It’s the last chance saloon situation for most of the 21 Vodacom Durban July hopefuls that take to the Greyville course in Durban on Saturday at the Daily News 2000 racemeeting.
The current July Log only features 10 of the runners that will compete in the R2-million, Grade 1 Daily News 2000, the R1-million, Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 and the R250 000, Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup and while a few could consider their positions on the Log secure, even they will have to produce top performances to prevent being dislodged.
For Kingston Mines and Mountain Master, the 2 400m of the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup is where their fate will be determined and both will need to produce very impressive performances. Neither feature in the top 25 on the Log and the selection panel may well consider that for Kingston Mines the 2 200m journey of the July is far enough below his best to include him in place of a well-formed and better distance-suited runner.
He has won the J&B Stayers in the Cape over 2 850m and the Caradoc Gold Cup over 2 800m at Turffontein and his merit rating is low at 100 compared to other contenders but a very convincing win in the Lonsdale could swing things in his favour.
Mountain Master has an even lower rating but he did place over 2 000m at Turffontein and he was not disgraced when 2.65 lengths fifth in the Betting World 1900.
Among the Daily News 2000 runners, stable companions French Navy and the filly Siren’s Call from the Sean Tarry stable are in 6th and 7th positions respectively on the Log and they need only show that they are in good fettle to secure their places in the big race field. Ertijaal from the Mike de Kock stable is in 10th place on the Log could also be safe if producing a good run.
The Conglomerate jumped into 13th place after winning the KRA Guineas very impressively and on his Highveld form Deputy Jud is currently in 15th place. Both are still not safe unless they produce the goods on Saturday by winning or finishing close up.
For most of the other July hopefuls in the Daily News 2000 it will have to be all or nothing and only a win or high placing could have the July Selection Panel giving them a second thought. Many have ratings below 100, far below any of the current contenders on the log.
From the Woolavington 2000 field, the filly Majmu from the De Kock stable is 4th on the Log and on her record must be a definite inclusion in the July and the Mike Bass-trained filly Inara, although down in 8th position, should also be secure based on her rating and her impressive double Grade 1 victories in the Cape.
Pine Princess, in 9th place, beat Siren’s Call in the SA Derby and placed in top company from 1 600m to 1 800m before that which should be enough to secure her a place in the Vodacom Durban July. Tamaanee from the Tarry stable is, however, in the danger zone in 14th place but her rating of 105 from winning the Gerald Rosenberg might swing things in her favour.
As it is in the Daily News 2000, the balance of the July hopefuls will need something very special to sway the panel.
With the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the Cup Trail to come the week after this meeting where some older hard-knockers will be making their final bids for a big race run, all the July hopefuls racing this weekend will have to give it a full go as things could still change drastically before the final Vodacom Durban July field in announced.
