Race 1

(2) Fredericos Passion (7) Union Rose (9) First Wish (5) Nikes Ray Of Light

(2) Fredericos Passion made a very smart debut and he will take all the beating here if building on that excellent performance. (7) Union Rose has plenty of scope to get much closer. (9) First Wish wasn’t far on debut and will be there. (5) Nikes Ray Of Light can fill in the placings with the claimer up. ( Devonne Govender 2-7-9-5)

Race 2 

(3) Extraction (4) Fantasy Girl (6) Ginger Palace (1) Confetti

(3) Extraction is holding form and will be a massive runner. (4) Fantasy Girl is never far back and another decent run is expected. (6) Ginger Palace is improving so respect her chances. (1) Confetti is carded to run on the 14-06-2024, she will have a big chance if she runs. ( Devonne Govender 3-4-6-1)

Race 3 

(9) September Flower (10) Tartan Queen (3) Bella Attrice (2) String Of Lights

(9) September Flower ran well on debut and another huge performance is expected. (10) Tartan Queen is making progress with every start and will be a factor here. (3) Bella Attrice is a must include into the placings as she has consistent form. (2) String Of Lights is always there and another honest run is expected. ( Devonne Govender 9-10-3-2)

Race 4 

(12) Mister Speaker (9) Statesman (3) Specmagic (1) King Of Queen

(12) Mister Speaker ran extremely well in the last start and although there are other runners with solid form, he is the first choice based on the draw. (9) Statesman was fancied in the last start and another big run can be expected. (3) Specmagic ran a cracker in the last start and will be right there. (1) King Of Queen is holding top form and will be a strong contender once again. ( Devonne Govender 12-9-3-1)

Race 5 

(8) Harold The Duke (3) Juan Carlos (4) Alado’s Pride (5) Nothingelsematters

(8) Harold The Duke is holding form and looks to have a huge winning chance. He is capable of producing a big finish so if finding a decent position without having to work he could take a power of beating. (3) Juan Carlos is a very honest type and his last win was excellent, include in all bets. (4) Alado’s Pride won at big odds and will need to confirm that form. (5) Nothingelsematters is very capable on his day and cannot be ignored. ( Devonne Govender 8-3-4-5)

Race 6 

(1) Scampton (2) Launch Code (3) Fujisan (7) Outer Dimension

(1) Scampton is holding form and gets a decent enough draw so include in all bets. He wasn’t beaten far in the last start and will be there. (2) Launch Code has plenty ability and will run another big race. (3) Fujisan won well in the last start at decent odds and can go in again. (7) Outer Dimension is capable of running into the money so include. ( Devonne Govender 1-2-3-7)

Race 7 

(2) For All We Know (1) As Fate Has It (5) Global Rush (3) Treasure Hunt

(2) For All We Know is holding top form and is a principal contender here. (1) As Fate Has It gets the best draw and brings good form into this contest with a top rider up so will be a massive runner.  (5) Global Rush won well in the last start and will need to repeat that performance. (3) Treasure Hunt has been running well and won’t be far once again. ( Devonne Govender 2-1-5-3)

Race 8 

(3) Siberian Steel (5) Forest Spy (1) Tuscan Gold (17) Raptor Island

(3) Siberian Steel is a capable of a big finish and will be running on strongly. (5) Forest Spy is holding form well and will be a massive contender. (1) Tuscan Gold ran extremely well in the last start and another big performance is expected. (17) Raptor Island is holding consistent form, which makes him a big runner here. ( Devonne Govender 3-5-1-17) 

Rugby 8 Win Margin on Friday, 21 June, C/Over R83846, Pool Closes at 20h15, Sport 65 and Pool 1

Soccer 6 on Friday, 21 June 2024 , ADD-IN R50 000, Pool Closes at 18h00, Sport 5 and Pool 1, Estimated Pool :R500 000

Soccer 10 on Friday, 21 June 2024, ADD-IN R150 000, Pool Closes at 18h00, Sport 16 and Pool 1. Estimated Pool: R1.8 MILLION

