The Mike Bass-trained dual Gr 1-winning Trippi filly Inara was one of the most notable Vodacom Durban July scratchings at the second declaration stage yesterday (Monday) and this followed her disappointing fifth-place finish as favourite for Saturday’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.

Bass said Inara had been found to have “a nasty swelling” on her back leg on Sunday, having been run into from behind in the Woolavington at about the 1600m mark, but she was otherwise fine and he believed the chief reason for the below par effort was her stamina capacity.

He said, “There are not many Trippi fillies that can stay the 2000m but I thought beforehand that she would based on her Paddock Stakes win over 1800m.”

Inara also stayed on strongly from near the back of the field to finish runner up in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, which suggested she would get the 2000m at the same  track.

However, Bass is now of the opinion that she is better over shorter, so duly scratched her from the July yesterday morning and is likely to  aim her at the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, which is one of July day’s main supporting features.

By David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer’s Dynasty gelding Solid Speed won at Greyville for the third time in succession when taking the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m under Donovan Dillon and he will be a big runner in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup.

Disco Al ran on well for second and Heart Of A Lion ran a particularly eyecatching race, weaving his way through from the back for third. Mountain Master in fourth and Kingston Mines in fifth also had good preparations for the Gold Cup, particularly the latter.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

French Navy finished like a train from well back in the running to win the Daily News 2000 rather convincingly at Greyville on Saturday.

Jockey Raymond Danielson was more elated about this victory than the geldings Gr 1 SA Classic win and said, “This was at Greyville and I know now that he likes the course.” The Count Dubois gelding was the highest merit rated horse in the weight for age race so shouldn’t be too badly punished by the handicapper and will be a big runner in the July.

Danielson knew French Navy was top class when winning his maiden aboard him over 1600m last October. He described him as lazy at home and also lazy in a race. That is until he hits the straight and he then becomes electrified. He was concerned he was too far back on Saturday and didn’t mind pushing him along, as he was confident he would find his usual finish.

The De Kock-trained Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal relished the faster ground and the 2000m trip and ran a gallant second. The Joey Ramsden-trained favourite The Conglomerate ran well enough for third, but was never a serious threat and will likely drift in the July betting. The Weiho Marwing-trained Rampant Ice, fifth in the KRA Guineas, relished the step up to 2000m and finished fourth ahead of Mac De Lago, who had finished second in the KRA Guineas.

By David Thiselton

Picture: French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Majmu’s trainer Mike de Kock said the big grey filly would likely just be given a few days off due to the temperature she was found to have had on Saturday morning and she would then continue her preparation for the July.

The 14/1 shot Smart Call benefitted from a change of tactics in the Woolavington and showed a smart turn of foot at the top of the straight under Weichong Marwing which enabled her to fetch the De Kock-trained Pine Princess close to home.

Pine Princess won the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, so it was not surprising to see her go to the front from a wide draw under Anthony Delpech, although she was then allowed to dictate.

Alec Laird never had any doubts about Smart Call’s stamina due to her pedigree. In her previous starts she had tended to do the donkey work, so her ability to quicken had never before been evident. However, it was displayed in no uncertain terms on Saturday and Laird believed she had undoubtedly been the best horse on the day.

“She is a smart horse,” he said. Laird said he had always believed Smart Call would be better as a four-year-old and it was likely that she would now be given a deserved break until next season. However, he did say that she had gone down to the start like a July horse, so the big one might still have been in the back of his mind, but he then added, “I don’t think it’s worth it. She will be better next season and the July might be the ruination of her.”

Laird has always had a concentration of colts and geldings in his yard and described Smart Call as the best filly he had trained since Mill Hill, who was one of the best of her generation in the late 1980s. The win was a milestone moment for an ecstatic Jessica Slack of Mauritzfontein Stud, who own and bred Smart Call. Jessica revealed that this was Mauritzfontein’s first Gr 1 win since she had taken over the reins from her late great grandmother Bridget Oppenheimer. It was also the first Gr 1 winner for Mauritzfontein’s new sire Ideal World and it augurs well for the stallion’s future that Smart Call is from his first crop.

Jessica was fittingly wearing her grandmother’s broach, which is of a horse with a rider aboard wearing the famous yellow and black Oppenheimer silks. Jessica had even remembered to point the horse slightly upwards as her grandmother had always done. She reminisced, “Grandma was such a favourite of everybody.” Bridget, known as the Queen Mum of South African racing, had an obvious influence on the pedigree of Smart Call as the latter’s dam is by the great Horse Chestnut and is a half-sister to Greys Inn, who won the Daily News 2000 and the July for the Oppenheimer’s in 2004.

The ultra tough Tarry-trained Trophy Wife managed her fifth big race place of the year by running third, while the Neil Bruss-trained Zante expectedly relished the 2000m trip and finished fourth. The hot favourite Inara found little extra after taking a bump in the straight and could only manage fifth. It was clearly not her run and the Tarry-trained Tamaanee also disappointed by running ninth.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Majmu (Liesl King)

French Navy has been slashed from 25-1 to 10-1 for the Vodacom Durban July following his Daily News triumph, the same price as runner-up Ertijaal (from 14-1) but third-placed The Conglomerate is still shorter than both of them, despite being eased from 6-1 to 8-1.

Betting World has also cut Woolavington runner-up Pine Princess from 50-1 to 33-1 but Siren’s Call has been marked out from 25-1 to twice that price and Inara (only fifth in the Woolavington) from 50-1 to 150-1.

Futura remains favourite, hardening from 33-10 to 3-1, but the temperature-sidelined Majmu has been eased from 4-1 to 5-1 and Wylie Hall has come in from 7-1 to 6-1 third favourite.

Micheal Clower Picture:French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)