David Thiselton

The Hollywoodbets Durban July picture becomes a touch clearer after the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and Jubilee Stakes weekend.

Dave The King was the hero of Gold Challenge day again, although this time he did it for both Mike and Mathew de Kock, their first Gr 1 together as official partners, while Callan Murray’s rejuvenated career gained further momentum with his second Gr 1 in successive weekends.

The reigning Hollywoodbets Durban July champion Oriental Charm was inconvenienced in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate just before the turn and that had been his only run of three since his July win that was not top class, so owner Greg Bortz had a right to feel mystified by the lack of prominence of his horse in the pre-race debates  and his 14/1 price. 

However, the Vercingetorix colt ended up proving everybody wrong and was a neck away from adding a valuable Gr 1 weight for age mile victory to his CV.

Gladatorian was also the subject of disrespect as bookmakers had him out at 25/2 despite his fine win in a quality Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m. He was beaten 0,35 lengths but was flying from well off the pace on a day that had appeared to suit front-running to handy runners. 

Dave The King’s merit rating does not affect him as his next target is the Gr 1 wfa Champions Cup and there will be plenty of weight for age races to target if he is kept in training next season.

However, the Hollywoodbets Durban July is the target of Oriental Charm and Gladatorian also might be lining up, so the important question is whether their merit rating will be affected.

A far as the race went Dave The King and Oriental Charm both pinged the gates and the latter was able to get to the front, but he had to go hard to get ahead of Dave The King.

Thereafter, Oriental Charm set a decent clip which enabled Dave The King to use his big stride. 

Callan Murray steered Dave The King expertly around the final turn and got an immediate split on the inside of Oriental Charm and he hit the front at the 300m mark.

At that stage Cosmic Speed, who entered the straight on the quarters of hot favourite Dave The King, looked the biggest danger to the as he actually headed Oriental Charm. However, the two older horses proved just a touch too strong for him.

However, while Oriental Charm was fighting back courageously Gladatorian was flying from the back of the field and only just failed to get there in time. 

Cosmic Speed was beaten 0,85 lengths in fourth.

See It Again was jostled when attempting to get past William Robertson at the top of the straight as Gladatorian went straight for that gap, as he was entitled to do. See It Again had to be eased before getting a run and that cost him any chance and he could only manage a 4,45 length fourth. At least his 127 merit rating won’t be affected before the July.

The winner Dave The King could well be used as the line horse as a proven Gr 1 weight for age winner over course and distance, although he might be given an extra point for his third successive Gr 1 wfa win at this course.

That might see Oriental Charm being raised from 125 to 128, Gladatorian being raised from 123 to 128 and Cosmic Speed perhaps being raised from 125 to 127, although that is all just conjecture.

However, it seems that Oriental Charm and Gladatorian will likely be the July top weights, either together with See It Again or half-a-kilogram more than him.

In the Gr 3 Cup Trial Madison Valley had excuses for his relatively poor run in the WSB 1900 and his 40/1 odds were not reflective of his ability. It was still a surprise to see him able to get into the box seat from draw eight as he is a long strider who stays two miles and he is usually held up. That was an expert bit of riding by Muzi Yeni who was only given the ride on the morning of the race.

Madison Valley then used his long stride to stay on resolutely and beat Underworld by 0,30 lengths with July entries On My Honour and Litigation beaten 0,30 and 0,35 lengths respectively. Winter Games was next best beaten 2,45 lengths and Politician Stakes winner Zeitz was beaten 2,45 lengths.

Madison Valley will get a maximum of five points raise to 118 if Zeitz is used as the line horse and that would confirm the 117 he was given after his Betway Summer Cup run.

The mark he would most like to be on though, presuming Oriental Charm and Gladatorian are given 128s, would be 116 as that would see him carrying the minimum weight for an older horse in the July of 54kg.

Meanwhile, Pacaya did not do his chances of making the final field any good by finishing last. He was in 18th position on the first log and could drop out of the top 20 together with Pomodoro’s Jet. who was scratched from the Cup Trial and is thus yet to prove he stays beyond a mile.

SA Derby runner up Wild Intent finished second last and although 15th on the July log his berth is also under threat, whilst Zeitz, Thunee Playa, Regulation and Hotarubi did nothing to improve their off the log positions. 

On Sunday at Turffontein Standside the De Kock-trained  Immediate Edge likely earned a July berth with an easy and impressive win in the Gr3 Jubilee Stakes over 1800m and Olivia’s Way might come in to the top 20 on the log too with a flying 2,50 length second. 

Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch proved worthy of his eighth place on the log by finishing third with joint topweight.