Vodacom Durban July watchers will be on tenterhooks throughout this week in the build up to one of the most important pointers to the big race, the Betting World 1900, which will be run on Friday night at Greyville.

The 1900 is one of the Champions Season D-Days for horses who are on the borderline of July qualification.

It’s My Turn (Liesl King)

Justin Snaith has the topweight It’s My Turn, who finished fourth in the July last year. However, he was only in 18^th place on the first July log, so will need to run a big race either here or in another qualifier like the Cup Trial. Snaith’s other 1900 pair, Elusive Silva and Prince of Wales, put in excellent SA Champions Season pipe openers in the Listed Sledgehammer handicap over 1800m. Elusive Silva showed showed a magnificent turn of foot to win easing up and is now joint-second on the July boards at 8/1. He only has a 99 merit rating, but was in 16^th place on the July log. The winner of the 1900 can only get a maximum of a six point merit rated raise, so he looks likely to be one of the best weighted horses in the July. Prince Of Wales gave Elusive Silva 3kg in the Sledgehammer and ran on strongly to be beaten only two lengths. Snaith said he had come on tremendously for the run, so he still represents good July value at 33/1. Prince Of Wales and Elusive Silva have landed plum draws on Friday night.

Last year’s July-winning trainer Joey Ramsden has a fascinating runner in Macduff. He is merit rated only 89 and finished way back in the Sun Met, but he had some good 1800m form behind Whisky Baron before that. He won his only previous start at Greyville. That was in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly, where he showed a good turn of foot, He is as effective on turf and has a plum draw on Friday night.

National Champion trainer Sean Tarry runs the tough old front-running veteran Serissa, who should ensure a decent pace. He also runs five-year-old Hyaku and the three-year-olds Tilbury Fort and Copper Pot. Copper Pot has a good turn of foot, but has been found wanting in features to date. Tilbury Fort finished a good 2,8 length third in the Gauteng Guineas, but was way back in the Gr 1 SA Classic, where he might not have enjoyed the going, as he should stay the 1900m trip.

Mr Winsome (Nkosi Hlophe)

Geoff Woodruff’s Master Switch has come into his own this season, so should do better in this race than he did last year. His stablemate Go Direct has also come into his own in the typical manner of a four-year-old by Go Deputy and is a dark horse. Both of Woodruff runners have wide draws.

Three-time July-winning trainer Dean Kannemeyer runs Mr Winsome, who is a typically improving son of Silvano, but must prove he is as good against out of province horses as he is against the locals.

Gavin van Zyl runs the long-striding but continually disappointing Rocketball. He has dropped to a 95 merit rating and showed some signs of revival last time.

Four-time July-winning trainer Mike de Kock runs Jubilee Line, who is yet to live up to the regard he is held in, but ran a good race in a 2000m handicap last week.

Duncan Howells runs Ten Gun Salute, who was in last year’s July and has been said to have come on a lot from gelding.

Glen Kotzen runs Banner Hill who proved himself more than just a stayer when easily winning his Champions Season pipe opener over 1800m on the Greyville turf.

By David Thiselton

2017 Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting guide [as at 12:53pm May 15]:

13/2 Marinaresco, Al Sahem; 7/1 Elusive Silva; 14/1 Heavenly Blue; 15/1 Black Arthur, Saratoga Dancer; 16/1 Horizon, Edict Of Nantes; 18/1 Its My Turn; 20/1 Pagoda, Hat Puntano #; 25/1 Copper Force, Africa Rising, Captain America, Krambambuli, Zodiac Ruler; 28/1 Brazuca, The Conglomerate, Deo Juvente; 33/1 Prince Of Wales, French Navy, Master Switch; 35/1 Bela-Bela, Master Sabina, Nightingale; 40/1 Orchid Island, Secret Captain; 50/1 Liege, Banner Hill; 66/1 Nebula; 80/1 Ten Gun Salute, Bi Pot, Silver Mountain; 100/1 Safe Harbour, Witchcraft, Girl On The Run, Smiling Blue Eyes, Trophy Wife; 150/1 Jubilee Line, Tilbury Fort, Macduff, Bold Viking; 250/1 Royal Badge, Copper Pot; 300/1 The Elmo Effect, Rocketball, Fort Meyers.

Odds courtesy of www.trackandball.co.za and subject to change

Nother Russia, a close-up third in last Saturday’s Gr1 Premier’s Champion Challenge, was one of the first casualties at first acceptances for the R4.25 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July on Monday.

It did not come as a surprise however, as master trainer Mike de Kock had already indicated over the weekend that she was unlikely to take her chances in the July.

Nother Russia (JC Photographics)

12 horses were withdrawn at first acceptances but punters had some sifting to do after this last weekend’s racing with 30 of the original 58 horses in action.

In the card opener at Turffontein on Saturday, Sean Tarry’s runner Bold Viking ran a cracker over the Turffontein mile, going down a short head to the year older Cashin but giving the impression that he is looking for 10 furlongs.

He had fellow July entry Rocketball behind him who was staying on and will also prefer further. But this was a modest handicap.

Orchid Island, favourite for the Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, and Smiling Blue Eyes did themselves no favours as Wind Chill ran them off their feet with Bi Pot, a close-up third to Orchid Island in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic, doing the best of them but well beaten.

The trio look to have some work to do at this stage.

Tarry took out Furiosa on Monday after a disappointing showing in the Gr1 SA Derby, but stable companion Al Sahem stamped himself as a strong contender, winning readily under Anthony Delpech.

Delpech, one of the most successful jockeys in the history of the July, will have a wide choice of rides for the event and if he sticks with Al Sahem the inference will be obvious. The bookmakers obviously concur with Al Sahem’s price cut from 25-1 to second favourite in the ante-post market to 15-2.

Heavenly Blue and Pagoda did well enough but unless ther

Al Sahem (JC Photographics)

e is more to come from the pair then Al Sahem should have their measure on their Derby showing.

The Gr1 Premier’s Champion Challenge saw seven potential July runners in action, but Celtic Captain and Nother Russia were first out on Monday.

Deo Juvente and Master Sabina both ran good races but Greyville remains a bogey for both while French Navy is showing signs of returning to his best form and is one to watch, having won the Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville and Tarry has a happy knock of priming the right horse for the right race.

If you are willing to risk a few bob at this early stage then French Navy could be worth an each way wager at around 30-1.

With Heaps Of Fun an early casualty for the July, Girl On The Run and Trophy Wife were the only July contenders left in the Gr 3 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes. Girl On The Run finished a length-and-a-bit clear of Trophy wife but winner Polyphonic, although consistent, has recently twice finished behind Nother Russia and on that line of form, Girl On The Run and Trophy Wife are hopeful entries.

The Gr2 Daisy Guineas and Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes sent out mixed messages.

Piere Strydom was peerless in dictating the pace of the Guineas in spite of his mount taking him for a ride up front, but Secret Captain, ridden from on the pace for the first time, stayed on well enough to suggest that he will stay the eleven furlongs of the July but the Daily News 2000 should provide confirmation. The perennially-placed Zodiac Ruler was finishing strongly in third.

French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

He finished second in the Gr1 Investec Cape Derby, so does get a trip, and could find himself amongst the fancied runners come July 1.

Horizon’s unplaced effort saw him on the drift. He was as short as 9-1 at one stage but there is plenty of 16-1 now available. Ridden from off the pace, he found little in the straight, but the jury is still out on this one.

The Drill Hall saw a blanket finish with Marinaresco poking his nose in front when it mattered most from Victorious Jay – not a July entry – and the always game Saratoga Dancer.

There was very little separating first from last and over a trip short of most of the July contenders best, the result could prove misleading

Captain America was running on well enough and behind the front rank, Black Arthur was finishing well enough to suggest some major improvement to come.

Ten Gun Salute, eased out of the race late, was diagnosed with a pulled back muscle, so he faces an uphill battle to be ready for the big one.

