S. African trainer Louis Goosen dreaming big for Erik Dubois
Improving giant gelding not short on quality for a shot at Greyville’s G1 Champion Stakes
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The Louis Goosen-trained Erik Dubois (Keagan de Melo) getting off to a flying start by winning on debut at Greyville on March 29.
PHOTO: CANDIESE LENFERNA
DURBAN – Summerveld trainer Louis Goosen is bullish about all three of his runners, including a reserve, on World Pool Gold Cup day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on July 26.
In the 1.75 million rand (S$137,000) Grade 1 Champion Stakes over 1,600m, he runs the giant horse Erik Dubois who ran on well last time in the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1,400m on July 4, and is improving all the time.
“He is a big, solid sort, you are talking about a 600kg two-year-old and he is still growing in the hindquarters, so I don’t know if he will even fit into the starting stalls,” said Goosen. “They might have to extend the back or something.
“He is a magnificent horse. You will see the best of him at three, but I think he is a huge, huge runner in the Champion Stakes on Sunday.
“He is still a soft, big boy, but he is coming on all the time. He is at the top of his game.”
As opposed to the Golden Horseshoe when drawn widest of all in 14 and dropped in near the back before running on for a 2.95 length sixth, the Laurence Wernars family-owned horse is now drawn three and he has the bonus of Hong Kong-based three-time South African champion jockey Lyle Hewitson aboard.
Earlier in the 500,000 rand Grade 2 Debutante over 1,200m he runs Ferrari Flair. This Vercingetorix two-year-old filly might still be a maiden, but she has shown class against the best.
In the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1,100m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville she finished a 0.35 length third in her career third start on April 29.
She followed that with a 6.25-length seventh at the same track in the Grade 2 Allan Robertson Championship over 1,200m on May 23, in which she ran on very well from last after being squeezed out at the start.
Next time out on June 6, she ran a fine 2.30-length third to Alice B Toklas in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1,400m at Greyville from a pole position draw.
In her last start she did not find much extra late when handy and running a 3.25-length eighth in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1,400m at Greyville.
She now reverts to a 1,200m trip.
“We have got her absolutely spot on and I think she is definitely a runner,” said Goosen.
“We had to decide whether to go up to the mile or back to the 12 and as she has run some crackers over sprints we decided to come down in trip.
“We managed to get Richard Fourie for the ride.”
Ferrari Flair has landed a plum draw of three and as a non-winner gets 2.5kg from the Golden Slipper winner Palace Of Arvernia.
Interestingly the latter beat her by 1.40 lengths in the Allan Robertson over this trip, so that puts them just about together at the weights here.
Ferrari Flair should be staying on strongly and has a chance.
The yard’s reserve runner is Blazing Fury, who is second reserve for the 225,000 rand Listed Umngeni Handicap over 1,000m.
“Blazing Fury will be one of the nicest place bets in a long time if he gets in as he has been set 52kg and I will have claimer Blaine Marx-Jacobson up,” said Goosen.
“He will be out at the weights still but it won’t matter. He will be a huge runner if there are two scratchings.” GOLD CIRCLE
