Dean Kannemeyer arrived in KZN without a strong Vodacom Durban July contender in 2015 and walked away with the trophy and this year the odds are stacked even higher against him, but he does have a glimmer of hope through It’s My Turn, who runs in Saturday’s Grade 3 Track and Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville.

Kannemeyer has a strong hand in Saturday’s race as last year’s winner Mr Winsome as well as The Slade also line up and his classy filly Meryl will contend the Grade 3 Track and Ball Oaks.

He said about the five-year-old Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn, “I think he is looking for this trip. He is well in under the conditions of the race. He is doing very well.”

He said about It’s My Turn’s July ambitions, “If he wins we will speak to Fred Crabbia about running him in the July. But he has got to win well to get in.”

It’s My Turn (Liesl King)

It’s My Turn won the Investec Cape Derby as a three-year-old for the Justin Snaith yard and in KZN finished second in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and a 2,35 length fourth in the July. Last year he finished a 1,4 length eighth in the July.

This season he finished an eye-catching third in the Kings Cup in his second run after a layoff. It was also his second run for the Kannemeyer yard. However, in his next start when fancied in the WSB 1900, he over-raced badly. That is cause for concern over this trip, especially from a tricky draw of nine, although Anton Marcus now rides him in his first meeting back from injury.

The five-year-old Silvano gelding Mr Winsome’s win in this race last year earned him a July berth. He has been disappointing since then but did run third in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m last time out, albeit beaten 6,9 lengths.

Kannemeyer said, “That was a better run last time. He loves Scottsville and I think he has turned the corner, he I doing very well.” Stable first choice jockey Keagan de Melo rides from a plum draw of two.

Kannemeyer said about the four-year-old Philanthropist gelding, The Slade, “He was disappointing last time in the 1900 but was a little below his best then and is doing exceptionally well now. He is fit and well and I have always been convinced he would stay this trip.” Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides from a draw of six.

Meryl is a three-year-old Tiger Ridge filly and comes off an impressive win over 1750m at Scottsville. She gave some decent three-year-old males 5,5kg and more in that race and finished strongly to win by 1,5 lengths. Before that she had not been disgraced against some of the country’s best fillies during the Cape Summer Season and as a two-year-old she won the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m at Greyville.

Kannemeyer said, “She won a great race the other day and is doing well. The race will tell whether she stays. I trained her mother (Rose Lipped Maiden by Fort Wood) and he didn’t stay more than a mile but she tended to over race, so I think he will stay.” De Melo rides from a tough draw of fourteen.

By David Thiselton

The last chance for July horses to show their credentials happens on Saturday in the Grade 3 Track and Ball Derby and Grade 3 Track and Ball Oaks, both over 2400m at Scottsville. The Oaks looks to be a highly competitive race and should be a thriller.

Witchcraft

In the Oaks Flichity By Farr will be improving all the time being by Go Deputy and will be at her best next season as a four-year-old. However, a repeat of her runner up finish in the SA Oaks, where she finished strongly, will see her go close. She has run well at Scottsville before and Piere Strydom rides from a good draw of six. Meryl gave the impression she could stay last time when finishing strongly over 1750m to beat a decent bunch of males, to whom she gave lumps of weight. She has class but does have a tough draw to overcome and is unproven over the trip.

Wind Chill, a small filly with a big heart and some class, won last year’s SA Oaks in good style and should go close here from a good draw. Girl On The Run has class and was unlucky when going close over 2600m last time, which proved she stays the trip. Bi Pot has some class and always struck as one who would improve with age. She finished a 3,25 length fourth to Wind Chill in last year’s SA Oaks. Royal Utopia looks to be on the up and put in a cracking effort over 2000m last time in the Listed East Coast Cup over 2000m at Greyville where she was runner up. She finished third in last year’s SA Oaks so is proven over the trip and has a plum draw here.

Witchcraft won this race two years ago and was a close fourth last year. However, she has to bounce back from two poor runs. Leaves Of Grass was a narrow second in the Winter Oaks over 2200m at Kenilworth and has shown glimpses of class. Onesie is well regarded but has been a bit disappointing. However, being by Ideal World this might be the trip she has always been looking for. Raya Baya has potential but did disappoint in the Woolavington 2000 last time when finding little extra, so needs to bounce back and she has to prove she stays the trip.

Sunshine Silk is a typically improving filly by Silvano and is the dark horse as she has won three of her last four starts and loves this trip. She does have a tough draw but is capable of running on from behind. Epona is a half-sister to Jay Peg but has become a disappointing sort who can’t be relied on, although on her day she is capable of going close here. Lady Li Lay is a lightly raced four-year-old Silvano filly who is interesting over this trip as he has won twice over 2000m. Skyfire looks outclassed and Arizona Sunset also faces a big step up in class and will need sudden improvement.

Flichity By Farr is selected to beat Meryl with Wind Chill, Sunshine Silk and Girl On The Run next best.

By David Thiselton

It was only a four-horse contest but Winter Blues put in a tremendous gallop to warm up for Greyville, Saturday, July 7, with an emphatic victory in the Fresh Eyes Communication Handicap at Scottsville yesterday.

“The yard is starting to tick up,” said Louis Goosen whose stable was one of those hard-hit by the now notorious Ashburton virus.

Apprentice-ridden Swakopmund looked the only real danger but he was on the receiving end of a race-riding lesson from the wily Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

As former champion jockey Michael Roberts told his riders, “you are up against one of the best. Let’s see how good you are.” Unfortunately, neither of Kingsmead or Flamboyant could keep up the pace.

There was no malice or anything sinister in Fayd’Herbe letting Winter Blues range up alongside Swakopmund, but it did pressurise young Luke Ferraris to go early, leaving the door open for Winter Blues.