The 12 horses scratched so far are Star Express, Belle Rose, Furiosa, Heaps Of Fun, Samurai Blade, Celtic Captain, Dawn Calling, Juxtapose, Hamaan, Fort Ember, Nother Russia

By Andrew Harrison

Durban July favourite Marinaresco is on track for the Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville on June 10 and the Bass stable has confirmed that Bernard Fayd’Herbe will ride him in all his Durban races this season.

Fayd’Herbe said yesterday that he had deliberately decided to scrap the previous waiting tactics when teaming up with the four-year-old for the first time in Sunday’s Drill Hall Stakes.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

He explained: “I felt Marinaresco couldn’t keep running from so far back. He needs to learn to race handy – maybe not that handy but at least in a firing position.”

Victory was something of a bonus for trainer Candice Bass-Robinson who said: “It was a bit of a surprise over that trip but at least he didn’t have to come from so far back this time.

“He always runs well fresh but he had had a dirty trach wash, and there was some coughing in the yard, so he was a bit behind in his preparation.”

Stable companion Live Life, winner of the US$ 500 000 CTS Sprint on Met day, has been bought by Ridgemont and will be ridden by Greg Cheyne in the SA Fillies Sprint at Scottsville on May 27.

Captain America (5^th in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall) and stable companion Sail South (6^th) both came out of the race well after finishing less than half a length off the winner and Brett Crawford said that the pair will renew rivalry with Marinaresco in the Gold Challenge.

Andrew Nel has 32 two-year-olds and Lanark started the ball rolling for them when making a winning debut in the opener at Kenilworth yesterday.

Nel said: “She was the first of a bunch of ten that are close to running. The others will race when they are ready.”

By Michael Clower

MIKE de Kock said that Janoobi had “booked his spot to Dubai” following his win in Sunday’s Gr2 Daisy Guineas (Gr2) by 1,75-lengths after spending almost the entire race fighting jockey Piere Strydom.

From what we’ve seen of Janoobi this season, he was bound to be perfectly suited to the mile at Greyville. He’d run fourth to William Longsword in the CTS Mile and then defeated promising Al Sahem in the Gr2 Guineas over the tough Turffontein mile, leading from gun to tape.

Janoobi (JC Photographics)

“When he drew one and considering his form we knew this would be an ideal race for him,” Mike commented on Monday.

Strydom said the same after he’d won the race and conveyed his thanks for being kept on the colt – though this was a ride in which the veteran really had to earn his fees.

“Janoobi just pulled himself to the front and after a while his mouth went hard, he wouldn’t stop pulling so I let him go a bit to get clear in the straight. I thought he wouldn’t keep going after pulling so hard, but he kept giving more,” Strydom said.

On the video replay, ‘Striker’ seems more in control than he admitted to have been – in fact it looks like a typical Strydom front-running ride and Janoobi responds again when shown the whip for the first  time at the 100-mark.

Race in the bag, all the same, and Mike said that the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville was the only possible race left for Janoobi to contest.

Janoobi rounded off a wonderful weekend for Sheikh Hamdan of Dubai following his two Gr1 wins at Turffontein on Champions Day.

Janoobi was a R1,2 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate. He has won 5 races with 2 places from 11 starts for stakes of R1 982 500.

Bred by Maine Chance Farms, he is by Silvano out of the well related unraced Rakeen mare, Shasta Daisy.

–  mikedekockracing.com

An exciting Argentinean-bred three-year-old colt, that boasts three wins from his first four starts including two Grade 1 events, has been nominated by top trainer Mike Azzie for the Vodacom Durban July.

Mike Azzie (Nkosi Hlophe)

Hat Putano, by the Japanese sire Hat Trick – a grandson of Sunday Silence – out of the Bernstein mare Stormy Pursuer, is owned by Drakenstein Stud in partnership with Mr Jaime and Mrs Mariza Vilela, and has an outstanding Argentinean race record where he earned a merit rating of 112.

After winning his debut by 16 lengths, as a two-year-old he won the Grade 1 Gran Premio Gran Criterium over a mile in his second start. He was unplaced in his next race, another Grade 1 event, and in his only start as a three-year-old he won the Grade 1 Gran Premio Clasico Dos Mil Guineas.

