The selection panel for the Vodacom Durban July will need to do some head-scratching this morning given the result of Saturday’s Gr3 Track And Ball Derby. It is an unenviable job as there will always be disappointed connections and political finger-pointing.

The question at the top of their list will be whether Roy Had Enough did enough to warrant inclusion in the final field of 18 or alternatively make it onto the two-berth reserve bench.

When the final VDJ log was released, Roy Had Enough was amongst the ‘also rans’ and his unplaced run in the Cup Trial would have ruled him out although things did not go his way.

The Cup Trial field was arguably stronger than the one that Roy Had Enough beat on Saturday but there were mitigating factors. The Cup Trial was run at a muddling pace that did not suit Roy Had Enough as he struggled to quicken even with a fresh tailwind helping the runners’ home.

On Saturday, Roy Had Enough came from a long way last in the straight to win rather comfortably ahead of another VDJ hopeful, Charles. On the face of it, it was an impressive performance but Charles didn’t appear to genuinely see out the 2400m trip and the quality of the opposition could be a deciding factor.

It will be a difficult decision for the selection panel but the connections are fairly certain that they will get a run in two weeks’ time.

Their chances will be enhanced with the scratching of Hero’s Honour which would move the filly Camphorates into 18^th place so one can reasonably assume that Roy Had Enough would at least make the reserves along with Zillzaal.

While the final log may pretty much spell out what the final line-up will be, another runner whose place may be in jeopardy is veteran galloper Legal Eagle in spite of his eighth place on the log. He does not appear to be half the horse that he was in his heyday borne out by his drop in the merit ratings. On top of that his last run in a Pinnacle Stakes on the same afternoon as the Jubilee Handicap, was disappointing.

On the flip side, Sean Tarry is a master with older horses and if Legal Eagle does run and find form, he will be a major threat to the more fancied runners with only 55kg to shoulder.

Final acceptances are due by 11am this morning with the field and the draws to be announced at a public function at Gateway Shopping Mall around noon on Tuesday.

The public gallops will take place at Greyville on Thursday, the first gallop off at 7am. The traditional coffee and sticky buns will be served. Those hungrier and looking for a slap-up breakfast, can book for the Durban View Restaurant.

By Andrew Harrison

Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting provided by Track And Ball.

Hawwaam 18-10
Do It Again 3.85-1
Rainbow Bridge 5.5-1
Barahin 7-1
Eyes Wide Open,Twist Of Fate 16-1
Head Honcho 22-1
Magnificent Seven 25-1
Doublemint 28-1
Made To Conquer 36-1
Bunker Hunt 40-1
Legal Eagle, Tilbury Fort 50-1
Divine Odyssey 66-1
Fresnaye 70-1
Lady In Black, Return Flight 80-1
Zillzaal 90-1
Elusive Silva, Roy Had Enough, Insignis, Charles 150-1
Miyabi Gold, Roy’s Riviera, Camphoratus, Dark Moon Rising, The Dazzler 250-1
Banner Hill, Secret Potion, Top Classman 300-1.

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The Turffontein Inside track stages a low key nine race meeting on Sunday and the highlights will be a MR94 Handicap over 1600m and a MR92 Handicap over 1000m.

Warrior’s Rest is a possible banker in the first of these events. This big horse is an effective front-runner as he is able to continually up the pace in the front and he runs all the way to the line. He usually has the field off the bit some way from home and the tight Turffontein Inside track should suit his style. He should be able to get to the front from a good draw of four over a suitable trip of 1600m. Lake Kinnaret only just failed over this trip last time on the Standside course and is drawn well so he could get a tow from Warrior’s Rest and looks the main danger. Gift For The Gap also looks a danger as he has struck since day one as one who would continually improve. He is at his best over a bit further but has a good turn of foot and should be running on. Emily Jay was not striding out last time over this trip when 2,75 lengths behind the promising Vistula. She has 4kg claimer Juglall aboard now and the trip is suitable, although her draw of nine is tricky especially being a handy type with a front-runner in the field. Shukamisa ran well over this trip in his second start for this yard and has a fair draw over an ideal trip.

In the MR 92 Handicap over 1000m, which is the last leg of the Jackpot, Winter Storm is made the best bet on the card. This powerful sprinter has the early pace to be in touch coupled with a good kick so will be hard to beat from a plum draw of two. His Paul Peter-trained stablemate American Hustle has a tricky draw of seven but also has some class. He suffered a speedy cut last time but still got within 1,10 lengths over this trip at Scottsville last time when carrying 64kg minus a 4kg claim. Mythical Bolt has always been held in high regard but just seems to find one better. However, he now has blinkers on and a fair draw of five so should be right there. Singfonico has been in fine form and was 0,40 lengths ahead of American Hustle last time out. If the 4kg claim carried by American Hustle is included then Singfonico is now 4,5kg better off so he is a contender, although his draw of six is tricky. Donny G and Galactic Warrior will also be dangerous from good draws with claimers aboard.

