Justin Snaith has a strong quintet of runners in this year’s Vodacom Durban July and is bullish about his chances of winning the big race for the fifth time.  

He said, “My horses are all very well and it is going to take some very good horses to beat them. They are primed and ready and whoever beats us can be proud they have a superstar.”

Do It Again last year became the sixth horse in history to win the July twice and will be the fifth horse to attempt the treble. He has had a below par season but Snaith said the ulcer problem which led to his poor eating habits during the Cape Summer season had been treated and cured. He added that his whole string had not enjoyed a good Cape season, which was another point which gave hope that the big Twice Over gelding would be back to his best on July day. A bonus to his chances is that his underperformances have led to a two point drop in his merit rating, meaning he receives half-a-kilogram from Rainbow Bridge, whom he beat last year by 0,40 lengths when giving away half-a-kilogram. He also receives half-a-kilogram from the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Vardy. Do It Again was asked to do the most of Snaith’s runners at the July Gallops at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday and he showed off his both his huge stride and speed, recording the fastest 400m to finish time.

He was able to out-sprint Rainbow Bridge to the line last year in a slow run race and also pulverised the field the previous year, also in a slow run race. However, Snaith said actually wanting a slow pace would go against everything they had ever thought of the horse and believed he would prefer a fast pace. This year he would almost certainly want a fast pace with the presence of Vardy as the latter also has plenty of speed and a possible stamina doubt too. Snaith said Do It Again had needed his run in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, his first race after a holiday at Drakenstein Stud. He was only beaten a length and Snaith elaborated, “You could see he just got tired in the last bit and he won’t be getting tired next Saturday.” Anton Marcus aboard is another tick in Do It Again’s box and a draw of 18 should not be too much of a problem as he is versatile in running style. 

The filly Silvano’s Pride will ensure a fast pace according to Snaith. He said, “She only knows one way to race and that is to go flat out, she has no brakes and good luck to anybody who catches her. That is the way she races and we’re not going to change anything. She is very well at home.” Her draw of 15 augurs well as she will have a free passage to get to the front. Silvano’s Pride put in a solid gallop on Wednesday under Sereno Moodley, who becomes the second member of the passionate Indian racing community to ride in the July after Ronald Singh, who rode the Herman Brown-trained Heads to 12th place in 1992.

Belgarion is the joint July favourite with Rainbow Bridge and could well be the best handicapped horse in the race. He is officially half-a-kilogram under sufferance carrying 53kg off a 119 merit rating but his merit rating is capped. The conditions of the WSB 1900, which he won by a comfortable three lengths, state that the winner can be given a maximum of six points. He would have been given more had the handicappers been allowed to. Belgarion glided effortlessly across the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf on Wednesday and Snaith said, “He is so ready, he couldn’t even blow out a candle after today’s workout. I would be interested to see his 800m to finish time because he did it in literally a canter if you see his recovery. Everything has gone to plan and Richard (Fourie) is super excited, maybe too confident but that’s Richard. Horses don’t win Julys, jockeys win July so I’m very happy I’ve got the right guys on. We’ve meticulously programmed him to carry 53kg. He’s way under-handicapped. He won’t be carrying 53kg in next year’s July and he’s certainly not a horse who should be carrying 53.” Belgarion likes to stride out so draw 17 behind a strong pace should be alright, although he could be at risk of being caught wide.

Bunker Hunt also produced an effortless workout on Wednesday and Snaith said, “I thought it was phenomenal. Swift Surprise (his companion) is a proper galloper and at home is a very good line horse and quite frankly Bunker Hunt looked quite impressive. In my honest opinion Bunker Hunt would have won the Gold Challenge in that slow run race like he did in the Drill Hall but he would have been given full penalties and kicked himself out of a chance here. He carries 55kg and if Belgarion is theoretically the best weighted horse I think Bunker Hunt is second best. He is a huge runner. I think the race being run behind closed doors brings a horse like him into contention because normally on a race day he gets a little bit heated up.” Grant van Niekerk rides from draw 14.    

Miyabi Gold does not have the smoothest of actions in front but Snaith was pleased with her gallop on Wednesday and pointed out that she was a horse who never ran a bad race. He added he had not given her much hard work before her last impressive win in the Listed East Coast Handicap, so she should have come on plenty from it. She finished fifth last year and being by Silvano should have improved. She is officially 1,5kg under sufferance so is likely not quite good enough to win but can place again. Keagan de Melo rides and she jumps from the same number four barrier position as last year.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith watched all five of his Vodacom Durban July horses galloping from the trackside on Wednesday morning and was visibly impressed by the quality of the turf surface, which has a luscious covering of green grass.

