Two notable absentees from the Vodacom Durban July entry list were the Summer Cup winner Zillzaal and the SA Classic runner up Green Laser.

The Sean Tarry-trained Zillzaal recently had to undergo colic surgery and is out for the rest of the season.

The Robbie Sage-trained Green Laser has been sold to Hong Kong-based connections and will not race in South Africa again.

Caption: Zillzaal, seen here after winning the Grade 1 Summer Cup, is unfortunately out for the rest of the season.

David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track stages a competitive nine race meeting today with the highlight being a Mr 102 handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.Paul Peter is still on cloud nine after Summer Pudding landed the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara on Saturday and another three-year-old filly, Fly Away, can put him back in the winner’s enclosure in the aforementioned race.

This filly has speed and a good action and loves it when the ground is on top, which was not the case in her last start after some seasonal rain. She will get the fast ground she is looking for today and can beat Green Plains, who has recently bounced back to something close to the classy speedster she once was. Mademoiselle is in good form and has a sustained finish so should be in the shake up too.

Those three have been chosen to get punters through the Pick 6 and Jackpot and Fly Away has been made a Place Accumulator banker. However, the risk averse could also consider including three others who are capable of winning on their day in both the Pick 6 and Jackpot. They are All Of Me, Nawaasi and Winter Watch.

FORMGUIDES

R1
Preview: SINGLE RED ROSE (3) has plenty of pace and has been knocking on the door. INCOGNITO (1) improved to finish a narrow second to a fair sort last time over 1200m and showed pace. TIME HAS COME (8) was not disgraced last time over this trip and can improve again. (David Thiselton 3-1-8) 
R2
Preview: THUMBS UP (12) finished just 2,40 lengths behind the classy Erik The Red in the last of three good runs in Cape Town. ACCOMPLISHED (1) showed speed in both starts over 800m late last year. VALYRIAN KING (10) was disappointing last time but went too fast and with a more conservative ride will be right there. (David Thiselton 12-1-10) 

R3
Preview: ABERDARE (1) is a full sister to the Grade 1 winner as a Juvenile, Forest Indigo. FEAROFMISSINGOUT (5) is a full sister to the twice Grade 1 third-placed Like A Panther. CELESTIAL LOVE (2) is by What A Winter out of a half sister to the Grade 3-winning stayer Balance Sheet. (David Thiselton 1-5-2) 
R4
Preview: PACIFIC WINTER (7) showed good pace when just failing over this trip last November. ABIA (9) returns to the trip of her promising debut after disappointing over 1200m. WOODLAND MAGIC (1) is also dropping back to the trip of his two best runs. (David Thiselton 7-9-1) 

R5
Preview: THEREVADA (7) showed promise  early in his career and now off a merit rating which has dropped to competitive 69 he has Lerena up from pole position over a suitable trip. WAQAAS (6) is ideally distance suited but has a tricky draw to overcome. STRADA STATALE (8) will be dangerous if able to get to the front from a wide draw under a 1,5kg claimer. (David Thiselton 7-6-8) 

R6
Preview: KAPAMA (9) has come into her own and can make it two wins from her last three starts over this suitable trip. TYRUS EXPRESS (4) has been in good form and will run well fresh over this trip. WHIPPING BOY (2) is distance suited and well drawn with a 4kg claimer up off a merit rating which has dropped to a competitive level. (David Thiselton 9-4-2) 

R7
Preview: FLY AWAY (1) will relish the fast ground after having to contend with ground that was not on top last time. GREEN PLAINS (2) has bounced back to form and should be right there. MADEMOISELLE (8) is also in good form and this speedster should be staying on strongly. (David Thiselton 1-2-8) 

R8
Preview: RAINBOW HAZE (3) has struck as one with plenty of scope and could have benefited from the layoff. OCEAN CITY (4) has plenty of pace and will be a threat on the expected fast ground. HERSTEL (8) ran well in his only start after his debut win and can improve again. (David Thiselton 3-4-8) 

R9
Preview: GALACTIC WARRIOR (9) is speedy and consistent. BATTLEOFTRAFALGAR (8) has the ability to go close. ICE EATER (11) also has a form chance. (David Thiselton 9-8-11) 

Place Accumulator: (R108)
Leg 1: 1,5,2
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 7,6
Leg 4: 9,4,2
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 3,4
Leg 7: 9,8,11

