The ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite Black Arthur was not one of the declared runners when the field for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, to be run this Saturday at Greyville, was finalised yesterday.

However, his Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Bela-Bela is in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 line up. She is drawn seven and with big race Anthony Delpech up will be hard to beat. The others who made the frame behind her in the Daisy Guineas, Nightingale, Negroamara and Flying Ice are drawn four, five and eight respectively, and Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun is drawn ten.

Snaith had said after Black Arthur’s Gr 2 Canon Guineas win, ““He is high quality and we want to still have a horse for next season, so must be careful which route we take with him.”

He later spoke about the July weights consideration, “When Legislate won the Daily News two years ago he then had to carry 56kg in the July and that is a big weight for a three-year-old.”

Black Arthur is currently merit rated only 106, but this could be capped as he received a maximum ten points for his Guineas win in accordance with the new handicapping guidelines pertaining to Gr 2 races.

As things stand he will carry 53kg in the July, but will officially be 2kg under sufferance.

Delpech will now ride the Snaith-trained Gr 1 Investec Derby winner It’s My Turn in the Daily News. He was a bit outpaced early in the Canon Guineas and ran wide too, so his 4,65 length tenth was not a bad effort considering it was his first outing since his Derby win on January 23.

The Derby was considered by some to have been diluted this year by the running of the CTS Million Dollar on the same day, but that no longer looks the case as It’s My Turn had the top pair on the July boards, Black Arthur and Marinaresco, as well as Brazuca, comfortably beaten.

Brazuca has been side-lined by injury and this might have played a part in trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s declaring of Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall winner New Predator for the Daily News. Weichong Marwing keeps the ride. New Predator has bundles of speed, so will likely be ridden cold from a good draw of five. His dam is out of the speed imparting sire Fastnet Rock. However, his sire New Approach won the Epsom Derby and his second dam won five times from 1850m to 2100m, so there is hope.

The Canon Guineas runner up Rabada is drawn eight with Anton Marcus retaining the ride. He did well to stay on for second in the Guineas considering he was handy in a race run at a blistering pace. It provided hope he would stay the 2000m trip, despite his pedigree suggesting a mile should be his optimum. Furthermore, when staying on for a 2,25 length sixth in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m, he was giving 5kg to the winner Black Arthur and 6,5 kg to third-placed Marinaresco.

The narrow Gr 1 SA Derby winner Rocketball is drawn in pole position and Warren Kennedy keeps the ride.

His Gavin van Zyl-trained stablemate Celtic Captain quickened well to hit the front in the Canon Guineas, but then appeared to look up at the big TV screen. The experience would have helped and as his dam won over 2400m he should stay the trip. Recent gelding should also be a plus and from a good draw of six with Keagan de Melo up he is one of the dark horses.

Van Zyl has also declared Redcarpet Captain. De Melo felt after his 2,65 length eighth in the Canon Guineas he would get the 2000m trip. He has plenty of speed in performance and pedigree, but the good balance and hands of Raymond Danielson could help him get home.

Two apprentices have rides in the big race. Lyle Hewitson will be aboard Dynasty gelding Brooklyn Brawler, who quickened well to beat Celtic Captain by 2,5 lengths last time out over 1600m at Greyville. However, he will now be 3,5 kg worse off and his close relative Capetown Noir always had a slight stamina doubt beyond a mile, despite winning the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby.

Apprentice Callan Murray will be aboard Trading Profit, who upset the like of Judicial and French Navy in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1800m in February, but will need to improve on his Premier’s Champions Challenge run.

Gr 1 SA Classic and SA Derby third-placed Samurai Blade will have Sean Tarry’s first choice jockey S’Manga Khumaklo aboard, but has to jump from a wide draw of 17.

Tarry also sends out Politician Stakes third-placed Liege; as well as Prospect Strike, who performed well in the Canon Guineas considering he was too handy and also raced wide; and also the progressive Milla’s World, who disappointed in the SA Derby, but has some eyecatching form up to 1800m.

SA Derby fourth-placed Stebbins has drawn well in two, and trainer Weiho Marwing’s nephew Wesley Marwing replaces Richard Fourie. Weiho and Wesley are thus rare father-and-son participants in the same Gr 1 race.

Last year’s July-winning combination Dean Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph are in the race with Mambo Mime, who ran on well for third in the Canon Guineas and goes beyond a mile for the first time.

Duncan Howells has two runners, Canon Guineas fourth-placed Ten Gun Salute, whose best win was over the Daily News course and distance, and the enigmatic Sylvester The Cat.

That leaves Bankable Teddy who failed in the SA Derby but before that thrashed Stebbins over the Daily News trip.

By David Thiselton