It was on last Wednesday’s strike-ridden morning at Summerveld that Justin Snaith realised that Do It Again could be the pick of his five runners in the Vodacom Durban July.

“I rode 12 horses that day but he was the only one of the July five that I actually rode work on. When you ride them yourself you really get a feel and I just knew,” he related. “I thought he was really impressive and I immediately rang my brother Jonathan to tell him. Do It Again is not an easy horse to get right but we were able to do so on the right day this time.

“It was our race to lose on Saturday and the slow early pace didn’t matter to Do It Again. He is on the up and he has been showing signs of becoming a top horse. As regards the future, we will talk to the owners and then decide.”

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

The 9-1 chance was Snaith’s third July winner – Dancer’s Daughter dead-heated with Pocket Power ten years ago and in 2014 Legislate got the race in the boardroom – but this time he also sent out the second, third and fifth. It was a record-breaking fifth July win for Anton Marcus who made light of his considerable achievement, preferring to give credit to the Northfields-bred son of Twice Over, saying: “Records are pictures on walls but this horse has got a very bright future ahead of him.”

There is a brass plaque in the pagoda in the Greyville parade ring inscribed in the memory of ‘Benjamin Jonsson, 24 July 1929- 15 February 2018 – a life dedicated to horseracing.’ This polite, distinguished-looking man would have been proud of the horse who is owned by his son Nick in partnership with Jack Mitchell and Bernard Kantor. The last-named was understandably thrilled, declaring: “Winning this race means everything. Forget about the Derby, this is home turf and there is only one July.”

For Grant van Niekerk, though, the race turned into a living nightmare. African Night Sky, for so long the obvious winner, hated being restrained and fought for his head. “I was hoping the pace would hot up but they just went slower and slower,” the favourite’s rider reported. “I thought that if I went on he would settle but he is a horse who comes from behind.”

Many of those who tore up their betting slips went home convinced that those rumours last week that the horse had suffered a setback must have been true after all. Indeed they were staggered to see the favourite’s Tote odds rise to a scarcely credible 6-1 just five minutes before the off. But Snaith, the one man in a position to know, dismissed all such suggestions, saying: “He was 100%. If there had been anything wrong with him he wouldn’t have run fifth. It was just that he over-raced.”

Others were more worried about Abashiri. The Triple Crown winner was pulled up before the line and was loaded into a horsebox, very obviously lame on his left fore. I saw some racegoers turn away in tears, clearly expecting to hear the fatal crack of the humane killer.

But, thankfully, Adam Azzie was able to report a couple of hours later: “He did a suspensory but he is going to be alright and in a couple of months we will decide whether he races again or is retired.”

The race itself, or rather the start, made a little bit of history because it was the first July in more than 30 years for which the stalls were opened manually. Repeated attempts to find the cause of the electrical failure in certain sections resulted in a 13-minute delay and saw the starter pulling a lever to open the gates rather than pressing a button.

By Michael Clower

The Triple Crown hero Abashiri damaged a suspensory ligament in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July and was pulled out of the race in the straight by jockey Piere Strydom.

Abashiri

It is the end of the star gelding’s racing career.

The good-looking chestnut will spend a week in hospital and will then enjoy a likely pampered retirement being looked after by his trainer Mike Azzie and family.

He won six races in 19 starts and earned R4,289,250 in stakes.

He is by the Lammerskraal Stud sire Go Deputy and was also bred by Lammerskraal.

He was purchased for R400,000 at the 2014 National Yearling Sales.

Gold Circle’s Tote turnover for Saturday’s event was 7% down on last year but they were nevertheless pleased as it had come on the back of two increases in turnover in the previous two years and the July was also competing this year with two World Cup football quarter-final matches.

By David Thiselton

The Vodacom Durban July as I saw it: Anton Marcus

“Down at the start, when it was delayed, one or two of the other horses were getting a bit warm but Do It Again was nice and relaxed.

“I didn’t have a game plan as such going into the race but I was concerned that it was going to be devoid of pace and I was towards the rear early on. However, when African Night Sky started over-racing everything just fell into place. I had a trouble-free passage and a trouble-free run in transit, and this probably made the difference to the horse. I was able to keep him balanced and keep him in a rhythm, and for me that was the most important thing. Indeed on this course it was paramount and it meant I was able to keep him out of trouble.

“Going into the final turn I wanted to get him mobile so I started riding. I thought he would take a while to unwind – I knew he wasn’t going to come home in 22 seconds!  When I joined Made To Conquer I was slightly concerned because he is a fighter but when we passed him I knew we had put it to bed.”

