Wylie Hall will be the sentimental favourite of many for this year’s Vodacom Durban July and trainer Weiho Marwing confirmed yesterday (Wednesday) that the good looking five-year-old bay had enjoyed a good preparation.
Wylie Hall (Nkosi Hlophe)
The Australian-bred Redoute’s Choice entire has not run since winning the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein, in which he impressed jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe. The Challenge was also the last run he had before last year’s July, which he controversially lost on objection, so he clearly enjoys running fresh. He appears to have really come into his own this year but that is also reflected in his merit rating and weight as he is now a 116 and carries 58kg compared to 109 and 57,5kg last year.
However, taking weight for age changes into account, he will effectively face Majmu on identical weight terms in the July as he did in the Challenge, when beating her by 1,25 lengths. He also has a draw of two compared to six last year and is likely to be up near the pace again. On the downside, his collateral form with July favourite Legal Eagle, through Killua Castle and Judicial, suggests on paper he has over four lengths to find on the crack three-year-old.
Marwing said Bilateral always did well in KZN so expected a good run from her in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, but she does face a huge task against a vintage field.
Lertasha (Nkosi Hlophe)
Marwing described his progressive three-year-old Go Deputy gelding Rampant Ice as a versatile type and having run on in eyecatching fashion from well back in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas he is interesting in the Listed Canon Business Centre Handicap over the same course and distance, although he does have a tough task carrying topweight off a merit rating of 106
Marwing said Isobar was “fit and well” ahead of that race, despite returning from a six month layoff. He ran on well from a similar wide draw the last time he tried this course and distance in the Christmas Handicap, despite later having been found to be coughing.
Marwing felt the 1400m trip would be too sharp for Fulcrum in the first.
However, he expected the Australian-bred filly Lertasha to go well in the second race, provided she took well to the poly. She is a talented filly and should have grown into her tall frame by now, so should be coming into her own. She was right up there throughout when winning over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track last time, so will be interesting on the Greyville poly, which often has true paced races.
By David Thiselton
VDJ betting now open: PA Leg 1 starts in race 3 – estimated pool R 3.6 million.
