Sensational racing is on the cards for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event, Vodacom Durban July Day at Greyville on July 4, with a supporting cast of Grade 1 races like nothing that has ever been seen in this country.

The final fields for the Grade R750 000, Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes and the R600 000, Grade 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe have been announced but that for the R600 000, Grade 1 Golden Slipper has been delayed until today (Tuesday).

It is almost unbelievable that such an auspicious group of fillies and mares from around the country could be squeezed into one race, but that is what is in store for racegoers when the field for the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes takes to the turf on the big day.

There is Hammie’s Hooker and Same Jurisdiction, first and second in the Tibouchina Stakes with Same Jurisdiction having also won the Thekwini Stakes and the Flamboyant Stakes and run second to Siren’s Call in the SA Fillies Classic. Then there is Jet Belle that won the Poinsettia Stakes and placed third in each of the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes and the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes.

And speaking of those two great Grade 1 races in the Cape, you have the winner of them both, Inara. She was beaten into second place in the KRA Fillies Guineas by Alexis that is also in this classic event and you can add to that the super winner of the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, Smart Call.

When you throw in the speedy filly Carry On Alice, winner of the City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint that also finished third in the Cape Flying Championship and second in the Computaform Sprint, then you know the pace is going to be on.

Just for good measure you add Maybe Yes and Red Flame, third and fourth in the Tibouchina Stakes that are capable of upping their games from decent draws and you have a race to dream of.

The R600 000, Grade 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe will pit the winner of the SA Nursery Arabian Beat against the winner of both the Godolphin Barb Stakes and the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, Seventh Plain with the Medallion runner-up Redcarpet Captain in the mix to muddy the waters. Muwaary was fourth in the Medallion just ahead of Mr Roy that was third in the Godolphin Barb and Lineker was third in the Gatecrasher Stakes.

This is a fabulous mix of young, improving colts and geldings and over the 1 400m of this tricky course, anything can happen and a fantastic finish could be in store for the 50 000 racegoers on the day.

Ends

Picture: Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

A tsunami of entries have been received by Gold Circle for the eight feature races on the supporting programme to Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event, the R3.5-million Vodacom Durban July, promising to make the meeting a spectacular 4^th of July occasion.

Attracting an incredible galaxy of racing talent from around the country, many of the races are heavily oversubscribed with a total of 253 horses nominated for the eight events.

The three Grade 1 races, the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, the Golden Horseshoe and Golden Slipper have drawn 21, 35 and 32 nominations respectively with a massive 44 entries for the Grade 3 Campanajo 2200 and 60 for the Listed Thukela Handicap.

Heading the entries for the R750 000 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes is the Mike de Kock-trained super filly Majmu who is also strongly fancied in the betting for the Vodacom Durban July.  De Kock has the unenviable task of deciding which of the races she will contest on the day as she is well drawn at three for this fillies event and will have to take her chances in the draw for the July.

Also among the entries is the Alec Laird-trained winner of the Woolavington 2000, Smart Call, along with the winner of the KRA Fillies Guineas from the Brett Crawford stable, Alexis. Her stable companion Maybe Yes, third to Hammie’s Hooker in the Tibouchina Stakes is also among the entries and Mike Bass is looking for the feature double with “the Hooker.”

Bass has also entered his dual Grade 1 winner Inara in the race. After winning the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes and the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes, she finished second in the KRA Fillies Guineas but ran below expectations when fifth in the Woolavington 2000.

The classy filly Same Jurisdiction from the Duncan Howells stable, second in both the SA Fillies Classic and the Tibouchina Stakes, will be looking to go one better here.

The Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper are the juvenile events over 1 400m with both races carrying a stake of R600 000. They have both been strongly supported with 35 entries for the colt’s race and 32 for the filly’s race.

Some very smart juveniles are in these races including the Dennis Drier-trained Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain and the Captain Al colt Redcarpet Captain from the Gavin van Zyl stable that filled the first two places in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville. They are joined by the SA Nursery winner Arabian Beat, the unbeaten Gatecrasher Stakes winner Rabada and the Godolphin Barb Stakes runner-up Beat The Retreat.

The runner-up to Entisaar in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship, Princess Royal from the Glen Kotzen stable is one of the leading entries for the Golden Slipper along with her stable companion and winner of the Strelitzia Stakes, Royal Pleasure.

Also among the entries is the Mike Azzie-trained runner-up in the SA Nursery Frosted Honey and the Count Dubois filly Madame Dubois from the Robbie Sage yard that ran a good third in the Allan Robertson.

Among the 25 entries for the Grade 2 SABC Gold Vase are last year’s eLan Group Gold Cup runner-up and a recent second in the Cup Trial, Wild One, and the Dynasty gelding Solid Speed from the Dean Kannemeyer stable that has won his last three starts including the Highland Night Cup and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.

The 44 entries for the Grade 3 Campanajo 2200, the “consolation” race for horses that do not make the Vodacom Durban July cut, is laden with talent including many that are still hoping for a place in the premier event.