The 127th renewal of Africa’s Greatest Race at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday produced a memorable occasion of firsts, with the Drakenstein bred and raced Winchester Mansion capping a courageous recovery from serious injury as a yearling to write his, and the names of his connections, into the SA turf history books.
Sponsored for the second year by South Africa’s leading bookmakers, the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July produced a thrilling finish that had the estimated near 50 000 crowd on their feet as favourite See It Again and his senior Winchester Mansion went head-to-head in a nail-biting dash to the line.
With Piere Strydom, like Frankie Dettori, a veteran champion in his last season, looking to have timed his run to perfection on Michael Roberts’ See It Again, greenhorn Kabelo Matsunyane had other ideas as he coaxed every ounce of effort out of Winchester Mansion.
Hollywoodbets Durban July humdinger! Winchester Mansion and See It Again thrill the crowds (Pic-Candiese Lenferna)
Just when the cucumber-cool Strydom looked to be gaining the edge as the 3yo colt See It Again changed legs, the 3,5kg discount carried by the 4yo gelding Winchester Mansion counted as the Crawford runner asserted and went on to gain the advantage in a time of 133,85 secs.
At the line, a quarter length separated the top two, with Winchester Mansion giving Kabelo Matsunyane a first Gr1 success in his maiden season as a fully-fledged rider, and the high-riding Drakenstein outfit, together with their kingpin Trippi, and trainer Brett Crawford, collectively celebrating their first Durban July victories.
A race review was called as the first two were perilously close together and there was a bump or two, but no further action was taken.
See It Again was checked at the subway off the heels of Without Question, and whether this cost him valuable energy and ground at a vital juncture will be debated.
Kabelo Matsunyane drives Winchester Mansion thorugh to beat See It Again (Piere Strydom) in a thriller (Pic-Candiese Lenferna)
A further 2,50 lengths back in third was Sean Tarry’s gutsy 3yo filly Bless My Stars under Sporting Post rider Athandiwe Mgudlwa, while the legendary dual winner Do It Again stayed on into fourth as the best of the Snaith attack.
The 8yo has extraordinarily won twice and run a place at all of his six July bids. He was acknowledged with a special saddle-cloth to mark his status as one of the greats of the iconic contest.
Gelded three runs back, Winchester Mansion is another winning product of the highly successful Crawford Racing Highveld office run by the senior trainer’s son, James.
A Drakenstein bred winner, he is by champion Trippi (End Sweep) out of the Spectrum mare Sea Point.
Now a winner of 5 races with 7 places from 15 starts, Winchester Mansion took his stakes earnings to R3 504 100.
What a race – and a finish that will be replayed for years to come!
Enjoy it again:
