The Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m is always one of the most exciting races of the SA Champions Season as the early speed at which sprinters travel can be seen from side on as they rush for the turn at Greyville and the best of them still manage to find another gear in the straight in the charge for home.

Professor Brian (Nkosi Hlophe)

Professor Brian is unbeaten in five runs as a gelding. He is usually held up and then simply mows the field down. His best assets are his superb turn of foot and big stride. He is officially not well handicapped in this conditions event as he is merit rated 91 and all horses on a 94 merit rating and lower carry 52kg. However, he has been taking giant steps from a lowly starting point of 58 and could defy the handicapper again. His hold up style means the draw of 12 will not be an insurmountable disadvantage.

Seventh Plain, a big long-striding bay gelding, looked something special when winning the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion as two-year-old over this trip at Scottsville and he followed up by winning the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.

He disappointed as a three-year-old but caught the eye in no uncertain terms in his second run as a gelding when staying on strongly for a 3,5 length third to London Call over 1100m at Scottsville. He was 1,5kg under sufferance with the winner that day and it was also his first run since returning from Cape Town.

He has landed a plum draw of four and off his 97 merit rating falls halfway between the top and the bottom of his 95-99 merit rated band in the conditions event.

The fillies always have an advantage in these races on paper. Joan Ranger off 101 is near the bottom of the 100 to 104 merit rated band but her 2,5 kg gender allowance gives her a shout over an ideal trip, although her tough draw of 14 will be particularly tough as she is a type who likes to be handy.

Brett Crawford-trained horses can never be ignored these days and the improved Search Party has a chance despite a draw of nine. The weights for the Post Merchants were set before the running of the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, where he was runner up but being raised from 106 to 109 has made no difference to his weight for this race as the 58kg band is for 105 to 109 ratings.

His stablemate Gulf Storm, fourth in the Tsogo Sun Sprint, remains on a 106 rating and considering he finished fourth in last year’s Gr 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over this course and distance he has a shout.

Talktothestars (Nkosi Hlophe)

Amazing Strike has always been well regarded and has turned the corner so is a runner over a suitable trip from a plum draw.

Barbosa ran a fine third in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and a repeat will see him have a chance as his 104 rating falls at the top of the 56kg band.

Captain’s Causeway’s 104 rating falls at the top of his band and he wasn’t disgraced in the Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Talktothestars was unlucky from a wide draw in the Mercury Sprint last year and now has a plum draw of three, although he has to give the whole field 2kgs and will need a reproduction of his penultimate start in the Computaform Sprint.

Lord Balmoral had some good form in Cape Town but has to bounce back from a disappointing Champions Season pipe opener at Scottsville.

Just As I Said is a speedy sort who has improved and, although his last start suggests the handicapper now has his measure, he is drawn in pole and can’t be ignored.

Redcarpet Captain has always been full of ability and has won his last two, both on the poly over this trip, but he has not raced since last September.

Top Form is course and distance suited but needs to bounce back from a thrashing by Professor Brian on the poly.

Captain Swarovski looks a bit high in the weights and was well beaten by Top Form last time he ran at Greyville, albeit on the poly.

Mr Roy was beaten in a lesser handicap the last time he tried this trip.

By David Thiselton

Marinaresco was yesterday reported in fine fettle and on course for the Vodacom Durban July despite his below-par effort in last Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge and being lumbered with top weight in the big one.

Marinaresco (Liesl King)

The four-year-old started favourite for the Gold Challenge but seemingly failed to pick up and finished with only four of the 15-strong field behind him. Rider Bernard Fayd’Herbe reported to the stipes that he felt something amiss although the consequent veterinary examination failed to reveal anything wrong.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “There was nothing amiss but I think the pace over a mile was a bit too hard for him and maybe he was racing a little bit too close to it for his liking. He is 100%.”

The stable’s Majorca winner Nightingale, who ran a fine race to take second to Just Sensual in the Tibouchina, could renew rivalry with the winner in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province but the July now looks more likely. “We are leaning towards that way at the moment,” said her trainer.