In the second race over 1450m the promising John Hancock caught the eye staying on well over 1200m last time and he could reverse form with Gladstone who also ran on well from a wide draw in that race. 

In the third race over 2600m Await The Sunset is drawn in pole and should enjoy this trip having stayed on over 2400m last time out from a wide draw, especially as she is by Await The Dawn.

In the sixth race over 1450m Boutique returns from a 90 day layoff but this filly has class and should make it a hattrick off just a 68 merit rating.

By David Thiselton

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Bernard Fayd’Herbe, six winners in the last week, has an outstanding chance on Round The Horn in the Betting World Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Andre Nel filly showed improved form when fitted with blinkers and dropped back to this 1 200m last time and the booking of the in-form Fayd’Herbe is significant. His mount is rated is 4kg superior to It’s My Life and has already been backed down to favouritism.

The lightly raced Maravalliso could be the biggest threat as she has two good runs to her credit and has obvious scope for improvement. It’s My Life also has claims after dropping back to this distance at Durbanville and taking an encouraging fourth, only half a length behind Maravalliso.

Justin Snaith has a string of fancied runners and kicks off with the odds-on newcomer Queensbarns in the opening Maiden Juvenile Fillies. The champion trainer has been particularly pro-active with his two-year-olds this season, making sure they make the racecourse, and this daughter of Racing Post Trophy winner Kingsbarns will be the 60^th to have run in Cape Town.

However Snaith has continued to exercise the patience that has paid such dividends in the past and only four of the 14 that have won did so at the first attempt. In other words stable statistics are against the 17-20 shot scoring tomorrow.

Scottish Ally is second in the market at 28-10 but she has cost punters dear  on her last two runs and was reported in post-race distress after the most recent one. It could pay to take a chance with the 4-1 Vaughan Marshall newcomer Fynbos, a daughter of the 2009 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Field Flower.

Snaith introduces the superbly bred Wild Coast in race two. This filly is the first foal of the champion Beach Beauty and is by Trippi. Little wonder that she opened favourite. However she has eased since and Hubble is preferred. The Glen Kotzen filly has the priceless benefit of racecourse experience. She showed speed when leading in a 1 400m here last time and reverts to 1 200m over which she has some decent form.

The Brett Crawford-trained Kursk is 15-10 favourite for the 1 800m TAB Telebet Maiden (race five) but it is a toss-up between Greg Cheyne’s mount and Winter Shadow (3-1) who showed significantly improved form over a mile last month, was raised nine points as a result to make him officially a kilo better. He gets the vote.

By Michael Clower

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Charles has not hit his straps since arriving in KZN for Champions Season but there is no doubt that he is a colt with ability. He is one of only two horses to have beaten Cape Winter Classic winner Vardy – Cape Guineas winner One World the other – and he finished second to Atyaab in the Investec Derby.

Charles lines up in the Gr3 Track & Ball Derby at Scottsville tomorrow, a ‘derby’ only in name with just two of the 10 runners being three-year-olds.

In both KZN races, the KRA Guineas and the Daily News 2000, Charles sported blinkers. They obviously did not have the desired effect as Brett Crawford has removed them for tomorrow and their absence will hopefully correspond with an improvement in form as he will need a convincing performance if he is to have any chance of making the final field for the Vodacom Durban July, the field being announced next Tuesday.

Charles will not be short of opposition with the filly Secret Potion, Roy Had Enough and Top Classman three others with their names still in the VDJ hat.

Frank Robinson was less than complimentary about the pace of the Cup Trial where Roy Had Enough fell victim to a pedestrian gallop as the riders played cat and mouse in the stiff breeze that chased them home.

Anton Marcus has stayed with Roy Had Enough but if there is no pace he may have to go forward and make his own.

Geoff Woodruff saddles Secret Potion, the only filly in the race, and if she can put one over her male counterparts then she must have a shout of at least being invited to make the VDJ line-up.

She has the best of the draw and Woodruff said mid-week, “From there you can just about pick your spot. She is a good filly, she just needs the opportunity to show it. If there is a good pace and she finds a nice spot, she is a big runner, because she can really turn it on.”

