National champion trainer Sean Tarry, bidding to win a third Vodacom Durban July, is happy with his three charges but said all of them, Liege, Matador Man and Tilbury Fort, had a single question mark hanging over their heads respectively.

Matador Man has been scratched from the KZN Breeder’s Million Mile, where he was to defend his title, as the owners want to give the July “a serious shot.”

Liege

In the case of Liege, Tarry had to change his original preparation plan. He had intended to run him in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m and then do the rest of his July conditioning from his Summerveld satellite yard. However, a local KZN racing rule relating to horses returning from rests prevented him from running in that race. In his previous run at the end of November, he had won the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m. However, in the end he was forced to have his July preparation in a 1400m event at Turffontein, in which he finished a 12,4 length 9th.

Tarry said, “We were mindful of the fact he was drawn poorly and we didn’t want to use him up so we dropped him out and weren’t going to give him a hard time. He is a staying type who can lead over 2000m, so I am not concerned about it. He has put up pleasing gallops since, the reports from the jockeys have been very good and he is looking good.”

Ironically, Liege ran a below par race in the Victory Moon Stakes before winning the Summer Cup and Tarry confirmed, “Yes he can do that, so on paper that last run looks lacklustre but I am not too phased.”

Raymond Danielson won the Summer Cup aboard Liege so has been given the July ride.

There is no concern about Liege staying the trip. The five-year-old gelding is one of three horses in the race who will attempt to give former July winner Dynasty a second July winner as a sire.

Tarry opted to keep Liege at Randjesfontein to prepare him after the Gold Challenge option fell through.

Stamina is the one concern about Matador Man.

However, Tarry said, “He was running on strongly in the 1900 so that gives confidence he can go a bit further. If he does get the trip he will be finishing strongly.”

Matador Man (Candiese Marnewick)

This four-year-old Toreador gelding loves Greyville and followed his Million Mile win with a strong-finishing third place finish in last season’s Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m.

Tarry is not concerned by the wide draws of Liege (18) and Matador Man (15), but is concerned by Tilbury Fort’s wide draw (20).

He said, “Tilbury Fort has had the best preparation, he hasn’t put a foot wrong. He has certainly been on the up since gelding and I hope he can improve a bit more. But he is the one about whom I’m most worried about the draw. He can come from off them, but not from last. We will see how it pans out, but he is not the sort you can bustle or hunt for a position. You have to let it unfold smoothly with him.”

This four-year-old by Horse Chestnut ran in last year’s July and finished a six length 14th.

S’Manga Khumalo was aboard Matador Man when he won his penultimate start over 1600m at Turffontein so Tarry has put him back on.

National Champion Jockey elect Lyle Hewitson will stay aboard Tilbury Fort.

Tarry concluded by saying it would have been perfect if Social Order had also got in but he was nevertheless happy with his team of three.

By David Thiselton

A bumper crowd turned out on a chilly Durban morning to watch the Vodacom Durban July gallops and the general consensus after the gallops was, “well we’ve seen the winner, but which one was it?”
The majority of the runners did little more than go through the motions but it did give spectators a close-up preview of their fancies.

Jeff Lloyd was given a rousing welcome by the gallery and Made To Conquer will be a sentimental choice.

Rocket Countdown was first out of the blocks with big race jockey Stuart Randolph aboard and did little more than a steady half-pace.

Ruling favourite African Night Sky is a bull of a horse and will have little trouble lumping the 57.5kg he has been set to carry next Saturday. He did little more than a steady canter but looked in superb condition.

By Richard McMillan

The BMW Politician winner Doublemint has been installed 2-1 favourite to give Justin Snaith his third consecutive winner of the Highlands Stud Winter Derby at Kenilworth on Saturday. Leading Vodacom Durban July contenders Elusive Silva and African Night Sky were the other two.

Rock My Soul

World Sports Betting also goes 4-1 Rock My Soul and Spring Man, 9-2 Ancestry, 7-1 Love Happens, 14-1 Ballad Of The Sea, Power Tower, 20-1 Cape Extreme, 25-1 Pacific Chestnut and Man About Town.

The Joey Ramsden-trained Fresnaye, who side-stepped the race to stick to her own sex in the Winter Oaks, is odds-on at 13-20 while the unbeaten Vaughan Marshall-trained One World heads the Langerman market at 18-10 and Santa Clara is also 18-10 favourite for the Irridiscence.

Punters have been waiting for Brave Move for the last two months because she keeps winning with something in hand and Aldo Domeyer’s mount is 5-2 favourite to make it five in a row in the Ladies Mile.