He walked over to Hollywoodbets Greyville’s assistant track manager Kevin Searle who was standing nearby and offered his congratulations adding that this was the best he had ever seen the track for the July gallops.

Track manager Kurt Grunewald explained that during lockdown he and Kevin and their team had continued to maintain the track and were particularly meticulous about going into winter on the back of a strong conditioning and fertilizing program.

He explained that in summer regrowth is rapid so the track can recover quickly from a pounding.

However, he added due to one of the first proper winters KZN had experienced in a while regrowth at present was virtually down to zero.

Going in with a strong foundation has thus proved vital and the results were there to be seen yesterday. 

The recent gaps in the racing program have also helped.

Durban is also known for its relatively warm winter climate so the grass stays green unlike other parts of the province where it has quickly turned brown. 

There are only three more turf races before July day, the KZN Breeders Million Mile, the postponed Track & Ball Oaks and a Maiden event, all to be run this Sunday, so fans can look forward to good and fair racing on the big day.

By David Thiselton

Sean Tarry’s two Vodacom Durban July winners, Pomodoro and Heavy Metal, jumped off at odds of 28/1 and 16/1 respectively and this perhaps augurs well for this year’s race where he runs 20/1 shot Shango and 35/1 chance Tierra Del Fuego (Track & Ball odds).

Tarry’s pair could be viewed as two of the most unexposed horses in the field. 

Shango was still immature when winning the prestigious Grade 2 TAB/Betting World Dingaans going away in impressive style. The Captain Of All colt later had to miss the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas after a minor setback so did not have an ideal preparation for the Grade 1 SA Classic and at the time of the latter race the yard had a significant number of horses suffering from high temperatures. He duly ran below par but then proved he would stay the July trip by going close in the Grade 1 SA Derby. His next run was in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and Tarry said beforehand, “Shango is doing very well but I think this run will bring him on for the July. He does well in Durban and once there I expect to see him make good improvement.” He was duly left a touch flat-footed at the top of the straight before running on strongest of all for a 3,05 length fourth. His recent preparation was thus similar to Pomodoro’s 2012 July preparation. Pomodoro followed a dead-heat victory in the SA Derby with a staying on 4,75 length fifth in the Daily News before winning the July. On the downside for Shango the Daily News this year was run in a crawling 125.8 seconds compared to the 120.02 time of Pomodoro’s year in 2012. A further negative to the form is that Western Fort finished just 0,6 behind Shango in the SA Derby but was then beaten 17,75 lengths by Hawwaam in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge. However, the latter race was almost certainly not Western Fort’s run as he was asked to lead, whereas he had come from off the pace in the SA Derby.

On the other hand four-year-old Tierra Del Fuego’s run in the Champions Challenge makes him possibly one of the best value horses in the July.

Tarry said conservative tactics had been deliberately deployed in the Champions Challenge as it was the first time Tierra Del Fuego had been trying a middle distance trip. The long striding Skitt Skizzle colt ran on well from near the back of the field for a five length third. The Turffontein 2000m trip is tough and on that performance, especially considering he was running on all the way to the line, he should stay the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2200m. He finished just 1,50 lengths behind Soqrat in the Champions Challenge but is now 4kg better off with him in the July. Soqrat is quoted by Track & Ball as a 13/1 chance and Tierra Del Fuego is 22 points longer. 

Tierra Del Fuego jumps from draw eleven which is the draw, together with draw 8, which has produced the most July winners in the last 70 years.

Shango also has a good draw of seven.

Shango is known as a lazy work horse but stretched out nicely at Hollywoodbets Greyville at the July Gallops on Wednesday. Tarry said, as he had predicted, Shango was thriving in Durban.  

Tarry was also pleased with Tierra Del Fuego’s July gallop at Randjesfontein earlier in the week.

Gavin Lerena has ridden both horses often, including being aboard Tierra Del Fuego in the Champions Challenge and Shango in the SA Derby. 

However, his official riding weight is 57kg so he will be aboard Tierra Del Fuego, who carries 55kg off a 124 merit rating.

Lyle Hewitson, whose riding weight is 52kg, will be aboard Shango, who carries 53kg but off a 116 merit rating is officially 4kg under sufferance. Hewitson rode Shango in the latter’s first four career starts.

Tarry concluded by pointing out that Lerena felt Tierra Del Fuego had been worth slimming 2kg to ride. This horse does appear to be way to big a price in the July market and will be especially worth considering for a top six finish. Shango is a more realistic price and it should not be forgotten that he jumped at odds of 36/1 when winning the Dingaans.

