Jockeys Anthony Delpech and Anton Marcus will both be attempting to land a record-breaking fifth win in South Africa’s biggest horse race, the Vodacom Durban July, at Greyville on Saturday.
Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)
Delpech looks to have the better chance of achieving the milestone this year, at least as far as the betting odds go.
He is aboard the ruling favourite Bela-Bela, who was as eyecatching as usual when working on the top sand track at Summerveld yesterday morning (Monday).
The power in her stride is evident even at an easy pace.
Some say a low draw of three will make it tough for the three-year-old filly in her first ever race against males, especially as the July is renowned for being a rough race.
However, Delpech disagrees.
He said, “I would prefer to be drawn three than 20. She has good gate speed and is a simple horse to ride.”
Bela-Bela is only 0,5kg under sufferance according to official merit ratings. Furthermore, trainer Justin Snaith pointed out she had not yet proved how good she was. In his opinion all three of his three-year-olds in the race will have considerably higher merit ratings in six months time.
The grey Dynasty filly is out of the amazing 20-year-old broodmare Mystic Spring, who has also produced the like of Rabiya, Secret Of Victoria, Spring Lilac and Rafiya.
Bela-Bela’s breeder Vaughan Koster of Cheveley Stud was there to see her at Summerveld yesterday morning.
Anton Marcus
Vaughan bred the Snaith-trained July winner of 2014, Legislate, who was also by the great 2002 July winner Dynasty.
Anton Marcus said he would have preferred to be closer to the fence than draw eleven, especially considering he was on a horse which he was not sure was good enough to win the race. However, he said his mount, the Joey Ramsden-trained four-year-old Silvano gelding St. Tropez, had been doing very well in his preparation.
St. Tropez is 3,5kg under sufferance according to official merit ratings.
Marcus believed another Markus Jooste-owned July candidate Rabada had put in a “great run” in Sunday’s KZN Breeder’s Million Mile. The Brave Tin Soldier colt, with Marcus up, was beaten only 1,5 lengths and the top jockey pointed out he was weighted to have only run fourth.
Trainer Mike Azzie and connections were due to monitor how Rabada had pulled up out of Sunday’s race before deciding whether to run him in the July or not.
By David Thiselton