BLOB Yesterday’s meeting at Durbanville had to be abandoned shortly after 9.00am following 19mm of rain that left parts of the course waterlogged.

By Michael Clower

Highveld trainer Paul Peter said having a runner in the Vodacom Durban July was a dream come true and he and jockey Callan Murray were both confident of the chances of the yard’s charge Majestic Mambo.

The strapping Mambo In Seattle colt did his July gallop at Turffontein earlier this week and Murray was “very pleased” with the work.

Paul Peter

Peter said Majestic Mambo had come out of his second place finish in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 “very well” and had “actually improved” since then.

He displayed his usual devastating turn of foot from the back that day and was flying at the finish, losing by just 0,75 lengths to the top class Highveld horse Surcharge.

That race pointed to the three-year-old male strength this year lying in the Highveld as they had four of the best from the Cape, Tap O’ Noth, Do It Again, White River and Pack Leader behind them.

There were some groans from the audience on Tuesday in Greyville’s Classic Room when Majestic Mambo drew wide in 19.

However, Peter said, “The draw is not so bad for this type of horse, he doesn’t want to be cramped, so I am not too perturbed.”

He added, “We are going in with a lot of confidence. We are really happy so please God he travels down well and everything goes well before the race. He is in with a big shout.”

There is a chance Majestic Mambo could run in a famous set of colours in the July as a sale with a big South African owner was being negotiated at the time of going to press.

Peter has another Grade 1 runner on the day in Folk Dance, a classy three-year-old filly by Tiger Ridge, who runs in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m. She ran below par last time in the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1400m last time out but Peter said she had not travelled down well on that occasion and had knocked herself in the float. She won the Grade 3 Fillies Mile by three lengths on Sansui Summer Cup day to stamp herself as one of the best of her crop, but since then has had to deal with a succession of tough draws, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, fifth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m and fourth in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m. She now at last has a plum draw of two, which is important for her as she likes to lie handy before using her telling kick in the straight. The likely favourite Snowdance has drawn pole position and as this horse is usually a front-runner, the race could pan out well for Folk Dance. She has the added bonus of Piere Strydom aboard.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith was thrilled to have drawn barrier position ten for the Vodacom Durban July’s hot favourite African Night Sky. He will come into position nine if the second reserve runner Crowd Pleaser, who drew pole position, comes out and Snaith believed that was the perfect draw for the July. He explained he would then likely end up with an option of going outward in the straight. Three of his other runners, Elusive Silva, Do It Again and Made To Conquer, drew double figure barrier positions, while his filly Star Express drew nine. However, he was pleased with this outcome and said. “I don’t like being on the inside in the July with all the jostling, I’ve been there and done that, my horses prefer being away from the trouble.”

Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)

Glen Kotzen has one runner in the field proper, Gold Standard, as well as the first reserve Pack Leader and they drew six and 17 respectively. Hugo Hattingh part-owns Gold Standard and owns Pack Leader. Kotzen said, “Hugo did a good thing by drawing six for Gold Standard. Gold Standard has come right back to his best and when he is at his best he is as good as any and certainly better than this field.”

Paul Lafferty’s Dark Moon Rising drew well in three and he said, “I am only concerned about there being no pace. I think he is the horse to beat. If you look at the two favourites, African Night Sky and Do It Again, they have both flopped when running in Grade 1s.”

Robert Fayd’Herbe said about Rocket Countdown’s draw of five, “You can’t not be pleased with that draw. It is not the strongest field and he stays well. The Cape Town three-year-olds are always finishing on top of each other so he is not badly weighted and has a chance.”

Duncan Howells was “over the moon” with Fiorella’s draw of eight. He said, “I think with a faster pace she could have done even better (than a half-a-length second) in the Woolavington 2000 and Muzi also felt if he had gone earlier she could have done better. Everything is on song, she is exceptionally well, and will give a very good account of herself.”

Brett Crawford said about White River’s draw of 13, “I would have preferred lower but it’s ok.” Asked whether the three-year-old by Trippi had improved with gelding, he replied, “He has certainly shown that he has improved in his work at home, so we will see how he goes in his gallop on Thursday. I think he has as good a chance as Edict Of Nantes had last year.” The latter finished a 0,35 length third last year.

By David Thiselton

A MR 80 Handicap over 1600m heads a low key card on the Vaal Classic track tomorrow.

Lord Silverio is a talented sort and had too much ground to make up last time over 1800m. The step down in trip is probably not ideal but from a much better draw he is likely to be closer to the pace and can mow them down.

