Mac De Lago and Dynamic were the big movers in the Vodacom Durban July betting yesterday as bookmakers assessed the results, and likely impact, of Saturday’s big Greyville races.

Word Sports Betting cut the promoted Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner from 18-1 to 11-1 while Betting World shortened Weiho Marwing’s charge from 16-1 to 10-1. Dynamic, as big as 50-1 before his second to Exit Here in the Cup Trial, is now a best-priced 22-1.

French Navy, who ran on in eye-catching style to take third in the Gold Challenge, was shortened from 11-1 to 9-1 by WSB and is 8-1 with Betting World. However the layers were unimpressed with fourth-placed New Predator and marked him out from 60-1 to as big as 90-1. Black Arthur remains favourite at 11-2 (5-1 with Betting World) and Marinaresco has shortened a point to 6-1.

By Michael Clower

Just how Sean Tarry plays his ‘Legal Eagle’ trump card over the next couple of days will have a marked effect on the weights for the Vodacom Durban July. The weights are due out tomorrow.

Until now Tarry has not been drawn on Legal Eagle but given current bookmakers betting and their information network, indications are that the gelding will not run in the July.

But just when Tarry decides to withdraw Legal Eagle, if indeed that is his intention, will make a significant difference to the weights for the race.

If Tarry withdraws Legal Eagle before publication of the weights then Tarry-trained French Navy will be allotted top weight of 60kg with current favourite Black Arthur 53,5kg.

If Legal Eagle runs, he will carry 60kg, stable companion French Navy will carry 57,5kg and Black Arthur 53kg. Should Tarry withdraw Legal Eagle after the publication of the weights French Navy will be pushed up to 60kg but Black Arthur would also rise by a corresponding 2,5kg to 55,5kg, 2kg more than if Legal Eagle is withdrawn before publication of the weights.

Also in this final scenario, a number of lower rated three-year-olds would get into the race not under sufferance as they would if Black Arthur carried 53,5kg or 53kg.

Tarry also pitched the July selection panel another curved ball as Trophy Wife scored a timely victory in a Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein yesterday. Slow out, as is her want, S’manga Khumalo was content to sit well off the pace in the early exchanges of the 1400m event but moved the filly through smoothly on the inside rail to score a bloodless victory.

Trophy Wife had much in her favour here and just what view the panel takes will be interesting.

Not so lucky was Deo Juvente in the Gr3 Jubilee Handicap. 15th on the July log, Geoff Woodruff’s runner was pulled up before the line and his chances of making July 2 now look slim.

However, Tarry’s decision to send Leige up from his Summerveld yard paid dividends as he outlasted Rainy Day Blues giving some credence to the form of the Gr1 Daily News 2000. The first two home were not among initial July nominations but the final supplementary stage is today at a cost of R25k.

By Andrew Harrison

Speaking prophetically on Friday, Weiho Marwing said “Big Mac” was in good order after arriving from his Turffontein satellite yard the day before. “Those Jo’burg races, especially at Turffontein, may have been too far. He always looked dangerous but didn’t finish of his race. I think the 1600 might be his game. We’ll see.”

Well it was close! “Big Mac” didn’t get home first in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville yesterday, but it took an objection from Marwing to get him there.

Trip To Heaven came from well back in the field to hit the front two furlongs out but Mac De Lago stuck to him like a burr. Under pressure, replacement rider Grant van Niekerk allowed Trip To Heaven to shift ground onto Mac De Lago and with the winning margin a piece-of-paper most agreed that the stewards made the correct decision to reverse the result.

Not a great way to win a Gr1 but it was some consolation for Marwing who two years back was on the wrong end of a steward’ protest in the Vodacom Durban July with Wylie Hall relegated to second behind Legislate.

In spite of being suspect over the distance, Mac De Lago will take his chances in the July.

“I thought the objection was clear-cut,” said Marwing. “I don’t know why the stipes didn’t object. You will have to ask them.”

“It was a great prep for the July. I think he will spark from here.”

French Navy, having his final race before the July, was doing his best work late finishing third and Sean Tarry will be more than happy with his showing in his lead-up to the country’s big one.

The notorious ‘Cape Crawl’ has taken hold in KZN this winter and there appears to be no antidote as both the G3 Cup Trial and the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes caught the virus and the recent Gr1 Daily News 2000 was also not immune.

That said, there is no substitute for experience and internationally experienced Weichong Marwing played the field on the brake in the Cup Trial. Controlling the pace on rank outsider Exit Here he spoilt the chances of a few Vodacom Durban July hopefuls and cemented the chances of his mount making the final field as he kept Exit Here finding extra to hold Dynamic, the heavily supported The Conglomerate and Saratoga Dancer with a blanket covering the rest of the finishers.

Setting a sedate gallop Exit Here, beaten out of sight by current July anti-post favourite Black Arthur in the G2 Canon Guineas, responded to Marwing’s urgings to hold off the attentions of Dynamic who battled to quicken past his rival after being in close attendance throughout.

Chares Laird, not complimentary of his previous jockey bookings for Exit Here, confirmed that pace was the key and was critical of the

colt’s last two rides. “He’s a very gutsy horse and went the right pace. Weichong was able to ease him up a little bit. At the top of the straight he gave him a kick and it’s actually nice to know that it’s not his fault that he had two bad runs.”

Behind the first two, Anton Marcus aboard favourite The Conglomerate and Muzi Yeni on Saratoga Dancer had a barging match resulting in a successful objection by trainer Duncan Howells against The Conglomerate on the grounds of interference and intimidation over the final 350m resulting in the placings being reversed.

With both runners in the running for a place in the final July field this could prove a costly dust-up for both runners who could be relegated to contesting the July consolation.

Last year’s KRA Fillies Guineas winner Alexis has a shine for Greyville and she added a third victory at the track from just four starts. Putting in a telling finish in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes, Brett Crawford’s filly got up close home under stable rider Corne Orffer to edge out Silver Mountain and a fast-finishing Sensible Lover, defying odds of 20-1.

Favourite Inara, caught wide early in a race run at a dismally slow early pace, loomed dangerous for a few strides but was caught for finishing speed and plodded into fourth.

Crawford said, “For me this was a race that we pin-pointed so it’s mission accomplished”. Next up will be the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes on July day.

It was also mission accomplished for Charles Laird and owner Alesh Naidoo when Palladium finished with a rattle to catch favourite Daffiq in the Gatecrasher Stakes. The race was marred by a false start but did not faze the R1,7 million yearling buy who came from last under Keagan De Melo.

“We have a plan for July day,” said Laird. “We’re three-quarters of the way there.”

Later, the Alec Laird-trained Maleficent booked her place in the Golden Slipper on July day in similar fashion in the Devon Air Stakes. Weichong Marwing was hard at work from the top of the straight and the filly only got rolling inside the final furlong to catch Querari Falcon to win going away with the balance well beaten.

Andrew Harrison

The old firm is reunited at Kenilworth today when Richard Fourie has six rides for Justin Snaith. But apparently this does not signify an official resumption of the partnership that produced nine Grade 1 wins – indeed Bernard Fay’d Herbe would have ridden some of the Snaith runners had not Durban called.

However the Snaith sextet includes some plum mounts and Cock-A-Hoop can start the ball rolling in the first. This colt was second to last Saturday’s Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge when he ran over this course and distance in April.

True, it’s not who you were second to but who you beat that counts but the Snaith horse had the third two lengths back and the other 13 strung out with the washing. What is more, they included subsequent dual winner Table Bay.

Captain Marmalade will be a leading fancy to follow up 40 minutes later but Kenny Trix’s two runs have been in hot company and Vaughan Marshall’s runner gets marginal preference. Also worth bearing in mind is Dark Force who finished third to Always In Charge and Cock-A-Hoop in April.

Fourie rides Amazingly for Adam Marcus in race three and, although she has a bit to find on her debut run, the third (Reine Tonnerre) has won since. However the vote goes to Silver Captain to add to Joey Ramsden’s Cape Town two-year-old tally – 11 wins as against 12 for Snaith and nine for Mike Bass.

Jonathan Snaith reckons that Overshadow (race seven), Pride Rock (race eight) and Cock-A-Hoop have the best chance of their Fourie-ridden sextet but cautions against diving in regardless on Twinkle Toes in the My Fair Lady Maiden as she has not raced since her first time second last August.

“She had a chip removed from a joint after that race and she could very well need the run,” he explains.  The form of Juba’s second to Baqueira is looking a bit suspect but there is a line that suggests she is slightly better than Sharp Peg so Brett Crawford’s filly could be the one.

Entrechat is forecast favourite for the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap but she has top weight and this is a prep for the Winter Oaks in a fortnight’s time so it could be prudent to look elsewhere.

Interestingly Snaith Racing two days ago entered Cock-A-Hoop, Captain Marmalade, Pride Rock and Turbulent Air for the Langerman. The latter two go in the last where they meet the three-year-olds on 4.5kg worse terms than weight-for-age. That is about four lengths but, even so, Pride Rock is taken to beat forecast favourite Imperial Dancer.

