Mike de Kock pretty well summed up this year’s Vodacom Durban July as probably the toughest he has seen and he’s been around a few years.

The four-time winning trainer said mid-week. “Barring Soqrat, all the best horses in the country are there.” The race will be run over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow.

He also had a little dig at the jockeys who he says will dictate the tempo of the race. Speaking to TABnews he said, “What has happened previously in the race is that many of them are duped into following the leader rather than judging the pace they need for their own mounts.”

“I think whoever sizes it up properly early on, who gets his horse into a good position, will have the advantage. The race can be won and lost over the first 200m.”

Justin Snaith, who saddled the first three past the post last year, saddles last year’s winner Do It Again. Although Do It Again shoulders top weight his form is impeccable and from a good draw he should be right there. His was one of the stand-out gallops last week and is obviously in a good space. He is second favourite in the ante-post betting and Snaith is supremely confident.

De Kock saddles two runners, ruling ante-post favourite Hawwaam and Barahin. The latter is off the minimum mark for a three-year-old colt and is probably still under the radar as far as the handicappers are concerned. He came from a long way back to win the recent Jubilee Handicap and he has won at Greyville. “Barahin is a one-dimensional horse,” De Kock surmised. “He’ll relax near the back of the field and run on late.”

Hawwaam on the other hand is a different kettle of fish. He is all the rage in the market and beaten only once in his career. However, De Kock was sceptical of his short ante-post price. “18-10, you must be joking,” he said on Tuesday. “That’s just hype.”

“Hawwaam is not straightforward. You don’t know what he’s going to do – whether he will jump slowly, or whether he will pull. This is also the first time he is running in an 18-horse field so we don’t know how he will cope.”

There is no doubt that he is a top contender and is well in at the weights with a good draw. But as De Kock alluded, his one concern is his temperament. He can be difficult in the preliminaries and a big crowd could upset him. He also has an inside draw in what is invariably a rough race which could set him off. That said, he was perfectly behaved when winning the Daily News 2000.

Eric Sands has given Rainbow Bridge the perfect preparation and this race has been his target since the day he was bought by Mike Rattray after the winning the Sun Met. He has done everything right for Sands and a win will not be out of turn.

Made To Conquer, another Snaith runner, was second last year and carries the same weight this year. He been catching the eye of late and big race rider Mark Khan is confident of a big showing. “He will be spot on for the July,” Khan told Snaith in the fourth box after the Cup Trial.

Glen Kotzen appears to have got on top of all the problems that he had with Eyes Wide Open and the colt has come to hand of late. He beat Do It Again in the Cape Derby last season at level weights and is now 7kg better off. But a lot of water has passed under the bridge since their meeting in the Derby.

Lady In Black is a smart filly and Dennis Drier is supremely confident that she will run a big race. “I’m not sure if she can beat the boys but she will be right there,” he said at the gallops. “She’s been crying out for this trip.”

Twist Of Fate was runner-up to Hawaamm in the KRA Guineas and is now 2kg better off with the ruling favourite. Joey Ramsden won this race with The Conglomerate from 20 draw so knows what it takes to win this race.

For my money the bulk of the quartet – that will have a total pool in the region of R16 million – will come from the top seven in the betting with longer priced runners Head Honcho, Lady In Black, Legal Eagle, Made To Conquer and Doublemint all horses capable of a first four finish.

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By Andrew Harrison

Andre Nel is happy with his Vodacom Durban July contender Head Honcho and the sizeable gap between his runs has been part of the plan.

Assistant trainer Byron Foster spoke of how Head Honcho had “definitely” become “sharper” following a gallop three weeks before the July gallops.

Jockeys Keagan de Melo was pleased with his demeanour in the pull up area after the July gallop.

He said he had a good bounce in his step all the way back to the parade ring, suggesting he had recovered well from the workout.

Nel said because Head Honcho was now an older horse he had been able to look back on his career and see what had worked with him and what hadn’t. He said the type of gaps they had given him into this race, seven weeks from his last race which followed a layoff since the Sun Met, had seemed to have worked well for him so that was how they had planned to take him into the July.

He concluded, “He’s feeling good, he’s a sound horse, we’re happy with where we have him at the moment.”

They have Run Red in the Grade 3 Betting World 2200 and said, “Tough race for him, but a lot’s going in his favour. I think he is a decent type of a horse and has a lowish weight and a fair draw. He’s coming into the race pretty well and he will give a good account of himself.”

