Category Archives: VDJ

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)

French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

French Navy hiked three points

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The Sean Tarry-trained Count Dubois gelding French Navy has been raised three points for his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 win on Saturday and will go into the Vodacom Durban July with a merit rating of 113. This means, based on July favourite Futura’s current merit rating of 120, he would have to carry 54,5kg in the big race as things stand.

The 108 merit rated third-placed The Conglomerate was used as “the line horse” in the Daily News and his merit rating will remain unchanged, so as things stand he will go into the July 1kg under sufferance carrying the minimum weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg. Second-placed Ertijaal was raised four points to 110, meaning he will scrape into the July’s handicap with 53kg, while fourth-placed Rampant Ice was raised six points to 106 and it remains to be seen whether he will be supplemented for the big race.

The Alec Laird-trained Gr 1 Woolavington winner Smart Call was raised eight points to 109, based on her 2,25 length defeat of the 103 merit-rated line horse, third-placed Trophy Wife. However, Laird has said Smart Call will likely be rested for the remainder of the season.

Second-placed Pine Princess, beaten a quarter-of-a-length, remains on a 109 merit rating so will go into the July with 52,5kg as it stands. Fourth-placed Zante was the only other horse to be affected and her merit rating was raised nine points to 101, although she is not currently a July entry. The fifth-placed favourite Inara remains on 110, but she was scratched from the July yesterday (Monday) morning and will likely be aimed at the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over the more suitable 1600m distance.

By David Thiselton

Picture: French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Inara (Liesl King)

Inara out of the July

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The Mike Bass-trained dual Gr 1-winning Trippi filly Inara was one of the most notable Vodacom Durban July scratchings at the second declaration stage yesterday (Monday) and this followed her disappointing fifth-place finish as favourite for Saturday’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.

Bass said Inara had been found to have “a nasty swelling” on her back leg on Sunday, having been run into from behind in the Woolavington at about the 1600m mark, but she was otherwise fine and he believed the chief reason for the below par effort was her stamina capacity.

He said, “There are not many Trippi fillies that can stay the 2000m but I thought beforehand that she would based on her Paddock Stakes win over 1800m.”

Inara also stayed on strongly from near the back of the field to finish runner up in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, which suggested she would get the 2000m at the same  track.

However, Bass is now of the opinion that she is better over shorter, so duly scratched her from the July yesterday morning and is likely to  aim her at the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, which is one of July day’s main supporting features.

By David Thiselton

French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

July betting movement

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French Navy has been slashed from 25-1 to 10-1 for the Vodacom Durban July following his Daily News triumph, the same price as runner-up Ertijaal (from 14-1) but third-placed The Conglomerate is still shorter than both of them, despite being eased from 6-1 to 8-1.

Betting World has also cut Woolavington runner-up Pine Princess from 50-1 to 33-1 but Siren’s Call has been marked out from 25-1 to twice that price and Inara (only fifth in the Woolavington) from 50-1 to 150-1.

Futura remains favourite, hardening from 33-10 to 3-1, but the temperature-sidelined Majmu has been eased from 4-1 to 5-1 and Wylie Hall has come in from 7-1 to 6-1 third favourite.

Micheal Clower Picture:French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

No more preps for Power King

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Dean Kannemeyer is thinking of sending Power King straight  into the Vodacom Durban July without another run following the four-year-old’s second in the Betting World 1900 12 days ago. He said: “Power King is a horse that I can bring out fresh and so I have my doubts that he will run again before the July. I was very impressed with his run in the 1900 and I would hope that he has done enough to get into the July on that. “He had never been to Greyville before, it was his first time under lights and he got lost. Turning for home he was two lengths behind the second last horse. His turn of foot from there was unbelievable and he was beaten less than a neck. “I’m not taking anything away from the winner, Dynastic Power, but my horse beat him in the Winter Guineas and Winter Classic, and was giving him 4kg in the 1900. If he gets in then Power King certainly should. Furthermore he has come through his race well and he will be a far better horse at Greyville next time.” Kannemeyer, who won the 2003 Durban July with Dynasty and repeated the feat with Eyeofthetiger three years later, also hopes to run last year’s Nokia Gold Vase winner Hot Ticket in the great race. He said: “Hot Ticket ran well behind Futura in the Pinnacle and I have entered him for the Track And Ball Derby on June 21. He won the corresponding race last year when it was run at Clairwood.” The Milnerton trainer’s 20-strong KZN team is in tremendous form and has won 16 races inside two months. He has a strike rate of 38% in Durban this season and, somewhat understandably, he is hugely impressed with the training tracks. He said: “Summerveld is what you call a proper training facility. You can bring horses back because you have all the different tracks, grass and sand, and those that climb, and you can really put work  into them. “They still need a race to bring them on but you don’t have to say to the owners ‘Your horse is going to be badly in need of a run.’” Kannemeyer intends using his now permanent satellite yard for his expansion plans and said: “I can bring more horses here to give owners more options and I can raid from here to Johannesburg.” Many of his recent winners have been ridden by Anthony Delpech  – “Anthony has been riding work for me every day as have Stuart Randolph and Donovan Dillon, and all three give me good feedback.” By Michael Clower Picture: Power King (Nkosi Hlophe)

Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)

Futura still joint favourite with Majmu

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Futura was left on an unchanged 7-2 when Betting World reopened its book on the Vodacom Durban July yesterday.

The country’s biggest bookmaker suspended betting shortly before the Queen’s Plate and J & B Met winner made a winning return in the mile Pinnacle at Greyville on Sunday. He had been backed on the day of that race at 9-2.

The four-year-old shares favouritism with Mike de Kock’s star Majmu while the supplemented Wylie Hall, first past the post in last year’s race, disputes 7-1 third favouritism with the Joey Ramsden-trained KRA Guineas winner The Conglomerate.

Dynastic Power has been the big mover in the last few days, being slashed from 150-1 to 25-1 following his triumph in last Friday’s Betting World 1900. Runner-up Power King was cut from 50-1 to 16-1 and third-placed Punta Arenas from 150-1 to 66-1. Stan Elley’s gelding has been backed at that price and is now 50-1.

Mac De Lago has been marked out from 40-1 to 100-1 and fellow supplementaries Mljet and It Is Written from 100-1 to 150-1. The 2013 July winner Heavy Metal is also on the drift, going out from 75-1 to twice that price.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)