Mike Azzie has three runners on Super Saturday at Greyville this weekend, including a former Grade 1 winner at this meeting Potala Palace, as well as the out and out stayer Masai Warrior, who contests the main race, the R1,25 million Grade 1 Gold Cup over 3200m.
Masai Warrior ran a disappointing 4,35 length fifth in the Grade 2 Mercedes-Benz Gold Vase over 2400m on Vodacom Durban July day, but Azzie believed he had valid excuses.
“It became a different race when they changed it from 3000m to 2400m and Nooresh (Juglall), who is a good jockey and can usually be relied on to ride a decent race, rode a funny race. He was caught wide and then seemed to have an aberration when he rushed him to the front.
The 3200m will be much more in Masai Warrior’s favour. He is very, very well and will definitely be in the shake-up. He is one of the few in the field, together with Kolkata and Seal, who are proven over the distance. He has a tricky draw (16), but we will try and place him where he is comfortable. I’ll leave it up to Karl (Zechner).”
Potala Palace, who won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes for two-year-olds at this meeting two years ago, takes part in the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m.
He made his comeback from chip surgery to two fetlock joints on Saturday at Turffontein in a MR 96 Handicap over 1400m and finished a 5,5 length fifth.
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