There is not much of Winter Blues in height, but he has filled out into a solid galloper and this was his fifth win from nine outings.

Ferraris was quick to make amends as he made full use of his 4kg claim to steer Miss Calypso to a convincing win in the fourth for Gavin van Zyl with the Duncan Howells-trained Beat It ridden out for second.

Howells has had an extraordinary run of runner-up berths in recent weeks and finally broke his run with Fire Song who was in the last chance saloon after a string of disappointing runs. Always travelling well under Muzi Yeni, the colt looked set for a romp in the park but when the taps were turned on, the water was slow to flow. “I was going so easy, I thought I would win by five or six (lengths), I think he needs gelding,” said Yeni bluntly.

Garth Puller is in a rich vein of form and Roman Dancer showed a fine turn of foot to land the card opener. “We fancied him last time,” said the seasoned horseman, “but he got hit over the head, not the best for a two-year-old.”

“He shows a lot of speed, that’s why I kept him to a sprint but I think he will go further.”

Third-placed Pickawinner was well fancied but found the 1000m dash too short. “Muzi said he only pulled him up at the 1400m mark,” said Howells. That’s nearly a full loop of the track.

Gary Rich finally appears to have got to the bottom of Pina Colada who obliged under a vigorous ride from Sherman Brown. Always there or thereabouts, Rich was uncertain as to what the filly’s optimum trip was. “I tried her over sprints and the jockeys told me to go further. I put her over 1400m and they said go back to a sprint. I really didn’t know where I was so just stuck her over a mile. She won well today and I think she will go even further. She has the action of a stayer.”

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Standside track meeting tomorrow has some highlights despite falling in the Highveld off season.

Andrew Fortune

Star Of Joburg moved up well over 1600m last time before finding no extra and should enjoy the step down to 1400 in the seventh race, a MR 80 over 1400m. He is an up and coming three-year-old gelding and is the selection. However, the others to include in the PA are Unrehearsed and Sail For Joy. The former has not been disgraced in his last three from 1200m to 1400m and now has his third run after a layoff off a two point lowered merit rating. He won over this trip in December but did over race that day so will need to settle better. Sail For Joy has won four times over this course and distance and won comfortably over this trip on the Inside track last time so can handle a two point merit rated raise. Shortstop and Captain Chips can be included in the Pick 6. Shortstop is an ultra consistent sort and has won twice over course and distance. Captain Chips is ideally suited to 1400m and the only possible concern is his low draw, although this season the high draws have not always been favourable as they were in the past on this track.

The Ashley Fortune-trained Rebel’s Idol in race six is chosen as the best bet although she is not a confident choice. Cape Town racing is the strongest in the country and handicappers from there often arrive in other centres with merit ratings which have been unrealistically suppressed. She is a case in point as she won comfortably on her Highveld debut over 1000m off a 50 merit rating. She has been raised five points and a further concern is the trip of 1200m as she has plenty of pace and has been kept to 1000m for most of her career. However, the Kenilworth 1000m is a tough one and if she can win there she should be able to handle 1200m on the fast Vaal track. For the Pick 6 Virginia Moon and Announcing Rain can be included.

The Fortunes could have a double as Winter Storm, who runs in the last race over 1600m, caught the eye on debut. This What A Winter gelding has a lovely big action and his dam by National Emblem won over 2000m so he should stay the trip. He showed good early pace on debut so the only slight concern is whether he will settle over this step up in trip.

By David Thiselton

The weights for the Vodacom Durban July were released yesterday and the handicappers published them strictly according to the official merit ratings and with compulsory regard for the conditions of the race.

The race has the potential to be a true handicap because there are 19 horses in the handicap (i.e not under sufferance according to official merit ratings).

The older horse Coral Fever  is topweight off a 118 merit rating and the first horse under sufferance is the 107 merit-rated three-year-old Roy Had Enough, who has been the allotted the minimum weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg but in a true handicap would be carrying 52,5kg.

However, the race is unlikely to end up as a true handicap considering the 12-1 fourth favourite with Betting World, Made To Conquer, is 3kg under sufferance off his 102 merit rating and it would be a shock if he were to be excluded from the final field.

Furthermore, a prominent horse on the last July log, the SA Oaks winner Secret Potion, is 2kg under sufferance carrying 52kg off her 102 merit rating.

The 20-1 chance older pair Tilbury Fort and Dark Moon Rising are half-a-kilogram and 1,5kg under sufferance respectively carrying 53kg off their 103 and 101 merit ratings.

Unofficially the best weighted horse has to be the favourite African Night Sky, considering he escaped any merit rating raise when running a close sixth in the Sun Met. He arguably ran to about 122 that day and appeared to escape lightly in his recent easy win in the Cup Trial, where he was raised four points to 112. He has been set to carry 57kg.

Coral Fever will be attempting to emulate Marinaresco, who won with top weight last year.

The three-year-olds look to have an easier task than they have had in recent years with the top-weighted pair being Do It Again and Majestic Mambo, who both carry 54kg. Legislate carried 56kg to victory in 2014, the highest weight a three-year-old has ever carried to victory in the July.

The most prominent three-year-old filly in the race is Fiorella, who is 45-1 in the betting and she has a tough task carrying 53kg, just 1kg less than the best sophomore males.

It should be taken into account there was a six point merit rating raise across the board for all horses in major centres in South Africa in March, so the overall higher merit rating average of this year’s race compared to last year’s does not necessarily mean an increase in class. However, a classy field will nevertheless be lining up and July fever is now rising as rapidly as usual.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Coral Fever (JC Photographics)