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Trainer Vaughan Marshall's stable jockey MJ Byleveld had opted for Top Seller as his mount in the Vodacom Durban July at Greyville on Saturday.
He made his choice due to the slight stamina doubt over stablemate Tales Of Bravery, who will be ridden by three-times July winning jockey Felix Coetzee.
Marshall said" “There is a little doubt about Tales Of Bravery getting the trip, but it doesn't look like there will be a fast pace so he might get away with it.”
Marshall was not concerned by Tales Of Bravery's disappointing fourth in the G1 Gold Challenge in his last start in a field of five.
He said there had been no pace in the race and it had not suited the gelding. He also spoke of Tales Of Bravery's bad luck with draws and questioned his high merit rating of 113, considering he has never won a G1 race.
Tales of Bravery drew 15 in the last two runnings of the J&B Met and will jump from that same number stall in this year's July.
He led in the Met of 2011 and stayed on for fourth over the Kenilworth 2000m. With more conservative tactics he may run on over the 2200m at Greyville, the course where he was a comfortable winner of this year's G2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m when producing a strong finish.
Top Seller will have no problem staying the trip having come from behind to win the G1 Investec Cape Derby last year but it will be interesting to see what tactics Byleveld employs from draw 17.
Top Seller's two runs in KZN this Champions Season followed a six month layoff.
In the first he sat second behind a big leader in the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m at Scottsville and quickened away from the field at the top of the straight before he was caught late by another July runner Gold Onyx. Top Seller will meet Gold Onyx on 3kg better terms in the July.
In the Betting World 1900 three weeks later Top Seller was held up in midfield and stayed on for eighth.
Marshall said: “He needed his last two runs badly."He predicted his final gallops at Greyville would bring him to his peak for the big race.