By Michael Clower

They went in fully loaded with a team of five and emerged the victors in the annual racing spectacle at Greyville in Durban where they filled the first three places in the R4.25-million Vodacom Durban July.

It was mission accomplished for the powerful and very popular Justin Snaith racing team from the Cape that planned it’s July racing season in KwaZulu-Natal around Africa’s greatest racing event where jockey Anton Marcus partnered the three-year-old Twice Over gelding Do It Again that led the Snaith attack across the line ahead of Made To Conquer and Elusive Silva with race favourite African Night Sky filling fifth place.

It was a result reminiscent of the halcyon days of Terrance Millard who twice saddled the July trifecta back in the 1980’s. It was a result that confirmed the strength of the Snaith stable with Justin confirming his status as South African champion trainer elect for the current season.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

It was also a result that thwarted veteran jockey Jeff Lloyd from finally adding the famous race to his portfolio. Lloyd had travelled back to South Africa from his new home in Australia for a final bid to win the race which had eluded him all his riding career. Lloyd has indicated he could be retiring at the end of the year.

But “The Guv” gave everything he had on the Dynasty gelding Made To Conquer and almost pulled it off until Marcus brought Do It Again down the outside of the field with a sustained finishing burst to snatch the glory. Speaking after the race Marcus said he had a trouble-free run throughout and saw the favourite African Night Sky “over racing” at the head of the field which gave him confidence. Lloyd had Made To Conquer right up with the pace and the four-year-old kept going strongly to the line.

For former Highveld Triple Crown winner Abashiri, however, it could be the end of the road. He was pulled out of the race early in the home straight by jockey Piere Strydom after the five-year-old suffered a near-fore tendon injury.

The July result was an outstanding performance for the Snaith stable but the day was not without its disappointments. Their boom filly Snowdance that had been touted by the yard as virtually unbeatable in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, was beaten a whisker on the line, ironically by the Western Winter filly Redberry Lane from the stable of outgoing champion trainer Sean Tarry ridden by champion jockey elect, apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

The beautiful daughter of Captain Al suffered her third defeat since arriving in KwaZulu-Natal but was not disgraced and will undoubtedly prove she is the star they believe her to be in the future.

The disappointment will have slightly dampened the euphoria of the Vodacom Durban July success but they will be pleased with the quality of their racing stock and will be looking for the festival of racing on eLAN Gold Cup Day at Greyville at the end of the month.

Earlier in the day, jockey Keagan de Melo got the Querari gelding Head Honcho from the Andre Nel stable first across the line in the Grade 3 Betting World 2200, the race that traditionally hosts many runners that were not included in the premier event. The fancied Captain Al colt Crowd Pleaser had set the pace with Head Honcho in close attendance but in the final battle to the line Head Honcho just got the result.

The five-year-old Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn completed the stayers double when he stormed home under Anton Marcus to win the Grade 3 Dstv Gold Vase over 3 000m with Marcus saying afterwards that his only concern before the race was that there would not be a good pace and it would not be a true test of stamina.

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer said the five-year-old had a “touch of class” about him and had won very well.

The two Grade 2 juvenile races, the Samsung Golden Slipper for fillies and the Durban Golden Horseshoe were both won by fancied runners, the Slipper by the Sean Tarry-trained daughter of Captain Al, Celtic Sea, and the Horseshoe by the Gimmethegreenlight colt Barahin from the Mike de Kock yard.

Barahin, bred by the South African Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein operation just got the better of his more fancied stable companion Soqrat that was bred in Australia. They are both owned by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum and were described by De Kock as “two very good horses”. As young horses with great potential, they have bright futures and could well be sent to campaign overseas at the end of this season.

With bright sunshine and a massive crowd, Vodacom Durban July Day 2018 proved another major success with the betting turnovers on major bets reaching expected levels in spite of the current quieter economic conditions.

By Richard McMillan

The July in Jozi meeting at the Turffontein Standside track is an exciting one to attend and starts off with some good class juvenile events over 1400m.

In the first of them Green Haze could upset two more high profile horses in Bold Eagle and Cirillo.