Lord Silverio (JC Photographics)

Alssakhra met Mambo Symphony over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track on May 20 and was beaten 2,3 lengths by him. He is now only 1kg better off and if apprentice claims are included is 7kg worse off. A 4kg apprentice rode him that day and the same claimer is now on Mambo Symphony. However, Alssakhra is now being ridden by the maestro Piere Strydom. Strydom is a known good judge of pace and is tailor made for front-running types like Alssakhra. Furthermore, he has a good draw of three and the prevailing fast going should also be suitable. The Seventh Rock gelding is coming off a good performance in a Graduation Plate where he was beaten 2,55 lengths by the 101 merit rated Royal Crusade. He was receiving 3kg that day but is back in a handicap off an 85, so if he repeats that run he should be right there. The downside is he has had quite a tough campaign, which included a trip down to Durban to be pacemaker for stablemate Majestic Mambo in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

Mambo Symphony was caught wide without cover for most the way last time over this distance on the Turffontein Inside course. He now has a 4kg claimer up, so will make his presence felt if it pans out better from a draw of seven out of 12.

Bush Pilot is drawn in pole and is ideally distance suited. He can earn again if repeating his penultimate start.

Miss Bulsara is a full-sister to the Graded winner Bulsara and ran a good race over 2000m last time. This is likely a touch sharp but she is improving in the typical style of a four-year-old Silvano filly and could make her presence felt with a 4kg claimer up.

Querari Viking is 4kg better off with Mambo Symphony for a 4,1 length beating on their meeting on May 1 over this trip, but the latter will have improved further being still a three-year-old so Querari Viking has a tough task from draw ten.

In the last race over 1800m Dawn Flight showed she is competitively handicapped at present when going close over this trip on the Vaal Inside track 16 days ago. She now has a plum draw and runs off the same mark so should get it right under a jockey she runs well for, S’Manga Khumalo. Empress Valley beat her last time by 0,2 lengths despite casting a shoe so will have a fine chance again from pole position, despite being 1kg worse off. The dark horse in this race is White Out, despite her having been well beaten by the aforementioned pair last time. She did not have much luck in that race but is capable of a strong finish and gets on well with Karl Zechner, so if it pans out well from a wide draw she should be charging home late.

By David Thiselton

There were the usual aggrieved parties after the announcement of the Vodacom Durban July field in the Classic Room at Greyville yesterday and this time it centred around the omission of Pack Leader, who was chosen instead as first reserve.

Trainer Glen Kotzen pointed out Pack Leader had Grade 1 form, having run in four Grade 1s in his career, including two third places, the latest one being in the Investec Cape Derby when finishing two lengths behind July second favourite Do It Again, from whom he receives 1kg in the July.

Pack Leader

Owner Hugo Hattingh said Pack Leader had just been “coming into himself”. He revealed, in order “to put it into perspective”, huge money had been offered for Eyes Wide Open from an overseas party after his Cape Derby victory and the same amount had been offered for Pack Leader at the same time. Both offers were turned down. Monetary concerns are of no concern of the final field panelists and in their defence, Pack Leader’s disappointing sixth place finish in the Grade 1 Daily News was always going to put him under pressure for a July spot. He was unlucky in that race but luck should not be a factor either. Matador Man’s unlucky run in the WSB 1900 should also not have been of concern and he finished a 2,75 length third in that Grade 2 event. It was deemed better form than Pack Leader’s 3,75 length third in the Cape Derby and his 3,5 length sixth in the Daily News. Matador Man also has a stamina doubt, so his excellent form at Greyville was probably what counted in his favour.

Kotzen did make the valid point that in the Listed Sledgehammer, when having a preparation run and beaten a short-head, Pack Leader had beaten Dark Moon Rising by 0,75 length when giving him 1,5kg and he was now due to face him at level weights, not to mention that if weight for age changes were taken into account Pack Leader would in effect be 3kg better off in the July.

However, Paul Lafferty, trainer of Dark Moon Rising, responded by pointing out the Sledgehammer was only a Listed event and had just been a preparation run for his charge. He also pointed out he had been finishing like a train and added, “If Pack Leader does get in to the July we will race him for a car.” Lafferty did not specify what make of car it would be.

Dark Moon Rising (Candiese Marnewick)

Dark Moon Rising is certainly a progressive sort, like most progeny of Ideal World, and he will relish the step up in trip. His eye-catching finishes in both the Sledgehammer and WSB 1900 came behind unsuitably slow paces. He only failed by half-a-length in the 1900, a Grade 2 event. Lafferty makes Dark Moon Rising the horse to beat in the July and his only concern is the perceived lack of pace.

Another question raised was how two horses from the Jubilee Handicap formline, Yakeen and Tilbury Fort, had made it into the final field despite being under sufferance in the weights. The winner of that race, Yakeen, is 2,5kg under sufferance and Tilbury Fort is half-a-kilogram under sufferance.

