Category Archives: July

Legal Eagle (JC Photos)

Legal Eagle soars

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The Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old Greys Inn gelding Legal Eagle will almost certainly be the best handicapped horse in the Vodacom Durban July after his 4,5 length romp in yesterday’s Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein Standside and he could give Anton Marcus a record-breaking fifth July victory.

Betting World reacted by shortening Legal Eagle to 4/1 second favourite. Futura remained 3/1 favourite, Majmu is at 9/2, Wylie Hall is 6/1 and French Navy and The Conglomerate are both 10/1.

The weights were set for the July last week so Legal Eagle’s weight of 54kg will not change despite the handicapper being expected to raise his 112 merit rating today.

The leggy gelding impressed Marcus even more than he had when winning the Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m in his previous start. Marcus warned about there being a knee jerk reaction to yesterday’s win and pointed out that the tight Greyville circuit was a completely different course to the galloping Turffontein Standside track. However, he quickly added that if he could choose any horse to ride in the July it would be him. Marcus also revealed there was not much between Legal Eagle and another horse he could choose to ride, The Conglomerate, but added that he would battle to make the latter’s 53kg weight.

Tarry will be going for his third July win in the space of four years and gave Legal Eagle fans even more reason to be confident in yesterday’s post-race interview when saying that he had “taken his foot off the gas” with the horse since the Derby. He said he would now have a good idea how to add the finishing touches for the July.

Marcus’s four July winners to date is the joint-record with Antony Delpech and Harold “Tiger” Wright. Delpech will have a fine chance of breaking the record too as he will be aboard Majmu.

The great six-time July-winning trainer Terrance Millard believed that a July winner needed to be able to stay the mile-and-a-half Derby distance and Legal Eagle could become the second Tarry-trained horse after Pomodoro to do the SA Derby/July double. Legal Eagle’s sire Greys Inn did the SA Derby/July double himself and could become the fifth July winner to sire a July winner.

Yesterday Legal Eagle ambled along at a comfortable gait in the running and after moving up from near the tail of the small eight horse field he showed a telling turn of foot at the business end. He returned generous odds of 2/1. The Tyrone Zackey-trained 25/1 shot Judicial found his usual strong finish after his normal sluggish start and pipped Killua Castle for second. Tarry’s former July winner Heavy Metal finished a well-beaten fourth while the Tarry-trained 15/10 favourite Cagiva found nothing in the straight from a perfect position and trailed in last.

Tarry said he would scratch both Heavy Metal and Cagiva from the July and target them at the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Legal Eagle (JC Photos)

the conglomerate kra guine

Some R&R for The Conglomerate

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Leading Vodacom Durban July fancy The Conglomerate is having a few days rest and relaxation as Joey Ramsden carefully gears the colt’s preparation towards the big day.

Ramsden, who has yet to win the historic race, said: “The Conglomerate is doing fab and at the moment he is having a bit of a break – there is quite a big space between the Daily News and the July. He still has to do the July gallops and I feel you are better off leaving them a bit underdone rather than killing them.”

The Conglomerate, now generally available at 10-1, is one of the best backed horses in the race. He was shrewdly supported at 33-1 on the morning of his KRA Guineas win and he was backed again before finishing third in the Daily News.

However stable companion Flying Fiona, who made such a big impression when comfortably landing the odds on her Greyville debut, has had a setback and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Ramsden said: “She has had a hiccup but hopefully I will bring her back for the Cape season. I think she is quite useful.”

The Dynasty filly was to have gone for the Devon Air Stakes nine days ago but was scratched the previous day after going lame on her left fore.

By Michael Clower

Picture: The Conglomerate (John Lewis)

Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

Azzie in fine form

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Mike Azzie looks to have two fine prospects in his hands in the two-year-old colts Rabada and Abashiri, but will avoid running them against each other on Vodacom Durban July day. He could also have a big runner in the July itself with Deputy Jud and will be hoping to prove a point with Isphan in next Friday night’s Post Merchants.

Azzie said about his pair of  unbeaten two-year-olds, “Rabada is a special horse. He will be entered in the Golden Horseshoe on July day but will have to draw well to run. We are going to keep Abashiri back for the mile on Gold Cup day.”

Azzie said both horses had come out of their last runs well.

Go Deputy colt Abashiri came from a long way back on debut over 1600m at Greyville and impressed with his long stride in the straight, which saw him sweeping past the bulk of the field. He then found an extra gear late to overtake the more experienced Grey’s A Rockin. Jockey Corné Orffer got off and described him as the best two-year-old he had sat on so far this season and he certainly looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.

The Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada looked to be full of class when winning the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m at Greyville on Saturday by 3,25 lengths, having won on debut over the same trip at Turffontein by 4,75 lengths. Anton Marcus said he had displayed plenty of signs of inexperience in that last win and predicted he would be even better as a three-year-old.

Azzie’s big Judpot colt Deputy Jud produced a sustained finishing effort in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 from a handy position and appeared to be finding top gear when he was taken out by MLJet, who suddenly shifted to the left. Deputy Jud could easily have run in the first three, but instead was eased right out of it, so his ten length eighth is not a true reflection at all. Azzie said the yard were taking it “day by day” in preparing the big chestnut for the July and said, “He has things we have to work around, but he is doing well and looking good.”

Meanwhile a new acquisition to the yard, Amsterdam, will be given a break until next season after running downfield in both the SA Derby and Daily News 2000. Azzie said, “We will aim him at races like the Summer Cup and J&B Met. He needs time to mature and furnish before he develops into the horse we expect him to be.”

The three-year-old Tiger Ridge gelding Isphan was left out of the recent Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, despite being merit rated higher than some of the other contestants, and Azzie will be hoping that his run in next Friday’s Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville will prove that he should have been given a chance. He ran the prolific winner Trip Tease to 0,3 lengths over 1000m in his penultimate start and then ran a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Computaformm Sprint over 1000m, beating the like of Post Merchants contenders Willow Magic, Tevez and Normanz. He has won over 1450m before, so should relish stepping up from 1000 to 1200m.

Azzie concluded by saying that his entire Champions Season string were doing well at Summerveld.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)

No Worries eyes another Million

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The Gavin van Zyl-trained five-year-old Kahal gelding No Worries was scratched from the Vodacom Durban July on Tuesday after a below par run in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, but could still be on track to defend his KZN Breeders Million Mile crown at Greyville on June 28.

However, Van Zyl will still have a strong line up for July day, which includes Redcarpet Captain in the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe, Banbury in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, Heart Of A Lion in the Gr 2 Gold Vase, MLJet in the Listed Thukela Handicap and possibly Vino Veritas in the Gr 3 Campanajo.

Van Zyl said, “No Worries’ blood reading has indicated he is incubating a low grade virus and we didn’t feel his last run warranted him taking his chances in the July. However, if he recovers in time we will run him in the KZN Breeders Million Mile and depending on how he does there he will take his chances in the Gr 1 Champions Cup (Greyville July 25 over 2000m).”

No Worries went into last year’s Million Mile very well weighted carrying 54kg, as he was only a two-time winner at that stage, and he duly won by a comfortable 3,25 lengths. However, this year he will have a much harder task as he is now a four-time winner and will also accrue a 2kg penalty for a Gr 2 win in the last 18 months, having won the Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m last October.

Redcarpet Captain ran a fine second to the top class sort Seventh Plain in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m on May 23. The classy Captain Al colt showed the ability to both relax in the running and accelerate smartly in his victorious debut over 1000m at Turffontein and followed up by winning the Gr 3 Englezakis Protea Stakes over 1100m at the same course. His well-being was below par when fourth in the Gr 1 SA Nursery and that report was substantiated by his excellent Medallion run. Van Zyl believes Redcarpet Captain will love the step up to 1400m. He will have to make up 2,75 lengths on Seventh Plain, which will be no easy task considering the latter didn’t look to be stopping at the end of the Medallion, and there are also other horses like Rabada that have put up their hands since then. However, he should make a bold bid.

The four-year-old Seul Amour gelding Heart Of A Lion has run one of the most eyecatching Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup trials to date. He weaved his way through from the back of the field to finish a 1,75 length third in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. He was only merit rated 95 for that race but was giving 1kg to the winner Solid Speed, who is being touted as a top Gold Cup candidate. The handicapper has kept him on 95, meaning he will need to run a big race in the Gold Vase to book his Gold Cup place. Van Zyl said he had come out of that last race well.

The yard have identified and sorted out a problem with Banbury so believe she will be a lot better in the Garden Province than she was in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m last time out, when finishing 7,5 lengths behind Hammie’s Hooker. Van Zyl has no illusions about the strength of the field she will face in the Garden Province, but believed that at her best she would be up to it.