Bold Eagle (JC Photographics)

Green Haze was stepped up to this 1400m trip last time in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes at Greyville. He took a while to get going in the straight but at the finish was running on in eyecatching style for a 3,25 length second to the exciting R2,6 million Gimmethegreenlight colt Barahin, who is the second favourite for the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over this trip at Greyville. Green Haze runs at level weights with Cirillo and receives 4kg from Bold Eagle. He has a tricky draw of six in the seven horse field but can be dropped out before staying on.

Bold Eagle can be forgiven his last disappointing 1,7 length fourth in the SA Nursery when starting 16/10 favourite. He missed his intended next start, the Grade 1 Gold Medallion, so there was clearly something amiss. He is laid back type who possesses a good turn of foot and he is bred to go this trip and more so can bounce back from a fair draw. Cirillo beat Bold Eagle in the Nursery but before that was beaten by him over 1100m despite receiving 5kg. He beat a maiden field easily last time over 1160m and the form has been franked. He should enjoy this trip being by Pomodoro. It looks to lie between those three and should be an exciting tussle.

In the next race the exciting Return Flight takes on some good fillies and has to give them all 2kg. She has put a combined margin of 19,5 lengths between herself and the opposition in her last two starts and has done it pretty effortlessly. She is a front-running sort so has an ideal pole position draw for her style and she can make it a hattrick. Railtrip has caught the eye as a progressive sort and she was extending when thrashing them by 4.5 lengths in a maiden when stepped up to this 1400m last time. She has plenty of scope for improvement and looks to be a lively threat. Dagmar can also make her presence felt, having run a good fifth in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson last time. She has pace but should stay this trip on pedigree so in the fast conditions could attempt to run then off their feet. Saints Alive won easily last time in the maidens and could earn. La Lucia won well on debut and is another contender, although she has a tough draw. Storm Destiny can’t be ignored either after a good win on debut.

Johannesburg fans could be cheering after the big one as Majestic Mambo is topped to use his electric turn of foot from behind and mow them down. Do It Again was a bit flat last time out in the Daily News and looks the main danger. African Night Sky is well weighted on his Met run and has enjoyed a fine preparation. White River has improved with gelding, especially temperamentally and should be right there. Made To Conquer is a laid back classy type who has more to come and has Greyville expert Jeff Lloyd up, Dark Moon Rising is tipped to also fill one of the first six places and Matador man and Coral Fever should be included in the wider exotic plays.

It should be a fun filled day so make your way to Turffontein.

By David Thiselton

It’s been seven years since last a three-year-old filly won the Vodacom Durban July and only two have been victorious this century. Both Igugu in 2011 and Ipi Tombe in 2002 were trained by Mike de Kock and went on to race successfully on the international stage, an indication of their class. Prior to that the last sophomore filly to win was Migraine in 1957. So the Duncan Howells-trained Fiorella has a lot of history against her when she lines up at Greyville tomorrow.

In her favour is that she is backed by solid form in a field that offers opportunity. A glance at bookmaker’s prices sees an 18-horse field sandwiched between 26-10 and 40-1 which gives an indication that this is anyone’s race.

Fiorella has had a perfect build-up and has been the surprise package in Champions Season. She started her run with a close-up fourth in the SA Fillies Classic at Turffontein and Howells is on record saying that she was not at her peak that day and still had improvement in her.

Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)

That assessment proved to be on the mark when she up-staged hot favourite Snowdance in the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas. There were excuses for Snowdance that day but she followed up with an arguably unlucky second in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge which franked Fiorella’s Fillies Guineas form.

Next up for Fiorella was the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 where Gr1 Sun Met winner Oh Susanna was all the rage. Oh Susanna was the first three-year-old filly to win the Met in over a century and was expected to doddle the race.

With a furlong to run, Fiorella had her under serious pressure and the line came just in time for the Met winner.  Behind Oh Susanna in the Met was tomorrow’s ruling ante-post favourite African Night Sky and although Fiorella will only be getting 4kg as opposed to the 8kg Oh Susanna was receiving in the Met, it is five months down the line.

This will be Fiorella’s first venture into open company but if Oh Susanna’s Met form holds any water then she must rate as a big runner.

“She is fit and well and has improved with every run,” said Howells and Mark Khan was suitable impressed after her Greyville gallop last week. “She gave me a really good feel. I think she will have a big chance,” was his opinion.

African Night Sky, winner of all three legs of the Cape Winter series last season, will be attempting to emulate the mighty Pocket Power who also landed the winter Triple Crown before going on to win the July the following season.

Justin Snaith’s runner has always been near the top of the boards since betting opened for tomorrow’s race but it was his smashing performance in the Cup Trial that catapulted African Night Sky clear in the market.