“I remember winning the Jubilee with a horse who had won four out of six and he didn’t get into the July,” grumbled one trainer. Indeed last year’s Jubilee Handicap winner Coral Fever did not get into the July.

However, in the panellists’ defence Coral Fever has proven them mightily wrong this season as he is this season’s July topweight. Furthermore, Yakeen is a progressive three-year-old who is improving all the time and once he was included it was tough to leave Tilbury Fort out, considering the latter ran to the same rating and is better weighted in the July.

Pack Leader will need a horse to be scratched before 8:15 a.m. next Friday in order to get in and the connections of second reserve Crowd Pleaser will be hoping for two scratchings.

By David Thiselton

july final field

One of the most competitive Vodacom Durban July fields for some years, that will go to battle over 2 200m at Greyville in Durban on July 7, was unveiled at the special function at Greyville yesterday.

While the winners of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met – Legal Eagle and Oh Susanna – will not be in action as a matter of choice by their connections, the field to face the starter on the day contains many top performers in the country’s important races including the winner’s of the Premier’s Champion Challenge, the Sansui Summer Cup, the Cup Trial, World Sports Betting 1900, the Daisy Guineas and Daisy Fillies Guineas, the Jubilee Handicap, Lonsdale Stirrup Cup and South African Oaks.

In many cases the runners-up in those races will also be in action which will ensure a high-quality group of the country’s thoroughbreds and a race that could be a lot more open than the short price odds on offer on favourite African Night Sky might suggest.

As expected, Cape trainer Justin Snaith will have a busy day with five runners to saddle and his Highveld counterpart, Sean Tarry, will be kept busy preparing three runners for the race. But only one of the eight runners from the two stables, the Snaith-trained Silvano mare Star Express, has drawn a pen inside barrier 10 with stable companion and big race favourite, African Night Sky, filling the 10 berth.

The draws for the other Snaith runners are Elusive Silver (14), Do It Again (16) and Made To Conquer (12).

The Tarry runners did not fare well at all in the draw with Sansui Summer Cup winner Liege drawing at 18, Matador Man at 15 and Tilbury Fort at 20.

With second reserve runner Crowd Pleaser drawing on the rail, the former Highveld Triple Crown winner Abashiri from the Mike Azzie stable got the best draw at two and is likely to jump from the inside berth on the day with trainer Paul Lafferty drawing the number three berth for his Ideal World gelding, Dark Moon Rising.

There were no surprise exclusions from the field which basically fell in line with the betting on the race. Of the top 23 in the betting, the only runners excluded were Platinum Prince, 22-1, and Royal Crusade at 33-1.

With the announcement of the final field and the draws, the betting for the race could well change considerably, particularly when the names of the seven missing jockeys, including that for favourite African Night Sky, are announced.

The official and compulsory public gallops at Greyville for the Vodacom Durban July runners will take place from 7am on Thursday with horses still stabled out of the area having to complete a filmed and timed gallop in the area they are stabled which can be aired on Tellytrack on Thursday.

The gallops will be followed by a panel discussion on the gallops and views of the panelists on how they see the big race panning out on July 7.

By Richard McMillan

Featured Image: Coral Fever (JC Photographics)

The ability to act in soft ground could be crucial at Durbanville tomorrow when ten millimetres of rain are forecast for the morning – and this puts a question mark over Celestial Storm in the TAB Telebet Maiden.

Greg Cheyne’s mount is the type of speedy horse that is made for the country course, the sort that can shoot straight into the lead, skim round the turns and sprint for home. But what happened at Philippi last week has filled Riaan van Reeenen with doubt.

Greg Cheyne

“She is a decent filly and normally her sand work is good,” he relates. “She was going well the other day but there was a wet patch and she faltered when she went across it so I am a bit hesitant.”

What happened is not conclusive but it’s a useful hint and suggests that Celestial Storm is short enough at 28-10. In the circumstances the vote goes to Winter Five who opened at 5-2 with World Sports Betting and has finished second in soft ground on her last two starts. She is out of an Irish mare by Rock Of Gibraltar who won a Group I when it was almost unraceable. Vodka Lime, who has also run well in soft ground, is an obvious danger at 7-2.

The Candice Bass-Robinson pair Go Snow Girl and Happy Girl dominate the market for the opening Fillies Maiden Juvenile and dispute favouritism at 5-2. It is surely significant that Aldo Domeyer partners the former, a six length-third to runaway winner Helen’s Ideal who runs in the Irridescence on Saturday. Mulan and Marmalade Sky were miles behind. Worth noting is 5-1 shot Creme De Menthe as she was not disgraced in decent company last time yet Grant Behr came in reporting that he felt there was something not right.

