Turffontein Inside track stages a nine race meeting on Saturday and there might be one or two opportunities for punters.

The highest rated race on the card is the fourth, a MR 86 handicap for fillies and mares over 2000m. Parisienne Chic was staying on well over 1800m last time for a good third and now has Piere Strydom up from a plum draw. She is the one to beat although the least exposed horse in the race is the lightly raced Cold Cash, who won easily over 1800m at the end of April. She looks full of promise, but does have a wide draw to overcome which will be particularly tough due to her handy to front-running style. Tambalang has fine form on the Highveld against good sorts, but her only start since the Cape Summer has been on the Greyville poly over this trip. If she is at her best she will be right there. She is unproven over this trip, but being by Go Deputy she should stay and the progeny of that sire also come into their own when they are roundabout Tambalang’s age now.

In the eighth race, a MR 84 fillies and mares handicap over 1600m, Emily Jay should relish the step down in trip having been a bit keen in second time blinkers over 1800m last time yet still staying on quite well. She is a nice looking type and has a sizeable stride. In her last attempt at this trip she was not beaten far (5,4 lengths) by the useful Bi-Pot. Alexa is course and distance suited and should also be thereabouts, although she has a tough draw.

In the sixth race, a fillies and mares MR 68 Handicap over 1000m, Burgundy Rose makes appeal from a plum draw of two. In her penultimate start she beat the speedy Gratuity over this trip and before that was not disgraced against the up and coming Effortless Reward. Last time off a six point higher merit rating than her last win she was a touch disappointing, finishing fifth. However, her turn of foot should be more effective off the slower pace she could get around the turn here and from her good draw she should be in a position to pounce coming off the elbow. Madam Secretary has her first run out of the maidens off a merit rating of 70. She is well drawn and has caught the eye on occasion. She should be finishing strongly and will be a threat. Lakahal is a capable sort who was only 0,55 lengths behind Burgundy Rose when they last met over this trip at the Vaal and she has a fair draw here.

The going is will likely be fast and horses with daisy cutting actions are the one who usually enjoy this ground so it would be worth picking those ones out in the canter pasts.

By David Thiselton

Fairview Fri Jun 23 tips and suggested bets by INForm

R1 (5) Coyote Creek (8) Russian Court (7) Romano
R2 (1) Joking (4) Burning Mist (5) I’Ll Tell Her
R3 (2) Pinnacle Peak (1) Make It Count (3) Seattle Flame
R4 (1) Tamashi (2) Perfect Parry (5) Reasonable Doubt
R5 (9) Silver Blade (1) Colonel Bluff (5) Copper Trail
R6 (6) Star Burst Galaxy (2) Kanara (1) Peach Delight
R7 (4) Jet Explorer (8) Dynastic Power (7) Road To Indy
R8 (13) Lovar (3) Quinelia (5) Gold Force
R9 (8) Classify (9) Frederick Fox (4) Eternal Jet
R10 (11) Trees Of Green (2) Bonne Vie (9) Brave Vision

PA (R144)
Leg 1: 2 x 1
Leg 2: 1 x 2 x 5
Leg 3: 9 x 1
Leg 4: 6 x 2 x 1
Leg 5: 4
Leg 6: 13 x 3
Leg 7: 8 x 9

PICK 6 (R2880)
Leg 1: 1 x 2 x 5
Leg 2: 9 x 1 x 5 x 3 x 4
Leg 3: 6 x 2 x 1 x 10
Leg 4: 4 x 8
Leg 5: 13 x 3 x 5 x 11 x 7 x 17
Leg 6: 8 x 9 x 4 x 10

JACKPOT (R480)
Leg 1: 9 x 1 x 5 x 3 x 4
Leg 2: 6 x 2 x 1 x 10
Leg 3: 4 x 8 x 7 x 9
Leg 4: 13 x 3 x 5 x 11 x 7 x 17

BEST BET
Race 7: 4

VALUE BET
Race 6: 6

The Vodacom Durban July gallops were held this morning at Greyville and there were some eye-catching workouts amid the others who did not give much away.

The favourite Edict Of Nantes was his usual relaxed self and strode out well before being geared down in the final stages. Last year’s winner The Conglomerate has enjoyed a fine preparation and put up eye-catching work on the polytrack. He is carrying just 0,5kg more than last year and is drawn three as opposed to 18, so looks to have a good each-way chance.