However Silver Mountain, who disappointed in the Tibouchina, has been retired. She was a runaway winner of last season’s Cape Fillies Guineas before taking fourth in the colts’ equivalent and second in the CTS Million Dollar.

Mrs Robinson said: “She was very good as a three-year-old but she wasn’t quite the same filly at four. Last Saturday she was travelling pretty well and, I don’t know if she hit a bad patch or what, but she was suddenly not travelling and Piere didn’t persevere with her. There was nothing wrong afterwards.”

Captain America (Liesl King)

The decision of the handicappers to raise Captain America’s merit rating by two points to 118 for his win in the Gold Challenge was responsible for Brett Crawford scratching the gelding from the Vodacom Durban July late on Monday afternoon.

Crawford said: “It meant a further kilo that Captain America would have had to give away to the rest of the field. With his distance limitations, and after discussing the matter with his owners, we decided it would be in the best interests of the horse to wait for the Champions Cup (July 29).

“This is basically a weight-for-age race and so he won’t be giving away heaps of weight. We felt we should scratch him early so that the public is aware of the position.”

The scratching came as a surprise to many, this writer included, but perhaps it shouldn’t have. Crawford told the April 19 edition of this page that a decision would be made after the Gold Challenge on whether Captain America ran in the July or waited for the Champions Cup.

Top weight in the July usually proves too great a cross to bear. Since El Picha in 2000 only Pocket Power, who dead-heated in 2008, has managed the feat.

By Michael Clower

June 20 [Tue] Final Field and Draw: Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws 

2017 Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting guide [as at 1:03pm June 13]:

5/1 Edict Of Nantes; 11/2 Al Sahem; 7/1 It’s My Turn; 15/2 Elusive Silva, Marinaresco, Black Arthur; 14/1 Horizon; 15/1 Ten Gun Salute, The Conglomerate; 20/1 Nightingale; 28/1 Pagoda, Saratoga Dancer; 30/1 Nebula, Krambambuli; 33/1 Coral Fever, Mr Winsome; 35/1 Bela-Bela, Safe Harbour, Master Sabina; 40/1 Tilbury Fort, French Navy; 50/1 Brazuca; 66/1 Master Switch, Liege; 150/1 Trophy Wife; 200/1 Witchcraft, Macduff; 250/1 The Elmo Effect, Girl On The Run, Banner Hill, Royal Badge;

Odds courtesy of www.trackandball.co.za and subject to change

Will ante-post 10-1 chance Black Arthur get into the Vodacom Durban July is the question which will be on the lips of many punters throughout this week?

Trainer Justin Snaith confirmed the classy son of Silvano would be “spot on” for the big day. He also spoke about his other three July runners, It’s My Turn, Krambambuli and Elusive Silva, and revealed the decision whether to run Bela-Bela in the July or Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes was still up in the air.

Black Arthur (Nkosi Hlophe)

Supporters of Black Arthur will be hoping for consistency from the final field selection panellists. In 2014 the panellists found a place for the crack three-year-old Futura, who was near the top of the July betting boards, but who had only managed third in the Cup Trial behind One Cool Dude and Serissa. The Brett Crawford-trained horse went on to become an Equus Horse Of The Year, but by that stage was yet to win a race at Graded or Listed level, although he had won four of his six career starts. Their decision was vindicated when Futura ran third in the July. Last year the panellists found a place for both The Conglomerate and Saratoga Dancer, who had finished third and fourth in the Cup Trial respectively, although the order was reversed after an objection. The decision was once again vindicated as they finished first and fifth in the July respectively.

