The build up to the 2017 Vodacom Durban July has begun and among the 58 entries, who will either be preparing for battle or fighting for a place in the field on July 1, are no fewer than 14 individual Gr 1 winners.
There is unlikely to be a repeat of last year’s weights anomaly, which saw all but five of the eventual 18 runners competing under sufferance.
The Joey Ramsden-trained The Conglomerate will thus have an outstanding chance of defending his crown. If the race was run tomorrow he would carry the same weight as last year, 55,5kg.
The nominations are headed by the Brett Crawford-trained Sun Met third-placed Captain America, who has developed into a highly effective front runner. Captain America’s 116 merit rating is one higher than the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Marinaresco’s. The latter finished a flying second last year before winning the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville.
National champion trainer Sean Tarry has the most entries, 16, and among them is last year’s topweight French Navy. This five-year-old is now merit rated 113 and can match it with the best when at his absolute peak. Tarry has nine three-year-olds among his entries and the best candidate could well be Al Sahem, an inexperienced Silvano colt who was runner up in both the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas and Gr 1 SA Classic.
Bela-Bela with Anthony Delpech up (Nkosi Hlophe)
Justin Snaith’s nine entries include the dual Gr 1-winning champion filly Bela-Bela as well as last year’s July fourth-placed It’s My Turn and also the talented Black Arthur. His four-year-old Dynasty gelding Prince Of Wales has been especially laid out for this KZN campaign and is one who could emerge from the blue.
Bass-Robinson has two Gr 1-winning fillies among her four entries, Nightingale and Silver Mountain, and the former makes more appeal over this trip. Her expensively bought three-year-old Horizon could also develop into a July horse.
Brett Crawford’s three entries include the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes.
Mike de Kock has five entrants and it would be no surprise to see him win his fifth July with the progressive Gr 1 SA Classic winner, Heavenly Blue. His Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic winner Orchid Island could also make her presence felt.
Geoff Woodruff has a strong entry of five. They include the twice Gr 1 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup winner Master Sabina and the promising three-year-old gelding Pagoda. His other three entries Deo Juvente, Master Switch and Bi Pot have all been Gr 1 placed.
Former KZN champion trainer Duncan Howells’ four entries include last year’s fifth-placed Saratoga Dancer as well as Ten Gun Salute, who is a dark horse as he has reportedly been a different horse since gelding.
There are only two other KZN horses, the talented Gareth van Zyl-trained Celtic Captain, and the Gavin van Zyl-trained Gr 1 SA Derby runner up Rocketball, who continues to disappoint considering his massive stride.
Johan Janse van Vuuren has entered Brazuca, who was an impressive winner of the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m at Turffontein last time out.
Stanley Ferreira has entered the classy Gr 1-winning filly Juxtapose, who won two legs of last season’s SA Triple Tiara.
Weiho Marwing has entered last year’s July third-placed Mac De Lago. However, this Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner has had a disappointing season.
The first supplementary stage is on May 9.
It was also announced on Thursday that Gold Circle have joined forces with Prosport International to stage a “festival of racing” on the last weekend of the SA Champions Season. This extravaganza will have nine races on the Saturday, including the Gr 1 Champions Cup, and ten races on the Sunday, including the e Lan Gold Cup.
David Thiselton