Elusive Silva looked very well in himself and put in a satisfactory gallop without being asked to a lot. It’s My Turn has clearly strengthened up as a four-year-old and impressed in his work out. Ten Gun Salute caught the eye and trainer Duncan Howells referred to his gallop as “exceptional”. He is clearly bullish about a horse who has only been “his true self” since gelding.

Black Arthur strode out well in a fast workout and ran all the way to the line. Nightingale, one of two fillies in the race, put up one of the most impressive workouts. She glided over the turf and was stretching out well. The other filly Safe Harbour galloped with the second favourite Al Sahem at Randjesfontein and analyst Kevin Shea, whose two July wins as a jockey were both on fillies, rated her gallop as the best of the lot. Al Sahem did nothing wrong either.

Marinaresco strode out well without blinkers, but will have the normal headgear on in the race. Brazuca put in one of the best gallops at Greyville and strode out beautifully. Sansui Summer Cup winner Master Sabina also threw out his leading leg noticeably well.

French Navy hated the blinkers in his last start and refused to gallop after being hit in the eye by a clod, but both trainer Sean Tarry and jockey Lyle Hewitson were pleased with his gallop and he will be a dark horse off a merit rating of 110, having raced off a 113 and a 115 in his two previous attempts when beaten three lengths and 3,9 lengths respectively.

Krambambuli has received a lot of betting support and has been doing very well at Summerveld, so was not asked to do a lot yesterday, but looked very well in himself. Saratoga Dancer never shows a lot in work and had his head twisted to the side down the straight, but trainer Howells explained this was due to him already being a fit horse and he was held back in this workout.

Mr Winsome has recovered well from his Track and Ball Derby win on Sunday and this progressive horse only did a 400m workout on the poly. Pagoda was green in his first outing at Greyville in the Daily News 2000, so should improve and he did nothing wrong in his workout. Tilbury Fort is a courageous sort who will give of his best. He did nothing wrong in his gallop, but he is up against it at the weights.

The two reserve runners Horizon and Nebula both put up good gallops.

By David Thiselton

The Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes is rightfully the most prestigious of the supporting features on Vodacom Durban July card and this year’s renewal is one of the classiest  seen in recent times.

The champion grey filly Bela-Bela proved in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge that a mile is her best trip. She had to be steadied at the back of the field for a stride or two in that race when encountering some interference, yet still managed to run on strongly from right at the back for an excellent third. She looks the one to beat from a plum draw of five.

Three-year-old Just Sensual has enjoyed an outstanding season, winning the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, finishing second in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint and winning both the Grade 2 Tibouchina and Grade 3 Prix du Cap. Her form suggests she is at her best over 1400m, but Anton Marcus said after her Tibouchina win he had actually been disappointed as he had expected her to win easier, while trainer Joey Ramsden reckoned in the winning interview her best trip was a mile. She has a fair draw of seven.

Bela-Bela’s three-year-old Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Gimme Six won the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas in fine style and was arguably unlucky to have not won the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.  She has drawn in pole position so her relaxed style plus exceptional turn of foot should carry her close.

Another big runner from the Snaith yard will be the highly regarded Star Express, who finished a narrow second in  the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m to the July entry Nightingale. She then ran just 1,3 lengths behind Just Sensual in the Tibouchina over too sharp a trip. She will be 1,5kg worse off with Just Sensual in the Garden Province, but will relish the step up in trip and will be spot on as the Tibouchina was chiefly seen as a preparation outing. On the downside, she has a tough draw of 13.

Fort Ember was impressive when winning the Grade 3 Flamboyant Stakes over course and distance in January and her Tibouchina run can probably have a line drawn through it as she was hampered when trying to weave her way through traffic. She is classy and could be the dark horse, although she has a tricky draw of ten.

Bella Sonata has gone close to Nother Russia in her last two starts over this trip, including in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes, and the latter then proved how good she was by running a 0,2 length third in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge behind Deo Juvente and Legal Eagle. Bella Sonata has a fine turn of foot so should love this course and distance.

Polyphonic is held on Empress Club form with Bella Sonata, but she subsequently won a Grade 2 over 2000m well. Piere Strydom sticks with her and she could be upset material as a highly regarded, but problematic sort who seems to have come to hand.