Soccer 10 on Saturday, 22 June 2024, ADD-IN R150 000, Pool Closes at 21h00, Sport 15 and Pool 1. Estimated Pool: R1.8 MILLION

Soccer Any13 Xtra on Saturday, 22 June 2024, ADD-IN R50 000, Pool Closes at 15h00, Sport 13 and Pool 1, Esimated Pool: R 200 000

PLEASE NOTE ALL RACES AT THIS MEETING: Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger (7 or more runners), Trifecta commingled with Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool. HKJC PLACE rules will apply: Less than 4 runners no PLACE betting; 4-6 declared runners payouts FIRST, SECOND; 7 to 20 declared runners payouts FIRST, SECOND, 
THIRD; 21 or more declared runners payouts FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH.

David Thiselton

Dave The King has been scratched from the Hollywoodbets Durban July. 

The Gr 1 weight for age Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge winner is best suited to a mile and is more effective over 1800m than 2200m. 

The scratching might indicate the connections would rather have him fresh for the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m on Gold Cup day. 

The latter race often plays into the hands of the fresher horses, because the Hollywoodbets Durban July is a tough race, and can be rough too, meaning it usually takes a lot out of a horse. 

Dave The King finished a 1,35 length third in the Champions Cup last season. 

However, that was after taking part in the July, where he was beaten 5,50 lengths into sixth place. 

Furthermore he has been gelded this season and that has seen him this big horse with his massive stride not going as hard in the running as he once was, which has unleashed new potential in him. 

It would seem the scratching of Dave The King from the July, if it is with the Champions Cup in mind, is a sensible decision. 

It leaves the five times July-winning trainer Mike de Kock with still three entries in the July, Silver Sanctuary, Shoemaker and Aragosta. 

Silver Sanctuary would have been an automatic qualifier under previous conditions as the winner of the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000. Automatic qualifying has been done away with, but she is a virtual certainty to get in anyway. 

She is by six times Champion sire Silvano, whose progeny have already won a record five July’s between them. 

However, Mike de Kock has said he would not be running her just for the sake of it, particularly in light of the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes looking to be “slightly softer” than usual. 

He and the connections of the Drakenstein Stud homebred might still be looking at fields and draws closer to race day to make a final decision. 

Shoemaker and Aragosta’s chances of making the final field will have been given a boost by the scratching of Dave The King. 

Shoemaker was in 19th place on the final Hollywoodbets Durban July log. 

Main Defender, Royal Aussie and Dave The King’s scratchings would have effectively seen him shuffled up to 16th place. 

However, Future Pearl’s eye-catching win in in the Gr 3 Tabgold Derby on Saturday could see the latter being given a place in the top 20 on the log and possibly a place in the all important top 18. (The 19th and 20th places in the final field are reserve runners and only get in if there is a scratching before 8 a.m on the Friday before the big race). 

Aragosta ran second in the Tabgold Derby and De Kock and connections will be hoping that is good enough for him to come in from being one of the five outside-looking-in horses on the final log in to the top 18.

There are 28 horses still standing their ground in the July. 

Future Pearl has joined Silver Sanctuary and Shoemaker as a 33/1 shot with the sponsor. 

Aragosta is a 40/1 chance. 

The favourite Green With Envy has drifted slightly to 3/1 after See It Again was dropped a point to 131 last week for his Gold Challenge run. 

See It Again is now 4/1. 

Future Swing is at 7/1, Oriental Charm 8/1, Royal Victory and Flag Man are both at 25/2 and last year’s winner Winchester Mansion is a 14/1 chance. 

David Thiselton

The Hollywoodbets Durban July final field panellists had a curve ball thrown at them when the Sean Tarry-trained Future Pearl won the Gr 3 Tabgold Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday with Aragosta a one length second.

Both horses are July entries and both are borderline cases to get into the final field, which will be announced on June 25. 