The connections of Black Indy were toying with the idea of going for Saturday’s Langeman so that is a tip in itself in the Tabonline Maiden Juvenile and there is a line of form that puts the 5-2 favourite in front of Sacred Night (28-10). The latter is badly drawn but is clearly on the upgrade and gets a tentative vote. Riding arrangements also point to the chance of Carlas Mambo here.

Blue Roller, second on all three starts, is odds-on to go one better in the Betting World Maiden but gets the vote only because 2-1 shot Black Sail is drawn wide. This one met with interference last time and had Giant Flag and Captainofthesea well behind.

By Michael Clower

Dean Kannemeyer had an important 10 o’clock phone call yesterday morning with Fred Crabbia, owner of It’s My Turn, and the latter instructed him to run the five-year-old Dynasty gelding in the Vodacom Durban July.

This was bad news for the borderline horses as It’s My Turn won Saturday’s Grade 3 Track and Ball Derby in good fashion and panellists will have to seriously consider him for the July final field.

Dean Kannemeyer

He finished a 2,35 length fourth in the July as a three-year-old and a 1,4 length eight last year, both times carrying 55,5kg, so those results will count in his favour as he only carries 55kg this year.

The one statistic which will count against him was the strength of the field on Saturday, as he was well in at the weights.

On the other hand he won comfortably by 2,25 lengths. Kannemeyer said It’s My Turn had pulled up well. The competition for places in this year’s July is tighter than ever.

The horses who have certainly booked their places are African Night Sky, Do It Again, Majestic Mambo, Elusive Silva and Coral Fever, while those who have likely booked a place are Fiorella, Made To Conquer, Abashiri, Secret Potion and Liege. That leaves eight places to be fought out by 28 horses who, in ante-post betting order, are Tilbury Fort, Dark Moon Rising, White River, Pack Leader, Platinum Prince, Yakeen, Royal Crusade, It’s My Turn, Cascapedia, Gold Standard, Crowd Pleaser, Star Express, Matador Man, Rocket Countdown, Ngaga, Social Order, Head Honcho, Sabina’s Dynasty, Perovskia, Strathdon, Flichity By Farr, The Slade, Glider Pilot, Mambo Mime, Girl On The Run, Roy Had Enough, Deo Juvente and Roy’s Riviera.

The easiest of those to eliminate are Glider Pilot, The Slade, Roy’s Riviera, Girl On The Run, Mambo Mime and Deo Juvente. Those whose last runs made them logical targets for elimination include Perovskia and Flichity By Farr.

Social Order’s fourth place in the Jubilee and Head Honcho’s fourth in the Cup Trial would have dented their chances, while Matador Man’s third in the WSB 1900 might not be good enough, despite him having been unlucky. Platinum Prince could also be eliminated on those grounds as he was beaten by Social Order in the King’s Cup, by Matador Man in the WSB 1900 and his subsequent third in the Cup Trial might not have been enough.

It’s My Turn (Liesl King)

That leaves 16 fighting it out for eight places.

The chief difficulty for the panellists will be assessing class versus good handicap performance, because after all the race is a handicap of sorts.

Those who have performed well in Grade 1 events during the season are White River, Star Express, Pack Leader, Gold Standard, Royal Crusade and Roy Had Enough. Some of these have not been placed in those events, but did perform to a high rating.

Among the above’s final sixteen Yakeen, Star Express (Grade 3 Victress Stakes), It’s My Turn,  Sabina’s Dynasty (Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes) and Cascapedia (Garde 3 London News Stakes) have won Graded events this season. Yakeen won the traditional July qualifying race, the Jubilee Handicap, but last year the winner of that race was left out of the July. If Yakeen does get in it will be difficult to leave Tilbury Fort out, who finished a shorthead behind him and ran to the same rating.

Dark Moon Rising finished second in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 and Crowd Pleaser was second in the Grade 3 Cup Trial, both traditional July pointers, Rocket Countdown finished second in the first two legs of the Cape Winter series and Strathdon finished a narrow second in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.

The prediction for the final 18 in weight order is: Coral Fever, Abashiri, African Night Sky, Elusive Silva, Liege, Cascapedia, Star Express, It’s My Turn, Do It Again, Majestic Mambo, Fiorella, White River, Pack Leader, Tilbury Fort, Yakeen, Dark Moon Rising, Made To Conquer and Secret Potion. Gold Standard and Roy Had Enough were the toughest to leave out as they were both staying on in eye-catching style in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and ran to ratings of roundabout 115.

By David Thiselton