, “It won’t be easy for a young three-year-old, but he is very good. In the Guineas he moved up well in the straight before going up and down in the last furlong, so there was a question mark whether he stayed. But we were always on the back from that draw. I’m still convinced he will get a mile as he matures. He’s a very smart horse and I think he’s a sprint-miler.”        

Kannemeyer runs Alula Borealis, a three-year-old Go Deputy gelding, in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby.

Kannemeyer said, “He is doing very well. His last run was a very good run for a three-year-old (1,25 length second to Thanks John over 1800m off a 98 merit rating). He over raced with blinkers on then so I’ve taken them off.  He doesn’t have a good draw, but if he puts his best foot forward he could be in the shake up. Jackson is the horse to beat.”

In the J&B reserve Stayers over 2800m he runs Blake and In Writing and lamented the bad draws he has been getting in the features all season as they have drawn 16 and eleven respectively.

He said, “Blake has been a model of consistency but has a very difficult draw. The most important part of this race is the first 400m and it’s not easy from a wide draw going into that sharp bend. But he is very well. In Writing has had to run three times with top weight over this distance but now there are only 2kg from top to bottom. His draw is not good, but he’s not out of it.”

Hodgson runs the useful four-year-old Kahal gelding Uncle Tommy in the eighth and said, “He seems to prefer the sting to be out of the ground a bit. It’s a very competitive race.”

Rain Gal, a four-year-old Australian-bred Galileo filly, is in hard knocking form from 1200-1600m and runs in the second, a MR 88 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.

Hodgson said, “She is doing very well, but wants further.”

Power Dive runs in the first, a MR 88 Handicap over 1400m, and he said, “I’ve been keeping him up the straight to get him stronger. He is now ready for the turn and is looking for this trip.”

The three-year-old Kabool gelding has some good recent form, so has a chance but does face quite a wide draw of nine.