Van Zyl was very pleased with MLJet’s first outing for the yard in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and said, “It was a pleasing race with first time blinkers. He didn’t quite stay the trip and 1600m will be much more down his alley so the Thukela will be the perfect race for him. The Daily News would have brought him spot on for that race.”

Vino Veritas is an ever improving four-year-old filly by Silvano, who has won five times including three of her last five starts. The yard will see how she goes in the Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m on June 21 before possibly running her in the Campanajo over 2200m. Two of her wins have been over the tough Turffontein 2200m and on pedigree she should enjoy the Oaks trip.

By David Thiselton

Picture: No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)

Majmu (JC Photo)

Majmu shortens, Futura eases

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Vodacom Durban July favourite Futura has been eased from 3-1 to 33-10 despite his eye-catching run behind stable companion Legislate in last Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

But Betting World has shortened Mike De Kock’s star filly Majmu from 5-1 and 4-1 as South Africa’s biggest bookmaker has digested the implications of the published weights for the great race –  and this despite the Cape Fillies Guineas winner being allotted 55kg, significantly more than any of the other three-year-olds.

Last year’s first-past-the-post Wylie Hall has been marked out from 6-1 to 7-1, the same price as Legal Eagle, but The Conglomerate continues to attract support and has been cut from 10-1 to 8-1.

Stan Elley’s Cup Trial winner Punta Arenas is the big mover, being slashed from 50-1 to 20-1, but the same trainer’s Betting World 1900 winner Dynastic Power has gone out from 25-1 to 55-1 after disappointing in last Saturday’s race.

Betting World’s leading prices: 33-10 Futura, 4-1 Majmu, 7-1 Legal Eagle, Wylie Hall, 8-1 The Conglomerate, 10-1 Ertijaal, French Navy, 20-1 and upwards others.

Hollywoodbets has the top horses slightly shorter and goes 3.03 Futura, 3.57 Majmu, 6.67 Legal Eagle and Wylie Hall.

Betting World has yet to open its book on the jockeys championship but S’Manga Khumalo was as short as 7-10 with Hollywoodbets going into yesterday’s Scottsville meeting on 164 winners, a lead of three over 11-10 second favourite Gavin Lerena.  Anthony Delpech (138) was a 10-1 chance and 33-1 shot Greg Cheyne (142) the only other priced below 50-1.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Majmu (JC Photo)

Legal Eagle (JC Photos)

Tarry eyes Jubilee opportunity

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The Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap to be run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday provides a last gasp opportunity to qualify for the Vodacom Durban July and among the runners will be a previous July winner Heavy Metal as well as his two exciting Sean Tarry-trained stable companions Cagiva and Legal Eagle.

The July weights were set yesterday, meaning that the Jubilee winner and runner up could come into the race well handicapped on official merit rated terms.

Tarry said, “It’s a last chance to qualify Cagiva and Heavy Metal and they could come into the July brilliantly weighted. They are both doing very well. Cagiva has a few issues but I was very satisfied with his comeback races and think he might have been overlooked for the top 25 on the July log as he ran a two length third to Wylie Hall in the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 1800m. He has the draw and has Piere Strydom aboard and I think if he runs in the first two or three he could get into the July. Heavy Metal could be the fittest of the three horses and it is now up to him. He has done nothing wrong and ran a good time coming back. He is back in form and S’Manga knows him well. All three have big chances but we have left a little bit in the tank for Legal Eagle (who was an impressive winner of the Gr 1 SA Derby).”

Tarry said Gold Onyx had overraced on Saturday in the Cup Trial and then moved too early, so it was not at all his run. However, the run should have brought him on for the July.

He was very pleased with Halve The Deficit’s 2,15 length sixth in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. This horse will be interesting in the July receiving 5,5kg from Futura, who was only a length ahead of him on Saturday.

Tarry’s filly Tamaanee ran disappointingly the previous week in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 but was found to have lifted a shoe and the shoe was bent into her foot. That run can be ignored and on previous form she must be a runner in the July.

Meanwhile, the yard’s dual Gr 1 classic winner French Navy is doing well after his Daily News 2000 victory and clearly loves Greyville, so is another who could give Tarry a third July victory.

The yard’s star filly Siren’s Call ran way below par in the Daily News and will now deservedly be given a holiday. She went within a stride of landing the Triple Tiara and will be targeted at next season’s Cape Summer Of Champions Season.