Pace, or the lack of it, plays a major role in any race, horse or otherwise, and without any recognised front runners in the line-up there could be a fair bit of congestion in the early exchanges and a rough race is on the cards where luck in running could play a major part and horses who like to come from behind off a strong pace will be disadvantaged.

African Night Sky is a runner that does his best when allowed to bide his time but can turn up the wick in an instant. However, if the field hits the home stretch tripping over each other, big race rider Grant van Niekerk will need to read what is in front of him and be wide awake to any gap.

Majestic Mambo (JC Photographics)

He got it wrong in the Pinnacle Stakes where he was caught in traffic and just failed to catch stable companion Star Express. That was a costly mistake as Snaith was then forced to run the gelding in the Cup Trial to make sure of his July participation. The Cup Trial proved to be little more than a walk in the park as African Night Sky accelerated through the field to win as he liked.

It was a seriously good showing but as feared, it earned him some extra pudding for the July. It also put paid to the chances of Crowd Pleaser and Platinum Prince making the July field as they were clearly no match on the day.

With five runners in the race, Snaith could hatch a plan and send out a hare in the form of Made To Conquer. Jeff Lloyd has been doing some work on him since arriving from Australia and said his mount felt like an out-and-out stayer, a “Gold Cup type horse”.

Made To Conquer has certainly come into his own recently and comes off a four-race winning streak, most recently getting the better of a bumping match with stable companion Strathdon in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m.

He has also won of 2500m in Cape Town so with a master tactician in the irons and no stamina limitations, Lloyd could have his rivals sweating come the last furlong.

Another trainer who will also be looking for a strong gallop is Paul Peter. Majestic Mambo came from the clouds when touched off by Surcharge in the Daily News 2000 and he certainly will not be suited to slow early fractions.

Given his style of racing, his wide draw should not be too much of a handicap and he does come into the race off a handy galloping weight.

One can make out a case for almost all of the runners but Fiorella has proven form in a year where the fillies have dominated and is taken to up-stage African Night Sky.

By Andrew Harrison

A threat to the Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July was averted yesterday when striking grooms agreed to a wage increase offered to them by trainers.

A large contingent of grooms blockaded the entrance to Summerveld early yesterday morning but there was no threat of violence and by the afternoon it was business as usual.

There was also a meeting between trainers and groom’s representatives at the Ashburton training centre near Pietermaritzburg.

The two parties have still to come to an agreement but according to sources negotiations will resume on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a rumour regarding the well-being of July favourite African Night Sky was quashed when the Justin Snaith yard released a video showing him to be in fine fettle.

The rumours are possibly one of the main reasons why African Night Sky has drifted in the betting and yesterday there was as much as 3-1 available.

But after yesterday’s gallop on the beach (sand) track at Summerveld, Snaith said the horse looked absolutely amazing. “Anthandiwe (Magudlwa) rode him right now and said he’s never felt this horse feel any better. I don’t know what the rumours are? Maybe because I cantered in the gallop! We’ve just worked him and I hung onto him all the way back as best I could as he is so fresh. Obviously the (striking) grooms screaming upset him but this is going to be one of the big runners in the July come this weekend,” concluded Snaith.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vodacom Durban July is as open as ever this year and punters who can get through the Pick 6 with a narrow selection will be doing well and catching the quartet will be lucrative.

The Pick 6 pool is estimated to be R13 million plus while the estimated quartet pool is R16 million.

The Johannesburg three-year-olds have proven themselves to be top class.

Therefore the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 might be the most reliable form leading into the July.

Majestic Mambo (JC Photographics)

Majestic Mambo has an exceptional turn of foot and has proved he can come from last. He overtook some of the other July three-year-olds in the Daily News despite the pace not having been fast.

Do It Again finished half-a-length behind Majestic Mambo in the Daily News and they face each other on the same terms. However, this Twice Over gelding looked a touch flat that day whereas he looked very bright at the July Gallops. He is drawn wide but will at least avoid the usual scrimmaging on the inside and four-time July-winning rider Anton Marcus is aboard.

White River was a touch unlucky in the Daily News as he checked off the heels of another horse when the pace slowed down. He stayed on well from a handy position to be just two lengths behind Majestic Mambo. This difficult customer has shown improvement with gelding in work and now has his second run since that operation. He looked good at the gallops and jumps from draw 12.