Pick 6: (R2835)
Leg 1: 7,9,1
Leg 2: 7,6,8,1,9,11,5
Leg 3: 9,4,2,8,1
Leg 4: 1,2,8
Leg 5: 3,4,8
Leg 6: 9,8,11

Jackpot: (R315)
Leg 1: 7,6,8,1,9,11,5
Leg 2: 9,4,2,8,1
Leg 3: 1,2,8
Leg 4: 3,4,8

Best Bet:
Race 4: 7

Value Bet:
Race 7: 1

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Apprentice Kyle Strydom, nephew of champion jockey Piere Strydom, continued in the family tradition when winning on only his second ride in the professional ranks at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

Riding the gelding Transonic for Dennis Bosch in the last race of the day, Strydom got home comfortably to make a cracking start to his career in the saddle.

A ‘long drink of water’ as the English would say, the tall and thin 18-year-old has a racing pedigree with multiple SA champion jockey, Piere and trainer uncle Jacques Strydom sons of veteran Port Elizabeth trainer Hekkie Strydom.

Belgarion, third favourite for the Vodacom Durban July with most bookmakers and already backed from 9-1 to 7.5-1 this week with Track And Ball, runs next in the World Sports Betting 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday week. The four-year-old is hot favourite, 13-10 with the sponsors and 1.35-1 with Track And Ball.

Belgarion, son of the 2003 July winner Dynasty, has been laid out for the July since his last run when he won the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap at Kenilworth five months ago – and in all probability for a great deal longer than that.

Justin Snaith, now bidding for his fifth July win, has been guarding the gelding’s merit rating as if it is part of the stable’s crown jewels – and in a way it is. Snaith told me after the Peninsula victory: “Belgarion has a huge future come the Natal season. The previous time I ran him – when he won the Settlers at Durbanville in September- he got a sharp rise in the weights and I had to put him away. Had I not done so he would have gone up the ratings too quickly.

“That’s why I am not going to run him again in Cape Town this season. He is a horse who will run well in the July but not if he is at level weights with the best ones.”

Belgarion, only beaten twice in seven starts, pleased his trainer in that racecourse gallop with Do It Again at Greyville last Sunday: “I was very happy- I thought both of them galloped nicely.”

Do It Again runs in the Gold Challenge on June 28 and, if all goes well, he could attempt to become the first horse in history to win the July three times. Belgarion, though, is the one of more immediate interest.

Furthermore the 1900 has often proved significant in the build-up to the July. Last year’s winner Eyes Wide Open went on to finish fourth in the big one and the 2018 victor Elusive Silva was third. The 2015 and 2016 July winners both ran in the 1900, Power King finishing second and The Conglomerate fourth.

By Michael Clower

Mike and Adam Azzie will be targeting the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes over 1160m on Champions Day for their promising filly Wylie Wench and are looking forward to the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint too after Rivarine bounced back to his best at the Vaal yesterday.

Wylie Wench, who has only had four starts, made it three 1450m wins in a row last week with a comfortable victory in a MR 92 handicap for fillies and mares at the Vaal.

The Azzies gave her a test of speed recently by working her with Rivarine and Mike said, “She did exceptionally well.”

She has also shown speed in her 1450m races and is of course from the family of Azzie’s great sprinter National Currency.

Azzie scratched her from the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas, run at Greyville on Sunday, because she drew wide but she might still appear in Durban this season as he would like to see her in a race at the Vodacom Durban July meeting.

That race might be the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m.

Azzie said, “The Garden Province will be a big ask right now but she is getting better and better. Next year it will definitely be the right race for her.”

Six-year-old Var gelding Rivarine, who is out of Pocket Power’s J&B Met-winning full-sister River Jetez, has on occasion threatened to become a top class sprinter but has largely been disappointing. A Grade 3 and a Listed win are his best achievements.

However, on Monday he beat some good horses, including Grade 1 winners Chimichuri Run and Might High, when finishing a 2,5 length second to Mr Flood over 1000m.

Azzie said, “He enjoyed the break and we have now got on top of a few niggles he had.”

He added, “But Mr Flood is going to be a tough nut to crack in the Computaform Sprint.”

Indeed, Lucky Houdalakis looks to possibly have another rags-to-riches superstar on his hands.

By David Thiselton