Charles Laird’s Australian-bred Rio Carnival would be a fairytale winner of this year’s Vodacom Durban July, a possible target for the gelding depending on how he performs in the Betting World 1900 at Greyville on May 16.
The five-year-old by Hussonet was nearly put down after stepping into what could have been a hole during a canter under Anton Marcus on the Clairwood “baby grass” last season.
The expertise of surgeon Dr Johnny Cave not only saved his life, but the success of the operation he performed to insert screws into a knee joint have also ensured a bright racetrack future for the gallant bay.
Rio Carnival made his comeback from a 16 month layoff on January 26 over 1200m at Clairwood and finished strongly to beat a good field of sprinters by a comfortable 1,5 lengths.
Marcus made no bones about his affection for Rio Carnival after that race, describing him as “one of my favourite horses.”
Rio Carnival turned out next in the G3 Kings Cup over 1600m at Clairwood and put up a scintillating performance off a merit rating of 97, which saw him having to carry 57kg.
He slammed a field of useful horses by 3,25 lengths and was still full of running at the line.
Laird has for a long time been one of the top trainers in the country and his mastery played a big role in Rio Carnival’s comeback and is keen to give the horse a chance in the country’s premier race, which the yard won with Hunting Tower in 2007.
However, he will take it one step at a time.
“I’ve always believed he would stay further and the way he won over a mile last time the 1900m of the Betting World shouldn’t be a problem,”Laird said.
The yard’s five-year-old gelding Astro News ran in last year’s July and Laird said he would try and qualify for the race again this year via the Betting World 1900.
Meanwhile, Laird has decided to aim his speedy two-year-old filly Rich Girl at the Allan Robertson over1 200m at Scottsville on May 24 as opposed to the SA Fillies Nursery at Turffontein on April 26, pointing out that the former is a G1 worth R600,000 while the latter is only a G2 worth R400,000.
He clearly thinks a lot of this Australian-bred filly by Rock of Gibraltar, who was a facile four length winner of the G3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m at Calirwood last time out, having won her maiden over 1000m at the same track by five lengths.
Laird’s five-year-old gelding Distinguished will be an interesting runner in the G2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at Greyville on May 3.
The rangy bay has won his last two starts, both handicaps over 1450m at Clairwood, by 3,25 lengths and five lengths respectively which has seen him raised to a merit rating of 105.
Laird will be engaging Weichong Marwing to ride for him at the Greyville meeting as Marcus is due to ride Variety Club in Hong Kong the next day.
Laird’s main filly Admiral’s Eye will also run on May 3 in the G2 KRA Fillies Guineas.
