The Durban July plunge on Marinaresco continues with a vengeance following his win – with scarcely believable ease – in the Winter Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Eight days ago he was as big as 28-1 but now you will be lucky to get more than 10-1. Indeed Betting World slashed him from 18-1 to 8-1 joint second favourite with Abashiri on Saturday evening. Black Arthur still heads the market for the great Vodacom race, albeit easing from 7-2 to 9-2, while Friday night’s 1900 winner Solid Speed has been cut from 22-1 to 10-1 and runner-up St Tropez from 50-1 to 14-1.

Grant van Niekerk, beaten a short head on 55-1 shot Smanjemanje in the 2012 July, reckons this could be the one to put the record straight and said: “He gives me goose bumps. He is probably the best I’ve ridden, he is still maturing and he will be a big runner in the July.”

Mind you, it wasn’t all plain sailing. Marinaresco saw too much daylight early on and fought for his head with a race-losing intensity. “At one stage I was three wide and I panicked a bit,” said the jockey, echoing the nail-biting anxiety of those who backed the favourite down to 17-20. “But then I managed to get in and he switched off.”

Van Niekerk cruised up with a double handful a furlong out and never had to ask his mount any sort of question. Indeed he was easing up well before the line – doubtless mindful of what the handicappers will do when they discuss it in video conference today –  and put out his left hand, palm up, in a gesture that had the riders in the stands scratching their heads in bemusement.

“It was just a salute,” he said but the stipes took exception as well as R1 000 of his R14 000 percentage.

There are 40 above the Mauritzfontein-bred Silvano gelding in the July log but a five point increase – the official margin was less than half a length so it’s hard to see him getting more –  would take out 14 of them.  The selection panel have two wild cards at their disposal and Mike Bass’s last hurrah would surely present an impossible-to-ignore case, particularly carrying the famous Marsh Shirtliff colours.

 

“He’s got to get a run now and he comes in nicely (at the weights). He’s a little machine,” said the trainer who was winning his eighth Winter Classic.   “He’s only 15.1 or 15.2 but he has an amazing turn of foot,” added daughter Candice.

Captain’s Flame, who made much of the running in the Stormsvlei Mile, decisively regaining the lead briefly held by Goodtime Gal, will also skip the final leg of the Winter Series to go to Durban – in her case for the Garden Province.

Aldo Domeyer, who rode her with such confidence, said: “I thought it would be best to pick up the lead with the winter course having such a short straight and I let Richard Fourie on Goodtime Gal get first run rather going for the doctor. We had been travelling quickly and I knew mine was winding into another gear.”

Corne Orffer won the weightwatcher of the month award for shedding 4.5kg in ten days to ride Chevauchee at 52.5kg in the Olympic Duel Stakes. His drastic diet consisted of fruit for breakfast, salad for supper and nothing else at any other time.

He was rewarded with victory even though stable companion Beach Goddess came within a head of ruining his long-dreamed of dinner – “I hit the front a little bit too soon and that’s why mine stopped at the end.”

Brett Crawford will now try the Australian-bred round the turn and he will run Friday evening’s winner Alexis in the Tibouchina on June 11 before taking on all the talent in the Garden Province.

Second favourite Lohnromance finished plum last, much to the disappointment of Andre Nel who said: “We fancied her every bit as much as we did Captain’s Flame.”

MJ Byleveld, who reported to the stipes that he felt something was wrong with the mare, reached the 50-winner mark with a Vaughan Marshall double that included an impressive performance from R2.2 million purchase William Longsword. But this one won’t be going to Durban.

Derek Brugman said: “He is a big horse and it would be a futile exercise to send him down there on those tight tracks. We will probably nominate him for the Langerman but I’m not sure he has got it all together for a race like that and I don’t want to spoil him.”

By Michael Clower