Black Arthur, in fact, has remarkably similar form to that which The Conglomerate had at this time last year. Both were winners of the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas at Greyville as three-year-olds and both were unlucky to be just out of the placings in the July as three-year-olds. Both then failed to find a place in any of their following Cape Summer season starts and both were consequently given necessary gelding. They then had their first starts as geldings in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes where they both stayed on without being a threat. The Conglomerate then crossed the line fourth in the Betting World 1900 and third in the Cup Trial off a merit rating of 101 last year, while Black Arthur, on Saturday, finished third in the Cup Trial off a merit rating of 104. Neither The Conglomerate nor Saratoga Dancer put in the best performance in the Cup Trial of last year, but Black Arthur was the best performer in Saturday’s Cup Trial. He carried topweight and gave 3kg to the winner Elusive Silva, who beat him by 0,55 lengths, and 7kg to the runner up Crowd Pleaser, who beat him by 0,5 lengths.

Jockey Anthony Delpech told Snaith afterwards Black Arthur had just tired slightly in the closing stages, indicating he had only just needed it and would thus be spot on for the July.

Snaith said, “If he does not get in, I hope it is because they have found a good one and not just a horse who has no chance. Black Arthur is proven at Group level, he has had a perfect preparation and just about every punter out there knows he is a horse who can win the race.”

Futura’s inclusion in 2014 was made easier by the scratching of four horses who had been in the top 16 on the final July log, plus the scratching of one of the borderline horses.

Elusive Silva (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last year the field also cut up, but The Conglomerate and Saratoga Dancer were still included ahead of the like of Trophy Wife, who had recently won a Gr 2, albeit against her own gender, and narrow Summer Cup runner up and Gr 2 Peninsula Handicap third-placed Deo Juvente, who had admittedly pulled up in his final July preparation run in the Jubilee Handicap.

Meanwhile, Snaith said It’s My Turn had not run in another race after his third in the Betting World 1900 simply in order to protect his handicap mark. Off his current 106 merit rating, It’s My Turn will carry 1kg less weight than the 55kg he carried in last year’s July when finishing fourth as a three-year-old. Also, on Sun Met form It’s My Turn has the beating of Marinaresco at the weights and the latter is four points shorter in the betting than him.

Snaith believed Krambambuli deserved his lofty position on the July log after his places in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy and Gr 2 Peninsula, both over 1800 at Kenilworth, and his wins in the Gr 2 Cape Stayers over 2800m and Highland Night Cup over 2400m. He said this horse had been so well at home there had been no need to give him another run before the July.

He said the decision whether to run Bela-Bela in the July or the Jonsson’s Workwear Garden Province Stakes would be left entirely up to her owners and they would have to make the decision before the final declaration stage next Monday.

Snaith was pleased with Elusive Silva’s win in the Cup Trial, especially as he had lost his footing for a moment at the top of the straight. The latter fact was revealed by jockey Richard Fourie and the yard will keep a close eye on Elusive Silva to make sure the incident caused no ill effects.

Snaith will also run Sergeant Hardy in the Mercury Sprint after his good performance on Saturday and he confirmed the big three-year-old sprinter had “loved” Greyville.

By David Thiselton

The Vodacom Durban July pointer, the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m, heads an eight race card on Turffontein Standside on Sunday.

Sean Terry will attempt to qualify Liege for the big race. He last ran in the Summer Cup, where he stayed on for fourth from a handy position. He looks likely to prefer this slightly shorter trip and is sure to be fit enough. Flying Ice should be cherry ripe to deliver having now had enough time and races to fully acclimatise to the Highveld and over an ideal trip her sustained finish makes her ideally suited to this galloping course. The Elmo Effect has always caught the eye but was always considered to be a stayer until winning an 1800m event in March. That prompted a July entry and he now attempts to qualify from a good draw.

Liege (Nkosi Hlophe)

Fortissima looks fairly handicapped on her best form and has a plum draw and the class to earn over a trip short of her optimum. She should improve on her last start where she ran in steels. Bankable Teddy can win this race at the weights if reproducing his run behind Liege over 2000m last October, but he does have to bounce back to form. The long-striding Kitty’s Destiny is course and distance suited and should improve in his second run after a layoff. King’s Archer will be stretched by this distance but the going is fast at present and that might help him get home. .

