Vodacom Durban July trainers will have the option to take part in the traditional July Gallops at Greyville tomorrow (Wednesday).

The gallops will start at 9 a.m. and Gold Circle will provide a feed but it is not clear yet whether Tellytrack will cover the event live.

Justin Snaith is one trainer who will definitely be bringing his horses to the course and he said, “The July is an important race. The planning for each horse has to be meticulous and the gallops were always part of their program. I feel I will be able to take on the Johannesburg horses after they have completed this important part of their preparation. There were rumours at one stage that the gallops would not take place but my feeling is that you should not fix something that is not broken. The gallops do not work in Cape Town but they have been part and parcel of the July forever. The public are able to see each horse working and it creates atmosphere too.”

The public, of course, will not be allowed on course this year but will hopefully be able to watch the gallops live on Tellytrack.

Each gallop will be put on a Gold Circle platform for viewing online. 

The gallops schedule will be published on this platform later today following the Vodacom Durban July Final Field Announcement.

By David Thiselton

All eyes will be on the Vodacom Durban July Final Field Announcement tomorrow, which will be shown live on Tellytrack from 13h05.

The July draw ceremony will follow as per tradition. 

The final field announcement brings with it annual disappointment which is often accompanied by criticism of the selection panellists. 

However, it is impossible to please everybody and the particular problem the panellists invariably face is that different criteria can produce a different order of selection. 

An example can be seen in the case of Pack Leader, whose respective seventh place finishes in both the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Sun Met have likely been the best performances on paper put up this season by any of the borderline horses, but against him was his lack of a placed run this season (until his recent running on fourth in the Cup Trial) and this was presumably the reason he was excluded from both of the July logs.

He also performed slightly worse on paper (i.e. at the weights) than runner up Tristful when finishing fifth in the recent WSB 1900m. 

Pack Leader did perform better than third-placed Camphoratus in that race on paper but finished behind her too and, furthermore, the latter is a Grade 1 winner and finished sixth in last year’s July. The latter accolade is a big plus in Camphoratus’ favour and was presumably the reason she was placed 17th on the last July log ahead of 20th positioned Tristful, who beat her in the WSB 1900 and performed better on paper too. 

In any case there have been no subsequent performances that can justify Pack Leader leapfrogging Camphoratus and Tristful, so Pack Leader’s chances depend on how important sticking to the log is considered to be. 

The scratching of Eyes Wide Open today made it easier for the panel. 

Hawwaam and Snapscan were two other top 18 log incumbents previously scratched. 

The log 19th-positioned Lady Of Steel was also previously scratched. 

So Tristful who was in 20th place on the last log, looks set to fight out one of the three vacant places with three other horses, Cup Trial winner Capoeira, the Jubilee Stakes winner Divine Odyssey and the Track & Ball Derby runner up It’s My Turn. The latter has proved he retains his ability with two good runs following a layoff of about a year-and-a-half. 

Of the others Roy’s Riviera had some good form earlier in the season, including winning the Flamboyant Stakes and finishing a 4,50 length third to Queen Supreme in the Yellowwood Handicap over 1800m when giving the latter 6,5kg. She was also just a quarter-of-a-length behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Ronnie’s Candy in the latter race receiving just 1kg. 

Roy’s Riviera also beat last year’s July fifth-placed Miyabi Gold in both meetings they had over 2000m last season. However, she was only in the five horses looking in on the last July log and then dented her chances by finishing last in the Cup Trial. She had a chance to make amends in Saturday’s Grade 2 Track & Ball Oaks but unfortunately the race had to be abandoned.

Western Fort finished a good 1,10 length fourth in the Grade 1 SA Derby but then did himself no favours by finishing a 17,75 length eighth in the Grade 1 weight for age Premier’s Champions Challenge. 

Hero’s Honour’s 9,50 length fourth in the latter race was good by comparison but he was among the five horses just outside the top 20 on the last log and nothing has happened since to justify him leaping over those top 20 incumbent’s still standing their ground. 

Sovereign Spirit finished third in the Cup Trial but that was not good enough considering he was receiving 6,5kg from Pack Leader and beat him by only 0,70 lengths.

Victoria Paige has some fair form including an unlucky third in the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and a fourth place finish in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000. She is also half-a-kilogram less under sufferance than Tristful according to official merit ratings and the weights. However, against her is that she has not appeared on either of the July logs. 

All in all the final field this year is going to be tense for the connections of Capoeira, Divine Odyssey, It’s My Turn and Tristful, unless the panelists choose to ignore the July logs then others will also come into it. The conditions of the July name the winners of the Cup Trial and Jubilee as horses who are given preferential consideration so Capoeira and Divine Odyssey will be surprise omissions. It’s My Turn has a much higher merit rating than Tristful, so it looks as if the latter is favourite to be named first reserve. 