The yard fancy Red Shift in the last race over 1400m on the poly as he fine form over that course and distance. His last run on turf over 1600m did not pan out at all well and can probably have a line drawn through it. 

They run Q The Music in the Listed Engen Performance Stakes over 1600m and Nel said, “He’s a fair type of a horse and always tries hard enough so he won’t be far off them.”

By David Thiselton

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Justin Snaith said the bookmakers price offered about the defending Vodacom Durban July champion Do It Again was “ridiculous”.

He said, “I think 4/1 is a crazy price. There is no ways he is a 4/1 shot in any race in South Africa you put him into. You can give him 65kg and he should be 2/1. So, I am quite surprised. I think it is that Mike de Kock factor.

“Hawwaam has beaten small fields, three-year-olds and the Champions Challenge wasn’t the strongest field. These horses Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge are phenomenal horses, phenomenal. You have to be world class … which maybe Hawwaam is, maybe, but he’s got to prove it.

“So for me, I think the older horses are still very, very strong in this race, I always have said it and I stick by my guns. Before I came to Durban I thought it and I still think it.”

He said about his four runners, “They are extremely well. When they turn for home they are going to want to take off. All is well, Do It Again is flying, he looks magnificent, I couldn’t be happier. Doublemint, I am really impressed with him so far, all good. Everybody is saying Barahin is well weighted but he’s a three-year-old giving Doublemint weight, why’s he well weighted? Those three-year-olds will have to be phenomenal to give weight away to these four-year-olds who are all carrying 53kg. I’m not saying they can’t win, but they’ve got their work cut out.

“Made To Conquer ran second last year and those three-year-olds must give him weight? Made To Conquer is flying. Even if he doesn’t win the July he’s a runner in the Gold Cup if we decide to go that route. The July is a bit harder than last year but in saying that he’s weighted to run a big race. I don’t think I have ever seen a horse run second in the July and the following year carrying 53kg.

“It will be very hard for Miyabi Gold but she has a nice draw and quite frankly you never know. She’s never far behind the top fillies in the country, she really can compete at Group 1 level with the fillies. I don’t see why she should be counted out then, but she has her work cut out.”

At time of writing Hawwaam was 2,35/1 and Do It Again had drifted out to 5/1 with Track and Ball.

Considering Snaith believes Do It Again is ridiculously good value and Mike de Kock said on Tuesday Hawwaam was ridiculously short in the betting there might be a shake up in the market before Saturday.

By David Thiselton

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Sean Tarry is leaning towards Legal Eagle as his stable elect for the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday but he said it had not been an open and shut case.

Tarry also runs the G-Bets Summer Cup winner Tilbury Fort and dual Grade 1 winner Return Flight.

He said, “Legal Eagle is certainly the best handicapped of my trio and has had a good prep. He is in a good space. Lyle (Hewitson) does get on well with Tilbury Fort but he also gets on well with Legal and this is the first time he has had a good draw with Legal.”

Some have questioned Legal Eagle’s chances after his last run when finishing 8,75 lengths back in a Pinnacle.

However, while the finishing position was disappointing Tarry pointed out, “Bearing in mind he was drawn poorly carrying 61,5kg there was no choice but to drop him to the back. We expected a good pace to be set by two of our runners, but the pace was a mess. Despite that he still ran a very good last 400m. The time over the last 400m was the same as his win in the sprint at the beginning of the season. So once again he was doing his best work late.”

Tarry was thrilled when Tilbury Fort landed pole position. He said, “He needs a draw because he needs a smooth run, if you go forward with him and try and slot in it doesn’t work, he needs to find a position immediately and then sit.”

Tilbury Fort was in the same Pinnacle 1400m as Legal Eagle and also finished strongly.

In the Premier’s Champions Challenge Legal Eagle caught the eye finishing strongly for a 5,20 length fourth. Tilbury Fort was 16 lengths back that day but a line can be drawn through the run because he was widely drawn and became unsettled when hunting for a position. He was also cut into.

Raymond Danielson is aboard Tilbury Fort and Tarry said, “He has ridden him a few times and gets a reasonable tune out of him. He has had a good prep.”

Tarry said about the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and Grade 2 SA Oaks winner Return Flight, “Besides being crossed at the 300m and pulling a shoe, it wasn’t quite her run for some reason. The two fillies she had beaten in Johannesburg both ran in front of her and she did pull up with a little bit of dry mucus. So she might not have been quite right on the day. However, she has done well since then and has had a perfect prep. Her good draw of two will help. We are not going to be hunting to make the pace but if she does end up in the front that’s fine. If she doesn’t the 2200m is hard enough for her to be coming home strongly. Ryan Munger rode a big race for Yvette Bremner on National Park, he’s a good strong rider and has had a lot of winners this season.”