Three-year-old Yakeen over raced in the early stages of the Jubilee but still stayed on to win. However, that antic does not augur well for his chances over 400m further, unless he settles better from a nice draw of six. The form of the Jubilee took a dent when third-placed Arctica was beaten in a Pinnacle event over 1600m last Sunday despite being well weighted. Yakeen is also officially 2,5kg under sufferance so has a tough task.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

Three-year-old Rocket Countdown is officially 3kg under sufferance but beat White River and Do It Again in the Selangor over 1600m and is coming off a narrow loss to a highly regarded sort in Rainbow Bridge over 1800m in the Winter Classic. This good looking sort should be staying on well and is an upset possibility.

The favourite African Night Sky ran to about a 122 rating in the Sun Met, so running off a 112 rating here is theoretically 5kg well in. He scythed through the field effortlessly last time over 1800m in the Cup Trial and although that was a much weaker field it completed a fine preparation.

Matador Man will be suited to a slow pace as one who has a slight stamina doubt. He will likely be at the back as he usually starts slowly. He loves Greyville and if he stays he will be finishing strongly as he has a fine turn of foot.

Dark Moon Rising is crying out for this trip and did well to finish second in the WSB 1900 behind a slow pace. He is officially 1,5kg under sufferance but is improving as Ideal Worlds tend to do, and will be staying on strongly, so has a shout from a low draw with a light weight.

Coral Fever often flies under the radar but always pops up and has earned topweight. He is one of the class horses and will be running on, although one concern is whether he can turn it on quickly enough on this tight track.

Made To Conquer is an ever improving sort who has a laid back temperament, will stay the trip and showed in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup he has a good turn of foot. That last race was over 2400m and he was running off just a 94 merit rating so this is a lot tougher, but he has the fine rider of Greyville Jeff Lloyd aboard and this classy sort has a definite shout.

Elusive Silva has won three from five starts at Greyville, has an electric turn of foot and has proved he stays the trip. However, he has had soundness issues. His rider Bernard Fayd’Herbe has won two Julys, although he has a tough task slimming down to make the 56,5kg weight.

Tilbury Fort has improved with gelding and ran on well in the Jubilee. Lyle Hewitson will help him overcome a wide draw, but he will have to show further improvement.

Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)

The Silvano filly Star Express will love this trip on pedigree. She has never really fulfilled her potential and comes in off a fine preparation so is one of the dark horses.

Liege has a chance if reproducing his Summer Cup run as he showed a good kick that day from a handy position but he has not had the ideal preparation.

Secret Potion is a long-striding sort who can run on over a trip she will enjoy but she has a tough task at the weights and might prefer a more galloping track.

The big question is where the pace will come from, which is why three horses have been left for last in this analysis.

Gold Standard’s probable best performance was when sitting in second place behind Captain America in last year’s Sun Met so he will likely want to be handy and could end up a reluctant leader. If another horse gives him a lead and he bounces back to his best, he has a chance.

Fiorella is another possible pacemaker. She looks to be a galloping type so being handy or leading will likely be her best chance. The bare form of the Woolavington gives her a big shout, but the winner Oh Susanna was likely below her best that day.

Piere Strydom won the July in 2012 by going handy from a wide draw on Pomodoro and in 2016 did similar when winning aboard The Conglomerate. His mount this year Abashiri lacks early pace but considering the race’s lack of pace Strydom might take the bull by horns and chase him up along the rail from pole position. Wherever the big Go Deputy gelding is in the running he will likely stay on as he has proven he stays this trip with ease.

It is wide open July and should be a thriller.

By David Thiselton

Grant van Niekerk is on the horse in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July that every other jockey would give his eye teeth to ride and the one that the vast majority of punters think is going to win. The pressure must be well-night intolerable. How does he cope?

“I tell myself to try and be confident,” he said when the question was put to him in the Kenilworth weighing room yesterday. “The more confidence you can bring into a race the better the result. It’s always like that.”

African Night Sky (Liesl King)

So how do you get that confidence? He doesn’t hesitate. “I just try to ignore what everyone else is saying and in particular to ignore any negativity. There are a lot of negative comments going around about me riding African Night Sky at the moment including that nonsense on Winning Ways. I concentrate on cutting out all that. And in the race I don’t worry about the next person, I just ride my own race. Me and my horse are what matters.”

There is no set way to ride the Durban July in Van Niekerk’s experience – and he has twice finished second in five rides in the race. “You have to ride it as the race pans out and according to the pace. On Smanjemanje in 2012 I was three wide and only just got beat. When I was second on Marinaresco two years ago I was drawn 19 and came from almost last.

