Kotzen’s prediction spot on

GLEN KOTZEN’S Investec Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open will likely follow the same route as his 2009 Cape Derby winner Big City Life in his forthcoming SA Champions Season campaign.

Big City Life finished second in the Grade 3 Byerley Turk before reeling off the big race hattrick of the Grade 2 KRA Guineas, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the big one, the Vodacom Durban July.

Kotzen said about the Dynasty colt Eyes Wide Open, “He’s a seriously good horse and the key to him is he can be switched on and switched off so easily and then can turn it on so well in the straight.”

Sunday was a perfect day in Cape Town and Kotzen took the Derby hero from his private Woodhill Racing Estate down to the beach at Melkbosstrand.

His big race rider Richard Fourie rode him out and Kotzen said, “He was fresh and full of himself and has taken the run well. Richard said he could race again tomorrow.” He is owned by Hugo and Suzanne Hattingh’s Chrigor Stud, who also own Saturday’s Derby third-placed Pack Leader. Eyes Wide Open was given an exceptional ride by Fourie. He was drawn three but looked in danger of being trapped outside of stablemate Pack Leader as they ran towards the first turn.

Fourie

However, Fourie asked him for a little extra to go ahead of the latter and he then switched him off after he had slotted in behind Kimberley Star.

The pace was then slowed right down and rank outsider Steel Rose took it up. At one stage it looked like Steel Rose might steal it. However, Kotzen said, “It suited us to have an unfancied horse in front as I knew he would always fetch him despite the slow pace, it was just a matter of whether anything would come from