Legal Eagle carries 55kg, Tilbury Fort is officially half-a-kilogram under sufferance carrying 53kg and three-year-old Return Flight is officially 2kg under sufferance carrying 52kg.

In the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes Tarry has two runners and said, “Celtic Sea is a big runner although I have healthy respect for Oh Susanna and Front And Centre.”

Tarry said a line could be drawn through Celtic Sea’s KRA Fillies Guineas run. Looking at her easy win over 1400m on the tough Turffontein Standside course in March he believed she would get the mile although he admitted it might stretch her.

He added, “Desert Rhythm ran a nice race in the Tibouchina so it’s worth taking a chance.”

Tarry believes his strongest race on the day is the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.

He said, “The extra 200m is definitely in Eden Roc’s favour, he has a good shout. Put On The Red Light is not out of it either, he found trouble over this trip last time and should have been closer. He will appreciate the Grade 1 mile at the end of this month, but I’m not worried about 1400m. Rock The Globe will also run a big race.”

In the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m he also has two runners and said, “They both have poor draws. Cavivar will enjoy the trip and Lyle will ride the race as it unfolds. It might be a bit short for Victoria Paige but I hope she runs on in the straight.”

He said about the WSB 2200, “Zillzaal has a good shout. I would like to see him lying about three or four lengths back from his good draw. I think Shenanigans will run well, he’s had a nice prep and a lot is in his favour. Captain And Master ran well last time when stepped up to 1800m so we are giving him a chance. Silver God is 3,5kg under sufferance but was also under sufferance when running well in the WSB 1900 and Cup Trial. He can’t be judged on his last race which was on the poly.”

In the Grade 3 DSTv Gold Vase he runs Wonderous Climber and said his dip in form could have been expected as it was hard to keep a horse on the boil for so long. He expected a better showing but wondered whether 2400m was his better trip.

He expected Social Order to be a big runner, a nice “roughie” for the day, in the eighth over 1600m, an ideal course and distance.

He has always rated Mythical Bolt, who runs in the 11^th over 1200m, but said this might be his last run before gelding.

By David Thiselton

Eyes Wide Open has come tumbling down the betting.  In mid-May you could get 75-1 about him but he is now as short as 12-1 with only four horses – Hawwaam, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Barahin – considered to have a better chance in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July.

“Do the maths,” says Glen Kotzen. “In last year’s Cape Derby he beat Do It Again by a length and three-quarters at levels and now he is 7kg better.”

In fact Eyes Wide Open was to have gone for last year’s July – he was the early favourite – until Kotzen saw signs of a chip when the horse’s fetlock was x-rayed. He had it removed and gave him the necessary rest. That patience has been rewarded with the World Sports Betting 1900 and a close second in the Cup Trial.

“Eyes Wide Open is back to his best, back to when he won the Cape Derby,” the Woodhill trainer enthuses. “He put up a fantastic gallop last Thursday and the jockey battled to pull him up.”

An 18 draw briefly took the wind out of his sails but Kotzen is blessed with a supremely optimistic outlook on life that owners find both encouraging and infectious. It didn’t take long before he was back looking on the bright side. “I won’t say that we were not worried about that draw but we were dealt it and we are going to deal with it.

“In fact it might be a blessing in disguise and maybe it will keep him out of trouble. We just have to pray that Warren Kennedy finds a nice clear passage and doesn’t end up running wide.”

Kotzen has been following the progress of the favourite with particular interest because of the parallels he sees with Big City Life ten years ago. “He has had a not dissimilar prep to Big City Life who won the Cape Derby, the KRA Guineas and the Daily News.

“The one real difference is that the conditions of the July have changed and, whereas Big City Life came in off 51kg, Hawwaam has to carry 56kg. He is the best three-year-old in South Africa but it is going to be tough for him.

“My horse is absolutely flying and he is making it all so exciting for us. All we need now is to have luck in running.”

As if to gather that luck around him Kotzen looks back to ten years ago. “It was the most amazing thing – the horse was on a roll and we were on a roll. You just couldn’t stop us and with every race that went by we got more and more confident. In fact I was so confident about the July that I felt almost invincible.

“The only time I got butterflies in my stomach was when I saw that Big City Life was cruising and Pocket Power was some seven or eight lengths behind him. I thought: “Oh my God, I am going to win this!”

By Michael Clower