Tarry’s top class sprint-miler Willow Magic ran a cracking second in Saturday’s Gold Challenge and is consequently well weighted for the Post Merchants, which is to be run on 19 June, as the weights were set before he was given a four point merit rated raise. Bichette, also a sprint-miler type, is also well weighted in the Post Merchants, because fillies receive a 2,5kg weight allowance. However, the Post Merchants field was announced 11 days in advance and Tarry is still monitoring Willow Magic to see whether he is ready to race again, while the draws for the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes could have a bearing on whether Bichette takes her place.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Legal Eagle

Vodacom Durban July Weights

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Futura, fourth in last year’s R3 million Gr 1 Vodacom Durban July but on a roll since, was allotted top weight of 60kg for this year’s running on the first Saturday in July. On Saturday Futura made up all of ten lengths on stable companion Legislate in the home straight of the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and will relish the longer trip.

2013 winner Heavy Metal has toured the word since that win and although he did not feature in Dubai and his form since his return has not been anything to write home about, he does come into the race off bottom weight for his age group. He is due to run in the G3 Jubilee Handicap at Turffontein on Saturday along with stable companions Cagiva and SA Derby winner Legal Eagle.

Punta Arenas was raised three points for his win in the Gr 3 Cup Trial last Saturday and is now merit rated 109. He will carry 54,5kg in the July. Helderberg Blue finished a 2,5 length fourth in the Cup Trial and has been lowered to 107 so he will carry 53,5kg and will be 4,5kg better off with top weight Futura for a 2,35 length defeat in the J&B Met. Dynamic was used as the line horse in the Cup Trial but carried 0,5kg overweight so has been raised one point to a merit rating of 101. However, this will not affect his July weight as the minimum weight for four-year-olds and older is 53kg. Therefore Dynamic will be 2,5kg under sufferance in the big race. Helderberg Blue and Dynamic were both among the five horses just outside the top 20 of the last July log. The scratching of Legislate and No Worries will provide openings for runners outside of the original log.

Halve The Deficit finished sixth in the Gold Challenge and remains on 109 and will carry 54,5kg.

helderberg blue lk

July weights announced today

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The Vodacom Durban July weights will be published today and the Gr 3 Cup Trial winner Punta Arenas has been the most unfavourably affected of the big race’s contestants after the handicapping changes made in the wake of Saturday’s big Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge meeting. The connections of Helderberg Blue have the most to smile about, although he is still a borderline cases just to make the final field.

Punta Arenas was raised three points for the win and is now merit rated 109, meaning he will be set to carry 54,5kg in the July. Helderberg Blue finished a 2,5 length fourth in the Cup Trial and has been lowered to 107, meaning he will carry 53,5kg and will be 4,5kg better off with the July favourite and topweight Futura for a 2,35 length defeat in the J&B Met. Dynamic was used as the line horse in the Cup Trial but carried 0,5kg overweight so has been raised one point to a merit rating of 101. However, this will not affect his July weight as the minimum weight for four-year-olds and older is 53kg.

Therefore Dynamic will be 2,5kg under sufferance in the big race. Helderberg Blue and Dynamic were both among the five horses just outside the top 20 of the last July log. Legislate’s scratching will provide an opening and they will also likely leapfrog Athina, who was in 20th place on the last log before trailing in last in Saturday’s Cup Trial. However, this means that as things stand two top 20 July log incumbents will have to be dropped by the final field panellists to make places for Dynamic and Helderberg Blue in the final field of 18.

Futura, Halve The Deficit and No Worries, who finished fourth, sixth and ninth respectively in the Gold Challenge, remain on their merit ratings of 120, 109 and 111 respectively, meaning they will be set to carry weights of 60kg, 54,5kg and 55,5 kg respectively in the July. The Cup Trial’s King Of Pain was unsighted in the last July log and his 4,9 length eighth in Saturday’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge is unlikely to earn him a place in the final field. The handicapper has duly dropped him four points to 110.

The Gold Challenge runner up Willow Magic was raised from 103 to 107 and third-placed Bezanova, who was a neck further back, was raised two points to 107. However, neither of them are July entries. The 1,4 length fifth-placed Night Trip was raised five points from 101 to 106, while last placed Ashton Park was lowered from 108 to 106, but neither of them are July entries either.