The best bet comes in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1160m. Rivarine has his second run since returning from Cape Town and considering his speed and class he will be hard to beat over this fast course and distance.

In another Pinnacle Stakes race, for fillies and mares over 1400m, She’s A Giver is best in at the weights and should have come on from her run last weekend when going close against the boys. This is an ideal trip, although Wukkin’ Up runs well fresh and could be a threat.

The first is an intriguing affair as there is little to separate Whorly Whorly, So Var and Alfolk at the weights and they all look to have scope. Rebel’s Champ’s and Like Astair can’t be ignored either.

In race two the first timer Polar Vortex is by Western Winter and is a half-brother to last weekend’s Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Captain Splendid. Town Flyer looks the best of the raced horses.  In the third Zerodarkthirty performed well against two decent sorts in his first two starts, but Over Easy could improve and be a threat.

In the next race Shufoog is a speedily-bred Australian-bred and doesn’t face a vintage field.

In the last race Starret City looks to be a progressive type and might still be ahead of the handicapper.

By David Thiselton

Gareth van Zyl said his Gr 3 Cup Trial contestant Celtic Captain had recovered nicely from his 7,25 length ninth in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein, which was run on May 6, and he expected him to run to his ability on Saturday at Greyville. He believed the four-year-old Captain Al gelding would probably prefer this 1800m trip and hoped he could run a place.

He predicted Celtic Captain would get the decent pace he required with the front-running Crowd Pleaser in the field. Celtic Captain has always struck as one who is full of ability. He does sometimes take a keen hold, but in his last two turf starts, in the Umthombothi Stakes over 2000m at Greyville and in the Champions Challenge, he has settled well after finding cover.

He won the Unthombothi, but was being caught in the closing stages and his good turn of foot will likely be more effective over this slightly shorter trip. He was lowered two points for his Champions Challenge run to 103 and jumps from a tricky draw of six in the nine horse field.

Celtic Captain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Van Zyl scratched Celtic Captain from the Vodacom Durban July at first declarations and said he believed he was not quite good enough.

Van Zyl mentioned Trojan Harbour as one of his best runners on the day. This impressive Australian-bred specimen is a bay colt by Harbour Watch out of the Encosta De Lago mare Salma. Harbour Watch was unbeaten in three starts in England, including winning the Gr 2 Richmond Stakes for two-year-old males over six furlongs at Goodwood. No horse got within 2,25 lengths of him. Salma is a half-sister to Big Time (Danewin), who won four times from 1600m to 1900m including a Listed event.

Therefore, on pedigree Trojan Harbour should stay the 1400m of Saturday’s Listed Gatecrasher Stakes. Third time out he ran on well to win over 1000m at Greyville by two lengths going away and displayed a long elastic-like action. Van Zyl cited one of KZN’s most talked about horses, the Alistair Gordon-trained Monks Hood, as being “hard to beat”. However, an interesting collateral formline emerged on Wednesday.

Monks Hood’s 7,5 length runner up  Tom Collins was beaten 9,7 lengths by Concealed Secret over 1200m and the latter was the two length runner up to Trojan Harbour. That puts Trojan harbour ahead of Querari colt Monks Hood, but that is purely on paper as the latter was very impressive in his 1200m win at Scottsville and relish the step up in trip on pedigree. The Gatecrasher is a conditions event where there is effectively a 2kg penalty per win and Trojan Harbour gets 2kg from the two-time winners and has to give the maidens 2kg. He jumps from a plum draw of three.

Stable jockey Warren Kennedy rides both Celtic Captain and Trojan Harbour.

By David Thiselton

Captain America, the highest-rated horse on the Vodacom Durban July log, has been a significant mover in the market for Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

New Predator (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Brett Crawford six-year-old was a 7-1 chance when World Sports Betting posted its prices on Monday evening but within 24 hours he shortened to 11-2 joint second favourite with Bela-Bela.

