Leave the lights on for Gladiatorian

TUART FERRIE'S future plans for Gladatorian when he won the Gr 2 Post Merchants at the Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting two years ago would never have included the Hollywoodbets Durban July, but things have changed as much for the Vercingetorix gelding as they have for Hollywoodbets Greyville itself, remembering that his Post Merchants win was the last race on that day before the lights went out.

- DAVID THISELTON

There will be no chance of the lights going out this year with the magnificent rejuvenation Hollywoodbets have made to the racecourse, including state of the art LED lighting which can be turned on and off with the flick of a switch, and Gladiatorian won't need them anyway because the sun will still be out when he makes his bid for Hollywoodbets Durban July glory at 16H00.

Ferrie said about the five-year-old's well-being, "All is good, there have been no hiccups, everything has gone to plan." At the © official Hollywoobets Durban July gallops Gladatorian flew home over the last 600m having been cantered under Sean Veale from the 1400m mark.

Stuart said, "He's done his work now, that's why he did a relatively hard piece of graft ten days out. He'd done nothing since the Gold Challenge, so he needed a piece of work down the straight."

He said about his draw of 16 out of 18, "Well a bad draw isa bad draw, but with the way he runs, it's not a train smash. He's never going to be in the first two anyway. We just need a bit of luck and being out there is probably better than drawing one or two."

There is a stamina doubt with Gladatorian only due to his speed, but on pedigree there should not be a problem.