Please Take Note that RACE 7 in the Hollywoodbets Durban July is no longer a WORLD POOL Event.

We will now be offering FOUR places for Race 7.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Nottingham and Sandown (UK) – 5 July 2025.

Andrew Harrison

The Justin Snaith-trained Eight On Eighteen is officially rated the best horse in the country and will be out to prove it today when he lines up in the 18-horse field for the Gr1 R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He has a lot in his favour, but also a lot against. Because of the conditions of the race, he is well in at the weights with all of the opposition and has the added benefit of a plum draw of 11 and champion jockey Richard Fourie in the irons. Also, he was hardly out of a canter when winning the Gr1 Daily News 2000 against his own age group.

However, handicap ratings aside, he has to give lumps of weight to all of his three-year-old rivals and that will be no easy task. He carries top weight for a three-year-old male of 57kg, the highest since Abashiri lumped 59kg into 13^th place behind The Conglomerate in 2016.

Eight On Eighteen will make history should he win and become the first three-year-old in history to win the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met and the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July in the same year.

Snaith’s colt is currently the short-priced ante-post favourite but this is by no means a one-horse race.

The Real Prince has not been tested beyond a mile but Dean Kannemeyer knows what it takes to train a July winner, successful with Dynasty, Eyeofthetiger and Power King. The Real Prince has been brought along quietly and like Drill Hall Stakes winner Gladatorian, he was finishing off his race smartly beaten just over a length and is sure to peak on the day.

There has been steady ante-post support for Glen Kotzen’s gelding On My Honour who finished close-up behind Madison Valley in the Gr3 Cup Trial. He is now 0.5kg better off with Frank Robinson’s runner – many people’s fancy – and gets 4kg from Eight On Eighteen. Four kilograms is roughly equal to 16 lengths and Kotzen is of the opinion that On My Honour is not 16 lengths inferior to Eight On Eighteen so gives his charge a more than realistic chance on the day.

Under the radar this year is the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained three-year-old Immediate Edge. A winner of four of his six starts and the Gr2 Jubilee Handicap, he is rated 10.5kg inferior to Eight On Eighteen in the official handicap. Given De Kock’s record in the race, that rating could be well wide of the mark and a win here could see him campaigning on foreign shores as his handicap rating will go through the roof.

Stuart Ferrie sends out his first July runner in the hard-knocking Gladatorian. A fast-finishing third behind Dave The King and Oriental Charm in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, he goes the July 2200m trip for the first time. He did not get the best of draws at 16 but is likely to be dropped out early and as a horse with a smart turn of foot he will be charging at the leaders come the home straight.

Current second favourite is last year’s winner Oriental Charm who goes into this year’s race off an exceptional prep. He was beaten half a length by Eight On Eighteen in the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met and now meets his younger rival on 2.5kg better weight terms. In his comeback run, he was touched off a head in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m by reigning Equus Horse of the Year, Dave The King and he will enjoy the step up in trip.

Royal Victory will have his supporters as Nathan Kotzen’s charge has also had an ideal preparation. There were some concerns after his antics at the official July gallops but Kotzen explained that he is a character and once he is forced to stop, as he was by the flagman at the gallops, he takes time to make up his mind to go forward again. He finished third in the July last year behind Oriental Charm and was doing his best work late behind Dave The King in a warm-up over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last time out.

Confederate is relatively lightly raced by Fabian Habib but he has won four of his nine starts and never further back than second. He won the Gr1 SA Classic beating subsequent Gr1 Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack and will be ridden by two-time South African and current New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy who has made the trip to ride in the race. 

See It Again was scratched from the race on Tuesday due to an abnormal blood count leaving the way open for the first reserve, the Sean Tarry-trained Litigation who will be ridden by Grant van Niekerk. Van Niekerk has finished second three times in this race and often a reserve runner puts in a big effort at the expense of many of the fancied runners and an each-way punt may not go astray.

There are others in with realist chances. Selukwe won the WSB 1900 in fine style and has come to hand at the right time. Atticus Finch, Madison Valley and Okavango all have claims but indications are that Eight On Eighteen has what it takes and with luck in running  he is fully entitled to his place at the top of the betting boards and a place in history.

Attending the Hollywoodbets Durban July?

If you’re there to soak in the festivities and watch the thrilling competition between thoroughbreds, find your way around with the map of the Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse: click the link below:

https://shorturl.at/eflep

Please Note: There will be no betting available for Greyhound Meetings on Saturday 5th July 2025, Betting will resume on Sunday 06 July 2025.