Rainbow Bridge impresses in gallop

Trainer Eric Sands said Kennedy, who has already wrapped up this year’s national jockeys’ title, would be given the pick of his two big guns, half-brothers Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat, for the Vodacom Durban July.

The dam of the pair is Halway To Heaven who has only given birth to three horses who have run. The third is Hawwaam and the remarkable statistic is that all three are Grade 1 winners – and there are still two more youngsters to come.

Rainbow Bridge finished second to Do It Again in last year’s Durban July and then was again the runner-up in the Sun Met on 1 February when ridden by former UK champion jockey Ryan Moore. The Met was won by One World.

Sands felt Rainbow Bridge’s companion in the gallop, Brett Crawford-trained CTS 1600 winner Count Jack, had eased himself out of it when challenged by Rainbow Bridge at the top of the straight and added: “So we still have a bit of work to do.”

Visually, Rainbow Bridge’s gallop looked outstanding as he pulled away from Count Jack effortlessly to win by many lengths. The five-year-old Ideal World gelding had suffered a respiratory infection upon arrival at Summerveld this season, but looked alert and happy in the parade ring on Wednesday both before and after the gallop.

Rainbow Bridge, Do It Again and Queen’s Plate winner Vardy have been nominated to run in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge on 28 June. Do It Again won the race last year from Cirillo (also among the entries) with Rainbow Bridge in third.

The – Gold Circle

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