The Vodacom Durban July Final Field and Draw ceremony took place at Greyville today and most of the fancied runners landed pleasing barrier positions.

The unlucky horse to be left out of the field of 18 was Dynamic, who at 25/1 in the ante-post market was quietly fancied by many, although he is the first reserve. He looked to be one of a few horses contesting three places left open by the scratchings of Legislate, Ertijaal and No Worries.

Helderberg Blue was another of these and although Dynamic has beaten him three times from four meetings, the 3,5kg swing Helderberg Blue will get in his favour for a 0,75 length beating by Dynamic in the Cup Trial last time, together with the fact that Helderberg Blue placed third in one of the country’s premier races, the J&B Met, probably swung it in Helderberg Blue’s favour. Tamaanee had genuine excuses for her below par Gr 1 Woolavington run and will be only 1,5kg under sufferance in the July, compared to Dynamic’s 2,5kg, while both Ice Machine and Hot Ticket have high merit ratings and will be in the handicap. Dynamic is the first reserve and second reserve is KRA Guineas runner up and Daily News 2000 fifth-placed Mac De Lago, who is 3kg under sufferance.

The popular grey filly Majmu drew one of the loudest cheers of the ceremony when her four-times July-winning trainer Mike de Kock drew pole position.

Next up was the part-owner of Punta Arenas, Mike Fullard, and this horse drew badly in a big race for the umpteenth time in 19.

Weiho Marwing’s Wylie Hall will have plenty of sentimental support, due to the controversial objection last year which saw him demoted from first to second, and there was spontaneous applause when he drew two.

The fancied The Conglomerate drew wide out in 20.

By the time the original favourite Futura’s chance arrived there were not many single figure draws left and trainer Justin Snaith must have feared the worst. However, he drew perfectly in six and Snaith returned to the table highly relieved. Earlier, he had been most disappointed at the omission of Dynamic.

The new ruling favourite Legal Eagle’s draw was also keenly anticipated and jockey Anton Marcus was happy with barrier position eleven.

The fancied French Navy landed a nice draw of ten.

The two reserves Dynamic and Mac De Lago drew 17 and four respectively, so horses above them in the draw will come in a position or two, unless there are any scratchings.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Majmu (JC Photo)

Young riding superstar Chad Schofield will return to the country of his birth to have his first ride in the Vodacom Durban July aboard the fancied Joey Ramsden-trained The Conglomerate.

It will be the first time the Australian-based Chad has ridden in South Africa. However, he is sure to receive plenty of valuable advice on the ins and outs of the tight Greyville circuit from his father Glyn, a top South African jockey who was based in Durban before relocating to Australia in December 2007. Furthermore, Glyn’s former riding agent Blane Hamilton has been attempting to secure more rides on the big day for Chad, so he should have had some feel of the course by the time the July starts. Hamilton confirmed Chad was very excited in anticipation of this opportunity.

Ramsden said these days it was becoming increasingly difficult to find lightweight jockeys and the connections had decided to begin looking around when no phone calls for the ride were forthcoming. He added they had considered a number of options on who to bring in, so the decision had not been made lightly. Ramsden said The Conglomerate had been doing very well at Summerveld. The three-year-old Australian-bred Lohnro colt is back in full fast work after being given a bit of a lighter schedule for a couple of weeks after his third place in the Daily News on May 30. The astute trainer should thereby have him peaking at exactly the right time. The Conglomerate was as short as 7/1 for the July after his impressive win in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas, but has drifted out to 14/1 in the face of support for the like of Legal Eagle and French Navy.

Glyn has ridden in seven Julys and his best finish was sixth on The Sheik in 2001. He benefitted enormously from a stint in Hong Kong about ten years ago and it was clear upon his return to South Africa that he had progressed into a world class jockey. In the next couple of seasons in South Africa he often outrode his colleagues simply through his peerless judgement of pace.

He has clearly been an inspiration to Chad, who took the Australian racing scene by storm after making his debut in 2010. Chad is the only jockey to win the apprentice title in both Melbourne and Sydney, a feat that is unlikely to ever be repeated. Still in his early 20s, he has already notched up a number of important wins, most notably aboard Shamus Award in the 2013 Cox Plate which provided him with his first Gr 1 success.