The debate, sometimes acrimonious, which follows the final field announcement has become part and parcel of the July and adds to the intrigue of the great race. 

The hard-done-by also have the chance to prove a point in the Grade 3 consolation race on the day, which is known as the Campanajo 2200, named after the horse who won the first two runnings of the July.

By David Thiselton

Eyes Wide Open was the most significant scratching just a day before the Vodacom Durban July final field announcement.

The other scratching was Duke Of Spin.

Eyes Wide Open finished a strong-finishing fourth in last year’s July.

However, he has not been able to match that form this season and could only manage a moderate fourth in Saturday’s final qualifying race, the Grade 3 Track & Ball Derby.

Trainer Glen Kotzen said he had pulled up a hundred percent sound and explained, “It was a big rush to qualify him after his gelding and he has had three quick runs in successions. The owners have now decided it would thus be better to give him a breather until the Gold Cup so he will have no more runs until then.”

He was bought recently by the Gujadhur family, who have one of the world’s oldest racing stables and are virtually royalty in Mauritius racing circles. 

The five-year-old is out of a mare whose only win was over 1000m and his female side is a mixture of speed and middle distance class. His fast finish off a slow pace in last year’s July also suggested he has plenty of speed.

However, both his sire Dynasty and damsire Jallad impart stamina so there can be hope he will stay the Gold Cup 3200m distance.   

By David Thiselton

-David Thiselton

The Gavin van Zyl-trained four-year-old Pathfork gelding Marchingontogether made it five wins in seven starts at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday when running on well under Warren Kennedy from midfield in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m to win by 1,10 lengths from It’s My Turn.

It’s My Turn enhanced his chances of being included in the Vodacom Durban July field while another July entry, Eyes Wide Open, is now in danger of not being included in the top 18 as he could only manage a moderate fourth, beaten 4,80 lengths, in the small eight horse field. Dark Moon Rising finished third. 

July entry Duke Of Spin finished seventh so has no chance of making the final field. A section of rail had to be moved outward before the running of the Derby due to inconsistent going caused by a downpour. 

After the Derby was run the meeting was abandoned following a jockeys’ protest. The Grade 2 Track And Ball Oaks was thus not run. It might be rescheduled for next Saturday, but that will not help Roy’s Riviera, who was out to qualify for the July. The July final field announcement and draw ceremony takes place on Tuesday.

Marchingontogether will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Hermoso Mundo and It’s My Turn by becoming the third horse in the space of four years to complete a hattrick of Grade 3 staying race victories in the Gold Cup.He was an impressive winner of the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville in his previous start. Hermoso Mundo won the Gold Bowl, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup in 2017.

It’s My Turn won the Track And Ball Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup in 2018.The other highlight of yesterday’s meeting was the victory of the Garth Puller-trained Captain Fontane on his debut over 1200m under Lyle Hewitson.

This Cheveley Stud-bred Captain Al gelding is a full brother to Snowdance and comes from one of the best families in South Africa. His Grade 3-winning mother Spring Lilac (Joshua Dancer) is a daughter of Equus Champion Broodmare Mystic Spring and is thus a half-sister to champions Rabiya and Bela Bela and to Grade 2-winner and Grade 1-producing broodmare Secret Of Victoria among others. 

Glen Kotzen runs last year’s Vodacom Durban July fourth-placed Eyes Wide Open in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today and a good run will ensure the most famous colours in Mauritius are seen in the VDJ this year.

The light blue silks with red crossed sashes and a red cap belong to the famous Gujadhur family, who are virtually royalty in Mauritius racing circles and any big win they have on the island is widely celebrated due to their popularity.

The family bought the five-year-old son of Dynasty especially to have a July runner this year.

Kotzen admitted everything was a bit rushed after the sale as the horse had to be transported to Durban and gelded.

He said Eyes Wide Open had not put a foot wrong since gelding and the operation had also brought with it soundness and happiness.

He said, “He ran three lengths back in the Drill Hall and then in the WSB 1900 came down the inside when everything was going down the outside.”

He added, “He has had an excellent prep and will be cherry ripe for this run.”

Eyes Wide Open stayed on strongly for fourth in the July last year so should not have a problem staying this 2400m trip.

He is drawn five in the eight horse field and has Anton Marcus aboard.

Kotzen said about his chances of qualifying for the July, “He is in a high log position, but you never know and that is why we are running him here, just to make it concrete.”

Eyes Wide Open was in 16th place on the final July log and two horses above him have been scratched.

Kotzen runs Coral Bay and Je Ne Sais Quoi in the Grade 2 Track And Ball Oaks and said although both were officially out at the weights the ratings in staying races sometimes proved to be misleading.

He concluded, “They both needed that last run and have come on from it and they both stay very well.” 

By David Thiselton