Mike Azzie said the colt would have his first local race in a Progress Plate on the Highveld on May 28 after which it was hoped the handicappers would make a new assessment of him. “They have rated him a 113 and it will depend on how they treat him whether I will run him in the Vodacom Durban July.

“Fortunately, I have good owners and I am not going to go through what I did last year with Abashiri and run him with a weight of 57,5kg against the local classic winners that are set to carry a lot less.”

Azzie said he would make a decision when the weights are announced and he may take him out and run him in the Champions Cup at the end of the season and then in the two big races in the Cape.

The colt was the only horse supplemented into the Vodacom Durban July

The Michael Azzie trained dual Grade 1 winner, Hat Puntano (ARG), was an interesting supplementary entry this morning for the 2017 Vodacom Durban July bringing to 47 the number of horses still in contention for the big race on 1 July 2017.

The first VDJ Log has been issued by Gold Circle and serves as a clear indication as to who would be in the field if the race was run tomorrow. “We have not considered Hat Puntano at this stage as he has yet to win beyond 1600 metres and has not been seen in action since July 2016,” said Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “Hopefully he will make his South African debut in the near future,” he added.

The top six spots on the VDJ Log are occupied by horses who have won automatic qualifying races this season. Marinaresco and Captain America, at 7 and 8, lead the way amongst the balance but there is a long way to go yet and those on the outside looking in still have plenty of opportunities to qualify.

The VDJ LOG as at 14:00 on Tuesday 9 May 2017:-

2017 Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting guide [as at May 9 13:30]:

11/2 Marinaresco; 8/1 Al Sahem; 9/1 Elusive Silva; 13/1 Black Arthur; 14/1 Heavenly Blue; 15/1 Horizon, Saratoga Dancer; 18/1 Edict Of Nantes, Zodiac Ruler, Its My Turn, Deo Juvente, Pagoda, Copper Force, Africa Rising; 20/1 Bela-Bela; 25/1 Captain America; 28/1 Secret Captain, Brazuca; 30/1 Prince Of Wales; 33/1 Orchid Island, French Navy; 35/1 Krambambuli, Nightingale; 40/1 Banner Hill, Master Sabina, Master Switch, The Conglomerate; 50/1 Nebula; 66/1 Bi Pot, Liege, Ten Gun Salute; 80/1 Trophy Wife, Witchcraft, Smiling Blue Eyes, Safe Harbour, Silver Mountain; 100/1 Girl On The Run; 150/1 Bold Viking; 200/1 Jubilee Line, Macduff, Tilbury Fort; 250/1 Royal Badge, Copper Pot; 300/1 Rocketball, Fort Meyers, The Elmo Effect;

Odds courtesy of www.trackandball.co.za and subject to changeImportant Vodacom Durban July dates to diarise:

• Second Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 29 May 2017
• Final Supplementary Entries: Close 11:00 Monday, 12 June 2017
• Weights Published: Tuesday, 13 June 2017
• Final Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 19 June 2017
• Final Field and Draw: Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Tuesday, 20 June 2017
• Public Gallops:  7am at Greyville Racecourse, Thursday, 22 June 2017

The brilliant four-year-old Tiger Ridge filly Nother Russia, that was beaten about a head in the thrilling finish to the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday, has been withdrawn from the Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.

Nother Russia (JC Photographics)

The Mike de Kock stable inmate ran a fantastic race fighting out the finish with favourite Legal Eagle before outsider Deo Juvente from the Geoff Woodruff stable forced his way between them to snatch the victory by a whisker.

The filly was among the 12 horses withdrawn from Africa’s Greatest Horse Race at the first declaration stage with the withdrawals including Samurai Blade and Mac De Lago that contested the event last year.

Betting on the race was suspended for bookmakers to reassess the field but after his brilliant win in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville on Sunday the top Cape contender Marinaresco is likely to have his previous odds of 9-1 shortened considerably when it re-opens.

The first supplementary entries close at 11am on Tuesday with the second declaration stage being Monday, May 29.

By Richard McMillan