The race will be run over 2,000 metres at Borrowdale race course on Saturday and Emperor Augustus, under the Mike Azzie stable, is one of 20 horses lined up to contest the $50,000 race, standing on 6/1 odds when betting opened last week.
Azzie is currently 11th in the trainer’s standings in South Africa, but Milner believes Emperor Augustus had an edge over the other 19 horses in the running for the 51st Castle Tankard title.
Milner said the horse finished second in a highly competitive event over the same distance in South Africa a few weeks ago, adding that the horse had both weight in and a good draw in his favour.
Emperor Augustus carries 53kgs, and is well drawn on four. Emperor Augustus will run against other South African horses like St John Gray’s Yer-Maan, an early favourite with the bookmakers on 7/2 at the opening of betting.
Yer-Maan was followed by another South African horse, Baracah at 4/1 with trainer Sean Tarry hoping to continue South Africa’s dominance of the Grade One race.
The neighbouring country has dominated the last two editions of the race and Zimbabwean trainer Gokhan Terzi, who will only send out Super Trouper, admitted it would not be easy to cut short that dominance. The 2013 race will see a huge presence of Zimbabwean horses, with Kirk Swanson, winner of four titles between 2005 and 2008, sending out Captain’s Tiger and 2012 Triple Crown winner, Madigan.
Swanson won with Sports Record, Reflectadanzig, Muscutt Express and Moon Horse. Madigan appears well-placed to follow on that path, with regular Borrowdale race course jockey, Quinton Riddle, in control.
There were however, concerns over the chances of top weight, Captain’s Tiger, carrying 60kgs. Although bookmakers placed him at 16/1 and having secured a good draw at eight, it is the 60kg weight that should cause headaches for punters.
Lisa Harris, with two Castle Tankard titles to her credit and Sebastien D’Aquino, have the highest number of horses in the competition with D’Aquino fielding six horses, Eight Street and Royal Arrow, who were both bred in Australia, Pressure, Ginepri, Wittenberg and Burmese Car.
Royal Arrow, at 50/1, will be ridden by apprentice jockey, Brendon McNaughton, who promised to prove his real potential.
Harris sends out Alula Borealis, Winter’s Night, drawn in lane one, Candymancan, Platinum Moon and Macchiato, whose jockey was still to be declared.
SA-based and fast-improving Alyson Wright has two horses in the competition – A King Is Born, at 12/1 and Orbit War, bred in Argentina, while Kumara Naidoo fields Directorate.
The Castle Tankard is the oldest sponsored race in Africa and competes equally with some of the top races in South Africa.
Post published in: Football