The Corne Spies-trained Highveld heroine Hazy Dazy is the best weighted runner in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 according to the official merit ratings, because she runs off a 117 and gets a 2,5kg gender allowance.

The Act Of War filly only just failed to win the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, winning the first two legs and then failing by two lengths to land the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks, with the rest of the field well beaten.

Xander Spies was asked whether he believed Hazy Dazy would be suited to Hoillywoodbets Greyville considering her flat spot?

He pointed out that she did not actually have a flat spot.

It just appeared that way because rider Trent Mayhew waits for a long time, knowing how much she still has in the tank and knowing what a fine turn of foot she possesses.

He added, “She’s got a great burst of speed when you ask her. Trent was so confident in the Oaks and I think it might have cost us. He could not see Littlemissmillion traveling from the side and so he asked her relatively late and then just could not make up the ground. She stays on well and the third and fourth horses are well beaten. So had Trent moved a bit earlier, I am not saying she would have won, but I think we could have got closer. So I don’t think the tactic this time will be allowing the opposition to gain momentum. With the draw of three being in our favour we’ll have a good position without much trying in the beginning. And then we have the 2.5kg advantage that worked for Wish List in the Lucky Fish Cape Derby.”

Xander said Hazy Dazy had been freshened up since the Oaks.

He said, “We gave her a breather for a little while, and then slowly, but surely worked her up again. She’s full of life, so it doesn’t look like it’s taken anything out of her. In actual fact she seems to have improved from where she was previously. Looking at her work and her substance, she is strengthening with age, as you would expect all three-year-olds to do. They tend to improve with time. That’s why three-year-olds are so competitive in the July itself. So, we are very much looking forward to the Daily News. I think we’ve got a very big chance.”

He added, “Her work has been brilliant over the past month and she’s the best weighted horse. Obviously she is taking on colts for the first time and we all know that it is an exceptionally difficult task for a filly to take on colts at this level, but its not impossible. This will be her first time at Hollywoodbets Greyville and this is also a preparation for the July, but that does not mean we will not be trying, we are going to to be trying to win the race.”

Hazy Dazy has won over 2000m before, but her best win was in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m.

However, Xander pointed out the Hollywodbets Greyville track was an easier one than Turffontein Standside and the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2000m as a stamina test would likely equate to an 1800m race at Turffontein Standside.

Corne Spies is likely the most traveled trainer in the country as far as raiding out of province venues goes. He has vast experience in this regard and plenty of anecdotal evidence to work with.

Hazy Dazy traveled down from Randjesfontein on Thursday morning and had been due to arrive at Summerveld in the afrternoon.

The Spies policy when raiding KZN from the Highveld is to ship the horse back out straight after the race. So she will return to Randjesfonteion after the race to be prepared for the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.



Only three females have ever won the Daily News 2000 and funnily enough they did it in successive years with Roland’s Song winning it in 1989, St. Just scoring in 1990 and Star Effort doing it in 1991.