Solid Speed had his Gr1 Vodacom Durban July odds slashed by half after converting favouritism in the Gr2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville on Friday evening. 20-1 before the event, Solid Speed was cut to 10-1 by the sponsors while the odds on runner-up St Tropez were slashed from 55-1 to 14-1 after running the favourite to a neck.

Dean Kannemeyer and rider Anthony Delpech had to chew their nails on the outcome of a race review but although Solid Speed did shift off a straight course, he did so following St Tropez, and there was no further action.

It was a race were many had chances but Solid Speed hammered his peg into the ground as far as the July goes.

A winner of the Gr2 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup this time last year, but Power King the preferred July runner,

Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

Kannemeyer aimed Solid Speed at the then Gr1 eLan Gold Cup rather than the July. Starting favourite for the Gold Cup he finished with just three behind him after pulling up lame behind.

Since then he has won three of his four starts, two over a ‘mile’ – a distance deemed short of his best – and on Friday night’s performance he will have gained a host of new supporters for the July, a race that Kannemeyer has won three times, first up with champion sire Dynasty, the sire of Solid Speed.

St Tropez put a disastrous Gr1 Summer Cup behind him as Kegan de Melo followed Solid Speed through the traffic and chased him hard to the line to enhance his July credentials.

A piece of paper separated Dynamic and The Conglomerate although both were given every chance. But with the July in mind, it was a decent showing by both from tough outside draws.

Also catching the eye was the grey King Of Pain. A former winner of the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m at Clairwood, he looks to have matured into a solid stayer. He won over two miles last time out and was doing his best work late on Friday. The Gr3 Gold Vase and the Gr2 eLan Gold Cup look tailor made.

Earlier Sail, in spite of getting herself into a stew before the start, put her hand up for the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship in a fortnight’s time with a game performance in a Juvenile Plate. She bounced her way to the start but once in the race settled nicely and quickened through into the lead as pacemaker Announcing Rain folded. She was chased hard by Dawn Calling, the line coming just in time, but it was a top effort.

This was a seven-furlong event but previously she had doddled her maiden over the Allan Robertson course and distance which augurs well for her chances.

By Andrew Harrison