By David Thiselton

The Vodacom Durban July gallops are not often a good pointer to the big race itself but if they were, then three horses could be included as roving bankers for the quartet this year, the Eric Sands-trained favourite Rainbow Bridge and the Justin Snaith-trained pair Bunker Hunt and Belgarion.

All three glided effortlessly down the Hollywoodbets Greyville straight yesterday morning displaying impressive actions and appear to be in mint condition.

Do It Again, who will be attempting to make history by winning the race for the third time in succession, was asked to do more than any of his Snaith-trained stable companions and also impressed with his big action. He recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the day so he would possibly be able to be included to make it a four horse boxed quartet, but there is still a lingering doubt about him being quite the same horse he was due to his overall form this season.

Of course it is never that easy for punters and in a race which is notoriously rough the applecart can easily be upset. 

Furthermore, one of the big guns, the Adam Marcus-trained Vardy, was not present and will do his gallop at Summerveld tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. together with his stablemate, last year’s third-placed Twist Of Fate.

Camphoratus was the first to gallop this morning. She has always had a lovely action when at her best and displayed it this morning. She finished sixth in the July last year and trainer Robbie Hill believes she will be even better this year.

Miyabi Gold has not given a moment’s trouble in her career despite not having a smooth action in front. Trainer Justin Snaith commented that the Silvano’s are strong-boned, so that might explain it. Her action can never be described as impressive but she looked full of well-being and being a Silvano she is likely better than she was last year when finishing fifth.

Sean Tarry’s horses can never be discounted and Shango, whom he said has always been a lazy work horse, strode out well. His stablemate Tierra Del Fuego completed his gallop earlier in the week at Randjesfontein and Tarry was pleased with that workout too.

Padre Pio was ridden by Ant Mgudlwa who was later officially booked for the ride by trainer Dennis Bosch. He did nothing wrong but has a tough task, being 4,5kg under sufferance according to official merit ratings.

Grade 1 Cape Derby winner Golden Ducat is also officially 4,5kg under sufferance and was beaten by Padre Pio in the recent Grade 1 Daily News 2000. However, trainer Eric Sands said he had not been comfortable in either of his starts at Hollywoodbets Greyville and had thus been fitted with a different type of noseband this morning. Sands said for the first time he had handled the track well and he certainly strode out well.

Silvano’s Pride is the likely pacemaker this year and trainer Justin Snaith said she only knew one way of running and that was to take a strong hold so the pace should be a good one this year. The strong bone of Silvano was evident in her as she strode solidly down the Hollywoodbets Greyville straight under Sereno Moodley, who will become the second member of the passionate Indian racing community to ride in the July after Ronald Singh. 

There will be a double for the community as Deanthan Moodley will become the first Indian to be head stipendiary steward on Vodacom Durban July day and he was also watching over the proceedings this morning.  

The Tony Rivalland-trained Tristful, who is first reserve, was the last to gallop and strode out well.

By David Thiselton

There were no surprises in the Vodacom Durban July final field announcement today but there would have been a few gasps around the country during the draw ceremony.

The July logs were adhered too and as expected the vacant three places in the top 18 following the scratchings of Hawwaam, Snapscan and Eyes Wide Open were filled by Cup Trial winner Capoeira, Jubilee Handicap winner Divine Odyssey and Track & Ball Derby runner up It’s My Turn. The two reserves are Tristful and Hero’s Honours.

The draw procedure started on draw 13 then went incrementally up to 18 and then went down to one and incrementally up to 12.

When Justin Snaith’s runners appeared four times in the first six draws some were wondering whether the cards had been shuffled.

His fancied runners Belgarion, Do It Again and Bunker Hunt landed draws 17, 18 and 14 respectively. His expected pacemaker Silvano’s Pride landed draw 15 and his other female runner Miyabi Gold landed draw 4, meaning all five of Snaith’s runners were drawn in the first ten draws.

Eric Sands’ pair, Golden Ducat and last year’s runner up Rainbow Bridge, also came out together in draw one and two respectively.

The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Vardy drew nine. His stablemate Twist Of Fate, third last year, also drew well in barrier position six. 

The leading three-year-old Got The Greenlight was first out the box and drew thirteen. 

National champion trainer Sean Tarry’s pair Shango and Tierra Del Fuego drew positions seven and eleven respectively. 

Potential pacemaker Padre Pio drew well in three, meaning Silvano’s Pride out in 15 might have her work cut out to get to the front. 

Capoeira is also a potential pacemaker and drew in eight so there is a nice spread of draws among the potential frontrunners.

Mike De Kock, who like Snaith has won four July’s, has only one runner this year, Soqrat, and he drew nicely in five. 

Although, connections would probably prefer to be drawn close to the middle, history indicates that the draw is not of much significance in the July. 

By David Thiselton