Chevauchee has always been highly regarded too and can’t be ignored, as this might well be her best trip. She comes from the unstoppable yard of Brett Crawford.

Her stablemate Louisiana impressed recently over course and distance is another outsider to consider. Bi-Pot and Oriental Oak have both caught the eye as long-striding, classy sorts during the Triple Tiara races in Jo’burg. She’s A Giver has class but would prefer a touch shorter, while reserve runner Captain Gambler would prefer further. Frosty Friday is a classy sort who ran well in the Tibouchina in her second run after a break of over a year. Kilauea looks held by Bella Sonata but will make her presence felt. This will be a race to savour.

By David Thiselton

July Fever is well and truly kicking in and the public will start finalising their selections after the Vodacom Durban July gallops on Thursday. However, exactly fifty years ago one horse was dominating the headlines as well as the family thoughts in the household of record breaking trainer Syd Laird.

Syd’s son Alec does not have many recollections of Sea Cottage’s famous dead-heat with Jollify in 1967, but does recall his father became increasingly difficult to live with in the two or three weeks approaching any July day.

Only the race could relieve the tension, but in 1967 the agony was prolonged as the judges attempted to separate Sea Cottage and Jollify. In the race Jollify, carrying 100lbs (45.3kg), had sat behind the leader Balaclava and coming off the narrow false rail jockey John Gorton shot him into the lead. Sea Cottage, carrying 127 lbs (57.6kg), had been hooked towards the outside for his run by Robbie Sivewright and still had a mountain to climb. However, the idol of the public had his eyes on the leader, who was towards the inside, and the crowd roared as he wound up into his famous finishing run. It is the natural tendency of a racehorse to hang towards the horse he is chasing, but Sea Cottage first had to get around King Willow and Red Sands who were making their runs down the centre. After he had completed that task there was less than 200 metres left and Sea Cottage began eating up the ground with his enormous stride. However, the disappointment could be heard in commentator Ernie Duffield’s voice when he said, “I think Jollify has held on.” However, the muted crowd were soon rapturous when a dead-heat was announced. The great horse had done it. Sea Cottage still had a bullet lodged in his hindquarters. He had been shot three weeks before the previous year’s July, but still ran in that race and finished a gallant fourth.

Six-year-old Alec was actually on course for the 1967 July and as there was no room in the owners and trainers enclosure during the race, he had to stand on an adjoining wall.

Sea Cottage was the first Summerveld-trained horse to win the July.

The training centre had been opened at the beginning of that same season. Alec remembers Summerveld being barren back in those days. His mother Marlene planted the trees which now tower over Syd Laird’s former yard, which is now used by Alistair Gordon.

Alec also remembers visitors always wanting to see one particular horse, Sea Cottage.

Alec has better memories of Syd’s 1971 July winner Mazarin. His father often said, “Sea Cottage was the best I trained but Mazarin was the best three-year-old.” Mazarin’s owners Eric and Fane Tenderini were so confident of victory in 1971 they had booked out a venue in the Edward Hotel for a celebratory party and a massive cake made in Mazarin’s red and white colours awaited the guests. He duly won by a comfortable 3,25 lengths in record time. Mazarin had a downturn in form as a four-year-old, but the Tenderini’s refused Syd permission to apply blinkers. Their reasoning was that in the UK at the time horses who wore blinkers were considered “rogues”, so any potential stallion would never be seen in them.

Syd’s record-breaking seventh July victory was with the great Politician in 1978. Alec’s outstanding memory of that year was when an announcement was made shortly before the start that Welcome Boy had replaced Politician as favourite. Syd nudged Alec and said, “I will have to do something about that” and walked over to put more money on Politician.

The July was a huge part of the Laird household’s lives. Alec viewed winning it as his most important goal after he had taken over the yard when Syd passed away suddenly in 1988.

He only had to wait until 1996, when London News won for owners Laurie and Jean Jaffee. History repeated itself as the Jaffees has also booked out The Edward for a celebratory party.

The Jaffees also booked a venue in one of Hong Kong’s leading hotels, The Peninsula, before London News won the Gr 1 QE II Cup the following year, although Alec believes they likely had a cancellation clause.

Alec’s best chance of winning the July recently has been with last year’s runaway J&B Met winner Smart Call, but she headed overseas instead. However, he still has his eyes very much set on a second July win in the future.

By David Thiselton