The other merit rating changes made in the Cup Trial were to the runner up Wild One, fifth-placed Kochka, seventh-placed Bold Inspiration and tenth-placed Whiteline Fever. Wild One, who was runner up in last year’s Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup and is on course for that race again, was raised one point to a merit rating of 100. Kochka was lowered two points to 101 and might be hard to beat in the Listed Thukela Handicap over 1600m on July day, which is his new target after being scratched from the big one yesterday. Bold Inspiration and Whiteline Fever were each lowered two points to merit ratings of 99 and 103 respectively.

By David Thiselton

Helderberg Blue (Liesl King)

Dynastic Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

Elley duo on track for July

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Cape Trainer Stan Elley will have a final tilt at the Vodacom Durban July before retiring at the end of the season and is likely to be double-handed as Saturday’s Gr 3 Cup Trial winner Punta Arenas and his Gr 2 Betting World winner Dynastic Power are both still on course for the big race.

Punta Arenas pulled up well after his flying finish in the Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on Saturday under Ian Sturgeon, but Dynastic Power’s well below par effort in the same race was explained by him pulling up lame on one hindleg.

Elley said, “Puntas was hundred percent sound next morning but Dynastic Power had an issue with his stifle and I have no doubt it affected his performance. But I expect it to respond well to treatment and he will be back in full work in a day or two.”

Elley has a good record in the July. Small yards to have gained a place in the big race can be counted on one hand this century, yet Elley has done it twice. His Badger Land colt Red Badge ran third in both 2003 and 2004.

Passionate racing men Mike Fullard and James Drew were shareholders in Red Badge and own Punta Arenas in partnership with Butch Watson-Smith. Punta Arenas has already had two attempts at the July, finishing a 5,75 length 12th in 2013 and a 3,85 length 8th last year. This year there will be no biting of fingernails for the connections before the final field announcement and draw ceremony on June 23 as the six-year-old Silvano gelding’s win on Saturday secured him a place. However, they will be hoping their beloved galloper finally lands a good big race draw. He was drawn 17 and 13 in his first two July runs, while his respective third and fifth-placed finishes in the J&B Met were achieved from draws of 13 and 11.

Watson-Smith is also a shareholder in Dynastic Power together with John Kinsley, Braam van Huyssteen and Okkie Schoeman. The strapping four-year-old Dynasty gelding moved up powerfully around the final turn in the Betting World 1900 on May 15 before staying on strongly to win by a neck from Power King with Punta Arenas a further 1,25 lengths back in third. He was poised to strike from second place in the Cup Trial on Saturday but found nothing and finished 12,8 lengths back. However, Betting World 1900 winners are usually automatic July qualifiers. Dynastic Power’s other career Graded Stakes victory was in the Gr 3 Winter Derby over 2400m at Kenilworth, so he will have no problem staying the July 2200 trip.

Greg Cheyne, who won the July in 2009 on Big City Life, looks likely to remain aboard Dynastic Power and Ian Sturgeon, who finished second on Sushisan in the 2006 July, will continue his productive partnership with Punta Arenas.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Dynastic Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

justin snaith with legislate

Legislate out the July

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Saturday’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner and reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate will not defend his Vodacom Durban July crown, but might well still take part in one or two Champions Season Gr1s. The brilliant Justin Snaith-trained four-year-old Dynasty colt will be nominated for both the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint and the Gr 1 Champions Cup, which are both to be run at Greyville, on July 17 and July 25 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Snaith’s ruling July favourite Futura is “very much” on track for the big race and so is Saturday’s Gr 3 Cup Trial third-placed Dynamic.

The yard have pulled Legislate out of the July in his “best interests.” They had ruled him a doubtful starter at the beginning of May, as he expended a lot of energy after his scratching at the start of the Drill Hall Stakes on May 2, and the feeling at the time was that a tilt at both the Gold Challenge and the July would be too much to ask of him, especially as he would be asked to carry a big weight in the July. The yard have stuck to their guns despite Legislate having won Saturday’s Gold Challenge, which was always his chief Champions Season target.

Futura, winner of both the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met, flew from last place in the Gold Challenge over 1600m on Saturday to finish 1,15 lengths back in fourth, while Dynamic likely boked his place in the July by staying on strongly for a 1,75 length third in Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

Jonathon Snaith said, “Futura has pulled up like a lion and Dynamic also pulled up well. I think Dynamic is a massive runner in the July with around 53kg on his back with Richard Fourie riding. He has run very well in three feature races in KZN, all from wide draws. After his Met run he was found to be sick with the same virus that affected Legislate. Bar that run his form has been unbelievable. He is a huge runner.”

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Justin Snaith and Legislate (Snaith Racing)