Out Of Your League, winner of last year’s Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein, is strongly fancied by trainer Fabian Habib to win Saturday’s Marshalls World Of Sport over 3200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
There was an offer to buy Out Of Your League after that SA Derby win and it fell through, but he was not put into quarantine and never had any break in his training as was rumoured in some quarters.
However, he did subsequently finish last in the WSB Gold Cup and Habib explained: “He was still a young and maturing horse and that SA Derby win took a lot out of him.”
Out Of Your League appeared to have lost his way completely halfway through this season as his Gold Cup run was followed by five unplaced runs.
However, the Elusive Fort four-year-old gelding has bounced back in no uncertain terms.
The first sign of a form return came when he finished a 1.40-length third in the Grade 3 4Racing Gold Bowl over 3200m at Turffontein Standside, despite having given the winner Don’t Look Back 1kg and the runner-up Smoking Hot 2kg.
He has followed that run with two wins in a row over 2400m and 2850m respectively, both at Turffontein Standside.
Habib, after relating how confident his charge now was, was asked whether he himself was as confident and said: “It is a competitive field but he is ready to run a big race.”
He must be the class horse of the contest considering he is one of the few in the country who have beaten the twice age group Equus Champion Got The Greenlight. He did so at level weights in the SA Derby and also had the TAB Betting World Dingaans and Grade 3 Hollywoodbets 2200 winner Shango behind him in that race.
Out Of Your League is merit rated 108 so does not have an easy task carrying 56.5kg and he has to jump from draw No 12 out of 15.
However, he has proved he stays the trip and his SA Derby-winning pilot Raymond Danielson was reunited with him last time out and keeps the ride here.
The athletic bay set the pace in the SA Derby and fought back when swamped at the 200m mark to win going away so Danielson will have the option of leading if he does not find a good position early on in the running.
Out Of Your League travelled down to KZN on Thursday. – Gold Circle