The Daily News and Woolavington are both G1’s and vital July pointers for the three year-old crop, whilst the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup is a traditional indicator for upcoming Graded staying contests. These races were staged on Saturday at Greyville with the market getting all three spot on.

Money movers Black Knap and Matterhorn scored 105’s when fighting out the Lonsdale; then favourites War Of Athena and Linebacker proved their superiority in the Woolavington and Daily News precisely as the majority of punters expected.

The stayers’’ race was a close- run thing with Black Knap (by Dynasty) only just holding out a surging Matterhorn. Favour (s/s 103), who was supported on the Interbet exchange at long odds, ran on well for 3rd with Silver Host (s/s 102) holding fourth after tiring late.

Silver Host blew like a gale in the betting yet ran with credit after a four- month break from a wide draw – plus he was conceding between 5kg -7kg’s to some doughty rivals. He is worth keeping on side for future races over ground.

The consistent and high- class Linebacker is truly remarkable. Despite having a surfeit of speed in his pedigree, being by Captain of All out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, he has won the Cape Derby (2000m) KZN Guineas (1600m) and now the Daily News (2000m), whilst never finishing further back that a length second in his other starts. I’ve projected that he could run as high as 113 if fully extended which puts him in the elite bracket of SA thoroughbreds.

He was chased home by a resurgent Rascallion and the highly touted Kommetdieding who were short heads apart, just under a length off Linebacker. Both are legitimately high- class performers able to win G1’s against slightly softer opposition if things go their way.

It was a tremendous training feat by Vaughan Marshall to saddle the Daily News exacta. His handling of both Linebacker and Rascallion (not a straight-forward customer) has been exemplary – and he trains Black Knap too!

War of Athena was heavily supported throughout trading at short odds, even though there was also money for Princess Calla and Netta in the Woolavington. When Princess Calla moved in off the slow early pace to challenge it looked for a moment like War of Athena could be under pressure, but she found another gear to draw away fluently.

This was the Act of War filly’s ninth win from 15 starts. She could conceivably run a big number of 112 if pressed and it will add a fascinating piece to the Durban July puzzle should she take her place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Â