Bela-Bela now heads the market for Saturday week’s Vodacom Durban July following Anthony Delpech’s shock decision to jump ship and get off the favourite Black Arthur in order to ride his stable companion.
World Sports Betting has cut the Woolavington winner from 15-2 to 11-2 clear favourite and Betting World has her 5-1 joint favourite with Black Arthur while Marinaresco comes next on 6-1 with French Navy a 13-2 chance.
Delpech, bidding for his fifth July win, has not got where he is today by picking the wrong one but Justin Snaith is not entirely convinced that the record-breaking former champion has made the right move.
He said: “Personally I think it’s too close to call. The weights are not in Bela-Bela’s favour and she only gets a kilo from the colts.
“But Anthony says that Bela-Bela has given him an unbelievable feel and he wants to stick with her regardless of the weights.”
When he heard that Mike Azzie had cancelled Dougie Whyte’s booking for Abashiri, and reinstated the gelding’s Triple Crown-winning partner Karl Zechner, Justin’s brother Jonathan moved quickly to secure the 13-time Hong Kong champion for Black Arthur even though Whyte will be riding at Sha Tin the night before and will not arrive in Durban until mid-morning.
Azzie, speaking at Greyville last Friday evening, explained: “We are going for the July with Abashiri and we are going to do our best to try and win it but we didn’t feel we needed the pressure of having to wait in case he doesn’t make his connecting flight. Adriaan van Vuuren has had a bit of a tense week with the press having a go at him about jocking off Dougie but it was a joint decision and this is the reason we took it.”
The Snaith camp, though, reckon the flight risk is worth taking and Justin said: “We had an opportunity to have a renowned international champion and I felt we should take it. Having him brings an extra spice to the race and I am very grateful to Alec and Gillian Foster (Black Arthur’s owner-breeders) for allowing this to happen. Without them it wouldn’t have been possible and I’m not worried about the flights – unless there is some world problem he should get to Durban on time.”
Snaith is bidding for a third July win following dead-heater Dancer’s Daughter in 2008 and the promoted Legislate two years ago (he jokes that he is the only trainer in the history of the race to have won it twice without having a horse passing the post with its head in front!) and he can hardly wait for the big day.
He said: “We have a serious chance and we have three runners – hopefully four with Dynamic – who are all doing well. We just have to get through the draws and the July gallops which are always a worry. But we are very excited and I wouldn’t swap the position I’m in with anyone.”
The final field and draws will be announced tomorrow and the July gallops are on Thursday.
Michael Clower
