There were a few worried faces come last Friday night after the running of the Gr2 Betting World 1900 as a host of Vodacom Durban July hopefuls failed to deliver on expectations, the one beaming face in the crowd that of Duncan Howells after Ten Gun Salute’s scintillating performance to cement his place in the July field.

There were excuses aplenty, many labelling the soft ground as the main culprit for some below par performances, but it was a race of contrasts.

As expected, the front-running Serissa did the donkey work but hardly set the track alight. On his tail and in the box seat throughout was stable companion Tilbury Fort. When Serissa fell away in the straight, Tilbury Fort was left with a clear run to the wire but stayed on for second rather than quicken. Last year’s Investec Derby winner and fourth in the July, It’s My Turn, ran a similar race but there looks to be plenty of meat left on that bone.

In stark contrast was the performance of Ten Gun Salute. He raced wide throughout and only had Mr Winsome behind him at the top of the straight. But when the button was pushed he quickened instantly past favourite Elusive Silva and swallowed up the rest of the opposition in a matter of strides.

Mr Winsome was also doing his best work late and Dean Kannemeyer must now be in two minds whether to take advantage of the final supplementary stage for the July.

Ten Gun Salute and Mr Winsome obviously revelled in the going but it was a particularly good effort from the winner who had been in a race against time to get ready for the race after pulling a back muscle when trailing in last in the Drill Hall Stakes two weeks prior.

Ten Gun Salute was one of the fancied runners in last year’s July and now a year older and assured of a place in the field, his current odds of 18-1 look fairly generous in spite of being cut from 25-1 after this victory.

Of the balance, Elusive Silva was running on well enough to suggest that he cannot be written off come July 1. This was his second outing after a lengthy break and he may just have come up flat on the night. Banner Hill, Prince Of Wales, Macduff, Master Switch, Copper Pot and Rocket Ball all have work to do.

Thirty minutes later Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nates ran a cracking July warm-up in an Allowance Plate. Winner, Crowd Pleaser, is smart in his own right and led all the way but Edict Of Nantes, giving the winner 6kg, was closing the gap quickly and did his July chances no harm at all. The race was switched to the poly surface and favourite Secret Captain found himself out-paced at the business end. He ran a similar race in the Daisy Guineas where he stayed on for second. He gets another bite at the cherry in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 but gives the impression that he is still immature and will be a better horse next season.

Last year’s winner, The Conglomerate, and Algoa Cup winner Nebula were up next in a Pinnacle Stakes, the latter showing his well-being after taking a heavy fall at his previous start. He will go the 2200m trip of the July for the first time come July 1 but on last Friday’s evidence he should see out the trip comfortably.

The Conglomerate was not asked many questions and has been relatively lightly raced this season. He raced handy throughout but was never in the hunt for the winner’s cheque as Anton Marcus nursed him home under a few back-handers. An each-way nibble at 33-1 may not be a sign of madness.

On Saturday at Turffontein, The Elmo Effect failed to feature in a Pinnacle Stakes event and his chances of making the July line-up look slim.

By Andrew Harrison

2017 Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting guide [as at 2:51pm May 29]:

11/2 Marinaresco; 6/1 Al Sahem; 8/1 Edict Of Nantes; 10/1 Black Arthur; 11/1 Elusive Silva; 12/1 Its My Turn; 16/1 Nebula, Ten Gun Salute; 18/1 Horizon; 20/1 Saratoga Dancer, The Conglomerate; 25/1 Krambambuli, Captain America; 28/1 Master Switch, Copper Force, Pagoda, Zodiac Ruler; 30/1 Brazuca; 33/1 Orchid Island, Africa Rising, Master Sabina, Bela-Bela, French Navy; 35/1 Tilbury Fort, Nightingale; 50/1 Liege; 80/1 Smiling Blue Eyes; 100/1 Girl On The Run, Safe Harbour, Silver Mountain, Witchcraft, Banner Hill, Trophy Wife; 150/1 Royal Badge; 200/1 Macduff; 300/1 The Elmo Effect;

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

Top Form has top weight but also well-named as far as his top poly track form is concerned. Charles Laird’s gelding teams up with regular rider Anton Marcus for the Itsarush.co.za Divided Handicap at Greyville tomorrow and can build on his recent run of success on the synthetic surface although he faces a stern test.

Back on the turf for the first time since November last year, Top form was run out of it late over the Scottsville 1100m, beaten just over three lengths by Attenborough, probably one of the more fancied runners in this coming Saturday’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Top Form (Nkosi Hlophe)

Prior to that however, Top Form had won three on the bounce over tomorrow’s course and distance, up with the pace throughout and finding plenty when it counted. He obviously enjoys the surface and although giving weight all round he looks a live contender.

The Australian-bred Professor Brian makes his poly debut and will be in receipt of 10 kg from Top Form which is a hefty amount of ‘pudding’ in anyone’s terms. Coupled with the fact that Joey Ramsden’s charge is unbeaten since gelding it is pretty obvious that Top Form will be up against it. However, this will be Professor Brian’s debut on the poly from a tricky draw which could just edge things the way of Top Form.

But there is a long list of possible winners with Waltzed Home and Kingston Boy the only two whose recent form suggests that they will battle in this race.

The Lightning Shot Bar is a popular on-course watering hole named after a former July winner and punters may need a couple of stiff ones to harden their resolve for the Lightning Shot Bar Handicap that has upset written all over it.

Dennis Drier could hold the whip hand with his pair of Lloyd’s Legacy and Rocky Valley as both were deemed good enough to be shipped to Cape Town for the Summer. But the stable did not enjoy the best of raids and while Lloyd’s Legacy obliged at second time of asking, Rocky Valley didn’t trouble the judges in two outings.

Kingston Boy (Nkosi Hlophe)

But Rocky Valley did show early promise, form that booked his place on the float to Cape Town, and he can redeem himself tomorrow. He was tossed in at the deep end in the Cape and after finishing down the field in the Lanzerac Ready To Run where he had the worst of the draw, he came home and was gelded.

He showed good pace in his first run back after a five-month spell when weakening late behind Purple Tractor at Scottsville and that run should have brought him on. If he realises some of his early promise he should be good enough to at least land a blow.

The Soccer 6 Handicap over 2000m is another tricky affair where the two sophomores Night Circus and Warfarer resume rivalry. The pair last met over course and distance with the latter coming out on top, beating Night Circus by over three lengths. Warfarer has since had a further two starts, both on the turf, and the switch back to poly could be what he’s looking for.

However, Night Circus has excellent poly form and is now 3kg better off at the weights which could see the tables turned. But all the runners in this nine-horse field warrant consideration and if the two young guns don’t pitch up to the party, any one of the seven older runners are in with chances.

By Andrew Harrison