How do you sort out a dog-fight – an understandably repulsive ‘sport’ but possibly an appropriate analogy for the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville tomorrow?

The ‘fight’ centres around struggles for places in the Vodacom Durban July and with Africa’s greatest horserace just a month away, competition for places in the 18-horse field is now intense.

Tomorrow should sort out a pecking order as far as the three-year-old hopefuls are concerned. The Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 have attracted the cream of the crop but in many cases, July hopefuls that fall outside the preferred 18 on the log. At this stage of proceedings, they will need forward showings to come under consideration by the selection panel.

In the Woolavington, Safe Harbour, Orchid Island and Smiling Blue Eyes are all July entries. Safe Harbour ran Bela-Bela to within a length in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth back in January and more recently was beaten the same distance by Orchid Island in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic. She has yet to race beyond 1800m and stable first call rider S’Manga Khumalo will be aboard stable companion Smiling Blues Eyes with Sean Tarry declaring Muzi Yeni on Safe Harbour which could prove telling.

With still two months of the season to run, Tarry is a shoo-in to top R30 million in stakes. His current tally sitting at R29 239 000.

Anthony Delpech is contracted to ride for Wilgerbosdrift and has been aboard Orchid Island in her last four starts. However, he has jumped ship to partner the Sanith-trained Gimme Six, not a July entry but still a possible with the final supplementary stage on Monday, June 12.

Two early fancies in the July ante-post market, Gr1 SA Derby winner Al Sahem and Gr1 Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes, are both due to line up in the Daily News 2000.

After interrupted preparations for both the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and Gr1 SA Classic, Al Sahem was spot on for the Derby and won as he liked. The SA Derby has always been a useful pointer for the July and runner-up and Derby Trial winner Pagoda, 15th on the current July log, must also come into the reckoning. Geoff Woodruff’s runner has come into his own since he started racing in blinkers but has been a little under the radar.

Brett Crawford’s runner Edict Of Nantes goes into the Daily News off an excellent effort in an Allowance Plate where he gave the winner, Crowd Pleaser, 6kg. The race was switched to the poly track and he was making up ground quickly over the final furlong which augurs well for tomorrow.

Both Al Sahem and Edict Of Nantes are certain of a July spot and Pagoda is also in contention. Others on the fringes include Africa Rising, Zodiac Ruler, Horizon and Copper Force. Africa Rising steps up to ten furlongs for the first time but his pedigree suggests that he should have no trouble seeing it out. However, his Daisy Guineas effort behind Janoobi does raise a few question marks. The three others mentioned are all in the same boat. Zodiac Ruler did the best of them in the Guineas and his second place in the Investec Derby will count in his favour. Horizon started odds-on for the Investec Derby but was beaten nearly four lengths. He opened his KZN campaign with a promising win over 1400m but disappointed in the Guineas again when starting favourite. The Daily News trip should be more to his liking and he may be worth another chance.

Copper Force is another borderline case but will probably need a seriously big effort tomorrow if he is to make the July field. Although he has not finished out of the money in eight starts he has finished behind Africa Rising and Zodiac Ruler in recent outings.

Two other July hopefuls in action at Greyville are Rocketball and Banner Hill who take their chances in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup. Rocketball will have to up his game substantially to have any chance of making the July field while Banner Hill finished four lengths off Ten Gun Salute in the Gr2 Betting World 1900 which may have compromised his chances. Glen Kotzen said Banner Hill’s original target for the winter season had been the Gr3 Gold Cup but decided to nominated for the July after a fluent Champions Season opener. Victory on Saturday will definitely put him back into the reckoning.

By Andrew Harrison