Top weight Dawn Assault is as game as they come and was beaten just over a length in the WSB 1900 which boasted a stronger line-up than what he meets here.

Mr Winsome will be defending his title but has been winless since that last win and comes into the race off a barrier trial and a blow-out in a handicap.

However, Dean Kannemeyer is a master craftsman and a win for Mr Winsome would not come as a major surprise.

Silver Rose is a course and distance specialist and White Lightning is hopelessly out at the weights but boasts a highly consistent recent record and was doing his best work late behind The Sultans Bazaar suggesting that the extra two furlongs may be what he’s looking for.

The Track & Ball Oaks is equally tricky but since the race was opened to older horses, it has been difficult for three-year-olds. Blossom is close to the top of her class having finished runner up in the SA Oaks at Turffontein and a useful third in the Woolavington 2000.

She looks to be the best of the sophomore contingent but Sabina’s Dynasty, Insignis and Roy’s Riviera will be difficult to get past.

East Coast Handicap winner Roy’s Riviera looks to have the wood on top weight Sabina’s Dynasty but the latter is having her third outing for Brett Crawford and was reeling in VDJ hopeful Mayabi Gold quickly in the Scottsville mud in The Scarlet Lady, that race possibly more of a guide.

Insignis, along with Roy’s Riviera are VDJ hopefuls, but both will need spectacular performances if they are to make the final field.

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By Andrew Harrison

While Hawwaam, Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge dominate the headlines and the betting for next month’s Vodacom Durban July, a closer look at the weights that were published on Tuesday provide food for thought.

There was little separating Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met and the recent Rising Sun Gold Challenge, Rainbow Bridge arguably a little unlucky in the Challenge not to have finished closer to his rival. They met at level weights in both those races. In the VDJ Rainbow Bridge will be in receipt of 0.5kg which could swing it in his favour.

Hawwaam has been the ‘talking horse’ of the race but to be fair, he has yet to be truly tested and not in open company, a point borne out by the fact that he carries 56kg, one 1kg less than the maximum weight for a three-year-old male. He had everything go his way in the Daily News 2000 where the winner would ordinarily cop a penalty. In this instance the handicappers saw fit to leave his handicap mark unchanged.

Second-placed Twist Of Fate was clearly second best in the Daily News but was less than two lengths behind and well ahead of the balance. His merit rating was also unchanged but he is now in receipt of 2kg from Hawwaam.

Head Honcho warmed up nicely in a Pinnacle Stakes behind Matador Man and was only caught late in the Sun Met, again at level weights with Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again. He is now 1kg better off with the former and 1.5kg with the latter.

Legal Eagle has fallen steadily in the ratings as his form has dropped off and he did not look anywhere himself at his last start where he was difficult to load and never really raised a gallop. However, on his day he looks well weighted off 55kg. His wellbeing must be taken on trust as Sean Tarry has a knack of peaking his charges on the day.

Lady In Black was three lengths back to Do It Again in the Gold Challenge and will meet her rival on 4kg better terms in the VDJ. She will be stretched to 2200m for the first time but was under a length back to Oh Susanna and Fiorella in the Woolavington 2000 last season. She carries 53.5kg, 1.5kg more than the 52kg minimum benchmark for fillies – 59kg being the maximum.

Barring the top seven in the weights, the balance are under sufferance.

However, two that catch the eye are Barahin and Eyes Wide Open.

In a recent television interview, Mike de Kock was bullish about the chances of Barahin, believing that he comes into the race under the radar. Barahin’s career to date has been interrupted by various training setbacks and although well beaten by Hawwaam in the SA Classic, De Kock said that he had not been at his best on the day and was lengths better than that effort which was a good one in its self. Barahin races off the minimum 53kg.

Last season’s Investec Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open, who had Do It Again behind him that day, missed the VDJ cut last year and had been winless since that triumph before a narrow victory in the WSB 1900 booked his place in this year’s line-up.

More recently he was a fast-closing second in the Cup Trial, a race run at a muddling pace.

Added to that, in his last two runs he beat Magnificent Seven, Doublemint and Made To Conquer and meets them all on better terms

Glen Kotzen said he had been battling with the colt haemoconcentrating but was reluctant to geld as he believed that as a Grade 1 winner the son of Dynasty would make a stallion. The blood problem appears to have been solved and off the 53kg minimum, Eyes Wide Open will be in receipt of 7kg from Do It Again – even if it is over a year down the line.

The draw for barrier positions takes place at Gateway Mall next Tuesday and will add further intrigue to what is already a fascinating contest.

By Andrew Harrison