David Thiselton
Mickaelle Michel would never have believed in her wildest dreams when landing in South Africa last December that she would be aboard the favourite for South Africa’s greatest race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, just seven months later. However, she will have to defy 43 years of history even if ignoring the fact that she would become the first female jockey to ever win the big race.
Mark Sutherland was the last jockey to ride the winner of the July in his first ride in the great race and that happened in 1983 on the filly Tecla Bluff, who was the first of the great trainer Terrance Millard’s six July winners.
The previous jockey to achieve the feat was Leslie Mustard, who won on the Des Rich-trained Lightning Shot in 1977 in his first July ride.
Before Mustard one would have to go as far back as 1959 to find another case.
1959 was a historic year, because the Oppenheimer family had the first of their nine July wins either as owners, breeders, or both, as their homebred four-year-old Tiger Fish made amends for his short-head defeat the previous year, He was ridden to a convincing 2,25 length victory by Bennie Little in the latter’s first ever July ride.
Bennie was the grandfather of current jockey Chad Little.
Whilst the Oppenheimer family have a fine chance this year of making it a tenth July victory with their Frank Robinson-trained homebred filly Mocha Blend, an opportunity for history to repeat itself was missed when Holding Thumbs did not make it into the final field earlier this week as this Glen Kotzen-trained Vercingetorix gelding was bred by the Oppenheimer family and Chad Little was due to ride him.
It would have been Chad’s second career July ride, his first having been 21 years ago on Tyson who finished 11th in the 2005 July.
Mickaelle will become only the second woman to have ridden in the iconic race.
Rachel Venniker made history when riding in the Hollywoodbets Durban July in 2024.
She might get a second ride in the big race this year as she is booked to ride the first reserve runner Choisaanada, an Erico Verdonese-trained horse who was somewhat controversially left out of the top 18 having been a top 18 incumbent on the last Hollywoodbets Durban July log.
It was in fact the second time a Verdonese-trained horse who had been set to be ridden by Venniker was eliminated at the last minute as the Verdonese-trained Jimmy Don was 18th on the final log in 2023, but did not make the cut.
Rachel had been set to make her July debut in 2022, but suffered a concussion and whiplash injury after a freak starting-gate accident just five days before the big race.
When she did finally have a July ride two years ago it was aboard the outsider Hluhluwe, a three-year-old 40-1 chance trained by Justin Snaith,
and she finished a 5,35 length eleventh.
Venniker and Verdonese will be hoping there is a scratching before 08H15 on Friday July 3.
The July is not an easy race to ride in, so experience would be an advantage, but a professional of Mickaelle Michel’s standing would go in with plenty of meticulous homework and preparation having been done. July replays, for example, would be a valuable tool for a first-time rider in the race and there are plenty of current jockeys and ex-jockeys who would be willing to offer advice.
There will be many hoping the popular French jockey can make history in about ten days time on the fourth of July.