Cape Eagle and Without Question, both July entries, started joint bookmaker favourites at 28/10 in the Tabgold Derby, but were short-heads apart in 6th and 7th, beaten close to five lengths, after finding nothing in the straight. 

Cape Eagle’s chances of making the July field are gone.  

Without Question was caught without cover one out and one back and after quickening at the top of the straight had soon cried enough. He either didn’t stay or the effect of not having cover took its toll. 

The problem with his form is that he was beaten 11,65 lengths in last year’s July and his Met third is his only place in six runs this season. 

In his favour is that he was 16th on the final July log and two horses who were in the top 20 on that log, Main Defender and Royal Aussie, have been scratched. 

Future Pearl was not even in the five outside horses looking in on the final log after finishing unplaced in his first four starts this season. However, he won the unofficial stayers triple crown last season and finished strongly from off the pace to win by a length on Saturday, despite giving 1kg to his contemporaries and 4kg to the two three-year-olds. 

He made a good case for himself to be put into the top 18.

Aragosta was in the five horses looking in on the final log and if Future Pearl indeed goes into the top 18, he will need to leapfrog at least one horse in the top 20 on the log to get into the top 18. 

The 19th and 20th places in the final field are the first and second reserves and are unwanted positions, as they have to rely on a scratching before 8 a.m on the Friday before the big race. 

Aragosta won a Listed race over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth earlier this season and was recently a 3,75 length third in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge. He was beaten 2,40 lengths by Future Swing over 2500m when giving the latter 10kg, but he was beaten 3,30 lengths on weight for age terms by Hotarubi in the Colorado King and finished last in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. He was earlier also well beaten by Shoemaker in a Pinnacle over 1800m.

Meridius, who was also in the five outsiders looking in, won a traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 Jubilee Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein Standside. He would have hoped to squeeze into the top 18 after the scratching of Royal Aussie and Main Defender. Against him is his only run to date over further than 1800m, a 19,25 length tenth in the Gr 1 wfa Premiers Champions Challenge over 2000m. 

Meridius’ 1800m form is at least on a par with Shoemaker, but the latter did run a four length fifth in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup over 2000m at level weights with the winner Royal Victory. 

Shoemaker was 19th on the final log and in 20th was Son Of Raj, who was a one length third in the Jubilee but he was giving 4kg to Meridius. Furthermore, Son Of Raj finished a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. He was beaten 27 lengths in the Premiers Champions Challenge, but on the other hand is a former SA Derby winner, so has no stamina questions over the July trip. 

Silver Sanctuary and Frances Ethel were 17th and 18th on the final log and as the respective Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 and Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks winners they should get into the top 18 as things stand. 

Hluhluwe, who was among the five horses looking in, won the Gr 2 Cape Punters Cup over 1600m, but failed to shine when stepped up to 2000m in both the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000, despite it being believed he was looking for that step up in trip.

Hotarubi, also among the five outsiders looking in on the last log, was narrowly behind Hluhluwe in the Daily News, when suffering a nightmare wide trip, but he had earlier finished a three length fifth and a 2,5 length fourth in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m and Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m respectively and followed that with a narrow second in the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. He was also third in a Gr 3 over 1400m and second in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas.

Mucho Dinero, also among the five looking in, was one of the most fancied horses in the early July betting after four wins on the trot in Cape Town, including a Listed event over 2400m and a Gr 2 over 1800m. However, he has run unplaced in all three of his subsequent KZN starts, and this saw him dropping out of the top 20 on the log.

See It Again, Royal Victory, Winchester Mansion, Double Superlative, Green With Envy, Flag Man, Dave The King, Cousin Casey, Oriental Charm, Purple Pitcher, Barbaresco, Future Swing, Master Redoute, Silver Sanctuary and Frances Ethel look to be 15 solid choices for final field positions.

That leaves three places to be fought out by Future Pearl, Aragosta, Without Question, Meridius, Shoemaker, Son Of Raj, Hotarubi and Mucho Dinero.

There could still be scratchings though.

The final supplementary stage closes today.