He added three more Gr 1s to his CV in 2014, the Newmarket Handicap on Lankan Rupee, the Champagne Stakes on Go Indy Go and the Queensland Derby on Sonntag. Injuries and suspensions have curtailed Chad’s time in the saddle but he is still very much in demand.  Last week he travelled to ride Australian trainer David Hayes’ New Zealand-bred raider Criterion in the Gr 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting. They finished a respectable 3,75 length fifth. He was also recently granted a six month license to ride next season in Hong Kong, one of the world’s biggest racing stages.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Chad Schofield

Sean Cormack rides in Cape Town for the first time in almost three months at Kenilworth on Saturday.

He has four rides for Justin Snaith including Master’s Eye in the Winter Derby, Macduff for Joey Ramsden in the Langerman, the Adam Marcus-trained Crystal Cavern in the Winter Oaks and Pirangi for Mike Robinson in the first. He landed a treble on his last visit including a win on Promicing Polly who he partners for Mike Stewart in the Conditions Plate.

Snaith, who has yet to win the Winter Derby, also runs Seize The Throne who has returned from Durban for the race and will be ridden by Richard Fourie.

Mike Bass, bidding to win the race for the sixth time, is also double-handed with Winter Classic winner Royal Dreamer (Greg Cheyne) and Seven Oceans (Robert Khathi).

By Michael Clower

Picture: Sean Cormack (Liesl King)

You don’t get many horses in maidens that have been placed in a Grade 1 and that alone makes Mystical Twilight a stand-out in today’s Welcome To Kenilworth Racecourse Maiden Juvenile.

MJ Byleveld’s mount was a 66-1 supposed no-hoper when less than six lengths third to Arabian Beat and Shaama in the SA Nursery but he had run well in a Turffontein maiden only a fortnight earlier. Furthermore Vaughan Marshall thought enough of him to start his Kenilworth campaign in this month’s Cape Of Good Hope Nursery had not a temperature ruled him out.

It will take something special to beat him (he opened 6-4 favourite with Betting World yesterday) even though this looks an exceptional maiden with several of the others also having strong form claims, notably 7-1 shot Nassa who was fourth to Fifty Cents in a big field on debut.

Aspara (14-1) also caught the eye first time but Richard Fourie dons the Sabine Plattner colours to partner 6-1 stable companion Nabisco instead. That is significant and not just because the R1.8 million Western Winter newcomer is out of the Gold Circle Oaks winner Sweetie Pie.

“Nabisco is a serious individual who could win first time out,” says Jonathan Snaith. “I think one of our two will win this.”

Giveusagrand’s debut fourth to Eighth Wonder was given a big boost by third-placed Forward Drive’s runaway win on Saturday but stable jockey Grant van NIekerk is on the 7-1 Trippi newcomer Heart Of Darkness.

“Grant had been away all week, Aldo Domeyer has been riding Giveusagrand (8-1)and he asked for the ride,” explains Candice Robinson. “I think Heart Of Darkness will need his first run.”

On the other hand the form of 10-1 chances Purple Mountains and Respectable Rebel was not boosted by Jeremy’s third to More Than Grand on Saturday.

Mamselle Al is equal top-rated with Glamour Gal in the Soccer 10 Maiden but Glen Kotzen’s filly comes out much better on a line through Gin For Genius. Also she would have finished closer last time but for suffering interference.

Noisette over-raced at Durbanville and opened evens favourite for the Rugby 10 Maiden but her lack of size is against her and the form of the well-drawn 28-10 chance Frenni makes slightly more appeal.

Gift Of Rain failed to quicken when ridden for speed last time and, according to her stable, hasn’t had a chance to have a gallop after suffering a setback. She opened at 8-10 but at the odds it might be worth taking a chance with Make The Magnet (3-1) in the All To Come Maiden.

Michael Clower won with three of his five selections on Saturday including the headlined Forward Drive, backed from 5-1 to 33-10.

Picture: Vaughan Marshall