“African Night Sky is a straightforward ride but he has to be given a chance. He likes to be ridden confidently as well so you need luck in running.  I am going to switch him off but I am also going to try and sit closer because I know there is not going to be much pace on.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, successful on dead-heater Pocket Power ten years ago and on Marinaresco last year, has ridden in every one of the last 13 runnings.

He said: “It’s usually quite a rough race and I think the most important thing is to make sure that your horse is comfortable throughout and that he finishes well.”

Jockeys in the July often report that they went fast early on and then the pace slowed. This time many believe that there will be no mad gallop early but Fayd’Herbe’s view is slightly different. “There are several horses that, ín order to give themselves every chance, are going to have to be up there and that will automatically increase the pace. In any case it’s a big race so they won’t be hanging around too much.”

His mount Elusive Silva is drawn 14. “It’s not ideal but he is a straightforward ride, you can put him anywhere and I don’t think stamina is a problem.”

No prizes for guessing which one he would like to be on if he wasn’t riding Elusive Silva. He won last year’s Winter Series on African Night Sky and said: “He is the one to beat but after that I think it’s wide open.”

Champion elect Lyle Hewitson, still only 20, will be riding in the great race for the third time –“The July is always exciting. We don’t often race in front of a crowd that big and this makes it such a special day. You can feel the tension building when you canter down and it gets a lot more serious as you are led into the pens.”

He has ridden Tilbury Fort to victory in two of his last three starts but is drawn widest of all: “He is a four-year-old with a nice low weight. Despite the draw that puts him into it and I think he will be doing good work late.

“Obviously I will be giving him a chance and I just hope that the right gaps open thereafter. The main thing is to get him covered up and relaxed. Once he settles he does it for you.”

By Michael Clower

Glen Kotzen expects a good run from his Vodacom Durban July candidate Gold Standard and is confident of the chances of July reserve runner Pack Leader in the consolation race, the Grade 3 Betting World 2200.

He has a number of other runners on the day and has a fair hand.

Kotzen said Gold Standard had done his July gallop in “hard bar shoes”, so hoped for a “gin strike” with the lighter alumites on. He said he had come out of the gallop well. The Trippi four-year-old colt caught the eye running on over 1600m in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and jumps from draw six under Craig Zackey over a step up in trip he will appreciate.

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

Kotzen said Pack Leader had pulled up well after his excellent workout at the July Gallops and had been doing exceptionally well. He jumps from draw eight under Zackey in the 2200.

Kotzen said his two Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes contenders, Elusive Heart and Final Judgement, were both very well and were “cherry ripe.” They both have tough draws but both have proven ability in this class.

Stable jockey Richard Fourie has chosen Believe The Best in the Grade 2 Samsung Golden Slipper over 1400m but Kotzen admitted he had a “soft spot” for Temple Grafin and believed Fourie had chosen the wrong one. Believe The Best caught the eye last time when beating older horses in a maiden after being caught wide over this trip at Scottsville. Temple Grafin, whom Kotzen rates as “very good”, followed up on a good barrier trial by winning over 1200m on debut on the poly. Grant van Niekerk will have to overcome a draw of 15 on her, while Believe The Best has a tricky draw of ten. Temple Grafin will come in two positions if the reserves come out and Believe The Best will come in one spot.

In the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m Kotzen said Crown Guardian had put in excellent work at Summerveld since arriving from Cape Town but admitted he had a tough task from the widest draw of all.

Kotzen believes his best runner of the day is Purest Bliss in the KZN Yearling Sale Million, He felt being green had cost her in the Allan Robertson and he made her a “huge runner” in this race despite having to jump from draw ten over the 1300m trip.

He runs Princess Peach in the Zulu Kingdom Explorer MR 88 Handicap over 1400m and gave her a chance if bouncing back to her best. She has been off form for some time but has come down in the merit ratings and jumps from pole position over a step up in trip.

Kotzen warned the public that his Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open would not be at his best in the 12th race over 1600m. He said his class might pull him through but there was no pressure on them for this race and it was being used as a preparation outing for the Grade 1 Champions Cup. He said his other runner in this race, Luna Child, had been doing very well and she is distance suited and drawn well.

Kotzen expected his two runners in the first race, Essenceoflife and Anneline, to be competitive, although he added the former would need luck from a high draw in this polytrack 1200m fillies and mares handicap event.

By David Thiselton