Michael Clower

*Michael Clower had four winners and a third from five selections last Saturday. In the past four weeks 12 of his 18 selections have won, showing a profit of R77.30 to a R10 level stake.

The Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge heads a top class card for one of KZN’s most enjoyable and well attended annual meetings and there is sure to be a festive on course atmosphere at Greyville today as well as plentiful entertainment, thanks to the usual joint efforts of Gold Circle and Rising Sun CEO Vijay Maharaj.

In the R1 million weight for age 1600m event, Ice Machine could finally land a deserved Gr 1. He ran on smartly in the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes to finish third to New Predator who had been allowed an easy lead. He now has the man who knows him best, Anton Marcus, back aboard. Ice Machine will want a good pace and it could well be quicker than the Drill Hall with Trip To Heaven in the field. However, this will depend on the latter breaking well, which is unlikely statistically as he has been slow away in his last five starts.

Triptique ran on fluently in the Drill Hall Stakes for second, dispelling fears he might only be a sprinter, and on both that effort and pedigree he should get the mile so has a chance from pole position.

New Predator has proved himself possibly the best three-year-old miler still in the country and if allowed to dictate as he did in the Drill Hall he has a big shout.

However, jockey Weichong Marwing has jumped ship to French Navy. This trip will likely be a touch sharp for French Navy and is also likely a preparation for the Vodacom Durban July, but he appears to enjoy Greyville and will be running on strongly.

Bezanova loves Greyville and finished a 0,9 length third last year despite being drawn wide. He now has a good draw and is the dark horse.

Mac De Lago would likely prefer further but has a strong finish and Piere Strydom is up. He’s likely to have been freshened up since the tough President’s Champions Challenge, where he finished a decent fourth, and the Weiho Marwing yard often do well with horses running fresh.

Prospect Strike is a another dark horse as he was caught wide in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas, yet still finished only 2,4 lengths behind July favourite Black Arthur.

Captain Aldo’s best career performance was when winning the slowly run Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m and he had the like of Ice Machine and Trip To Heaven behind him. However, he has a tough task at the weights.

Trip To Heaven is a similar type to former stablemate Willow magic who finished second in this race last year, as he has plenty of speed but stays a mile. If breaking better than normal he could be a threat from the front in a race run as slowly as last year’s.

The selection is Ice Machine to beat Triptique with New Predator, French Navy and Bezanova next best.

The Gr 3 Cup Trial is a traditional July qualifier for borderline horses and is always a highly competitive affair.

However, Dynamic is off an attractive merit rating and is now drawn in pole as opposed to 14 when finishing third in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900. Big Cat should be cherry ripe having his third run in KZN and is likely the best value in the race as it is easy to imagine him making good late progress with his big stride, after having settled in the running from a good draw. It Is Written does tend to take a keen hold, but settled well from a good draw in the Betting World 1900 before staying on for fifth. He will appreciate the slight step down and now has the bang in form Anthony Delpech up from a fair draw of seven.

The Conglomerate has been disappointing but has been seen to stay on steadily in his last two races off moderate paces, so he can feature if getting the strong pace which saw him winning last season’s KRA Guineas. Master’s Eye is quirky and tends to look around, but over raced when the blinkers were tried last time. If he is able to concentrate he will be a big runner from a good draw under Piere Strydom. The classy Saratoga Dancer will be coming into his own and Greek Legend, Exit Here, Gold Onyx and Halve The Deficit are others who can’t be ignored if producing their best, while Deputy Jud could do well if finding a good position near the front.

They are selected in the order mentioned.

The Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m could be dominated by top class stablemates Inara and Silver Mountain.  Alexis, who love Greyville, could be the biggest danger. Olma is the dark horse as she is doing extremely well at Summerveld and loves this track, but her wide draw makes it tough. Cuvee Brut is a classy, distance suited sort who could upset.

In the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes, high-flying Vaughan Marshall has a chance with the classy Step Up, despite a wide draw. The maiden Side Show and impressive Aussie Austin could be the biggest dangers.

In the Devon Air Stakes, Querari Falcon impressed with the ease of her win over 1200m on debut. She should love this trip on pedigree. The penny dropped for Oriental Oak last time and her late burst caught the eye.  Call Me Winter is well bred and looks to be full of class, so it will be no surprise to see her defy topweight, although being a handy type means her wide draw is a distinct disadvantage.

David Thiselton