New Predator has also been backed for Saturday’s Greyville Grade 1, from 9-1 to 6-1, but Marinaresco remains firm at 5-2 favourite despite being rated half a kilo below Captain America and despite only two horses justifying favouritism in this race in the last ten years – Pocket Power in 2009 and Variety Club in 2012 and 2013.

Joey Ramsden’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual was yesterday installed 18-10 favourite for the Tibouchina Stakes with stable companions Nightingale and Silver Mountain next on 6-1. Black Arthur heads the Cup Trial market at 2-1 with Elusive Silva second favourite at 28-10.

By Michael Clower

Justin Snaith believes the Equus champion filly Bela-Bela will have “her best chance” of beating the boys at weight for age Grade 1 level in Saturday’s Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m at Greyville.

The brilliant twice Gr 1-winning grey has taken on the boys before in last year’s Vodacom Durban July and this year’s Sun Met and was not at all disgraced, but Snaith is of the firm belief that a mile is her optimum trip. He said she had needed her last run in the Gr 1 SA fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville, where “she found a little bit of trouble”.

Justin Snaith & Bela-Bela (Tracy Robertson)

He added, “She is very well, she is spot on, she has a definite shout.”

Bela-Bela is well drawn in barrier four and will be ridden by Anthony Delpech, who partnered her to a Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas/Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 double last season.

Snaith concluded, “It is a rough race and I just hope she gets a clear run.”

Snaith also has Master Sabina in the race and this will be the dual Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup winner’s first run for the yard. He said he was doing well, but it was on the short side and a pole position draw would not help as he did not have the necessary early pace to hold his position over this trip. Maser Sabina is likely to be running on, but Snaith concluded by saying it would be a valuable preparation outing for the July.

The Snaith yard have an important date in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m as both Black Arthur and Elusive Silver will need big runs to earn their July berths.

Snaith believed Black Arthur was back to his best having suffered haemoconcentration problems before gelding. He was running on in the Drill Hall over 1400m in his first run as a gelding over too short a trip. Snaith said he was doing very well at home and everything had gone according to plan.

Snaith explained Elusive Silver’s disappointing run in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 was not at all his race and was due to the rain which caused him to miss important work.

“He could only canter for eight days,” he said.

To heighten the problem the race had then been run in testing going.

“He got a double whammy,” he said.

Bela-Bela (Liesl King)

Elusive Silver had previously been impressive when winning the Listed Sledgehammer over the Cup Trial course and distance. He showed a tremendous turn of foot in that race, which was his first outing since winning the Winter Derby ten months earlier. Snaith said he was in a better place now than he was going into the Sledgehammer.

He added, “He is a very nice horse. He will be good competition for Black Arthur at the weights and it will take a very good horse to beat our two.”

Richard Fourie has already been booked to ride Elusive Silva in the July, while Anthony Delpech “has always been a big fan of Black Arthur’s.” Delpech partnered Black Arthur to win last season’s Gr 2 Canon Guineas and they jump from a good draw of four in the nine horse field on Saturday. Elusive Silva has to jump from the extreme outside draw of nine.

Snaith runs Star Express in the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1400 metres and said it would be a bit on the short side for her. He said she had pulled up “foot sore” in Johannesburg. However, her feet have now been sorted it out. He expected her to run well and finish in the money, despite it partly being a preparation outing for the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes. Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides from a good draw of five.

Snaith mentioned Qing as a runner to look out for on the day. She runs in the Beach Beauty Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m. He had been confident of a good run from her in her SA Champions Season pipe opener, but said she had been hit by a clod and could not see for a few days.

He was also bullish about Sergeant Hardy in the Conubia/Phoenix Sun Durban Dash over 1100m, although did mention his eleven barrier position as being “a bit of a wide draw.” Snaith said the big Captain Al gelding had not liked Scottsville last time in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and also had a difficult task as a three-year-old off a 110 merit rating. He is now comfortably the best in at the weights in this three-year-old event and if he runs well will be aimed at the weight for age Gr 1 Mercury Sprint. Delpech rides him for the third time.

By David Thiselton