Racingweb Briefs NEWS

Brave Kapil is set to make a bold bid

Published by charl on July 1, 2009

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 200^th than in the Vodacom Durban July.