Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Top class field for Vodacom Durban July

David Thiselton
This year's Vodacom Durban July – to be run at Greyville on July 31 – sees one of the strongest fields ever lining up and pundits are going to have a very difficult time with their selections. The strength of the field is due to there being a top class crop of three-year-old colts and there are also a number of Grade 1 winning older horses. In fact, the Mike de Kock-trained three-year-old filly, Here To Win, might well be the first Grade 1 classic winner in the same season as the July to not make the field in recent times. She can be counted unlucky as she has done little wrong, but what counted against her was that this year’s crop of three-year-old fillies has been weak and she has also never met older horses. Service Ace was a well beaten third in the SA Derby, but did finish less than three lengths behind one of the best three-year-olds around, Pierre Jourdan, and had two July horses, Happy Valley and Flying Tristram, miles behind him. In the Grade 2 Gold Circle Derby, Service Ace, ran to his rating, while Here To Win didn’t do the same in the Gold Circle Oaks on the same day, despite having recorded a better time than Service Ace. What counted for Goat was that she has proved herself against the best fillies in the land and has also performed very well against males. The list of possible July winners can be divided into categories. Starting with “the top class three-year-olds who will have no stamina doubts”, this category would include Irish Flame, Bold Silvano and Orbison. The three-year-olds that could be regarded as unexposed at this level over the 2 200m distance include Ancestral Fore, Lizarre and Flying Tristram. Ancestral Fore avoided the Champions Season three-year-old features in favour of the Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup over 3 200m at Greyville. He won that race very impressively and the question is whether he will be equally effective over 2 200m. Lizarre finished third in the Grade 1 Daily News 2 000 behind Irish Flame and Bold Silvano but has since joined the yard of the maestro De Kock, who usually improves on classy types like him. By how many lengths will he improve? Flying Tristram has caught the eye going down in his last two starts, with a magnificently long stride, and has won both over 1 800m. The latter was against a few prominent July entries, but it was a slow run race, so he will have to prove he is as good over 2200m.
The dark horse three-year-olds will include Happy Valley and to a lesser extent Service Ace. Happy Valley has come into his own with gelding and is a horse that clearly loves to gallop. He might set the pace and won’t be stopping in the straight. Service Ace has not always raced in the handy manner in which trainer Mike Azzie reportedly would prefer, so could improve on his overall form from his pole position draw. The “older horses that have improved into top class individuals and who should be at their peaks” category includes River Jetez, Fort Vogue and Aslan. River Jetez is better than ever as a six-year-old. She won the J&B Met, and in her last two runs won a Pinnacle Stakes race in an exercise canter and then won a fillies and mares Grade 2 over 2 000m at Greyville comfortably despite nearly coming down early. Fort Vogue has had a quiet Champions Season, but both his runs have caught the eye, running on for fifth in the Greyville 1900 and then being very keen early in a strong Pinnacle Stakes event over 1 800m, but still nearly winning it. That race should have brought him to his peak. Aslan was always regarded as a horse that would be at his best at four and his route should ensure that he is at his peak on the day.
The best handicapped horses include Flying Tristram, River Jetez, Fort Vogue and Aslan. Flying Tristram is officially the best handicapped horse in the race as he won after the weights had been set and rose from a merit rating of 105 to 110. The forgotten horse of the race is, undoubtedly, Pocket Power. Last year he was 12-10 to win and this year is 2-1 just to place! He is the best value horse in the race alongside his sister River Jetez.

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