The victors revel in their big win
On Saturday the Vodacom Durban July proved its rock solid value and champion status as an iconic racing event as it overcame controversy and public outrage in the final strides to ultimately win a big day going away.
The R3,5 million Gr1 event appeared to have floundered at the very first turn when the final field announcement was accompanied by criticism from a former National Horseracing Authority Chairman, our champion trainer and leading owners, amongst others. Allegations of cronyism, petty provincial favouritism and questionable selection policies muddied the excitement in the build up week, as opinion did the rounds.
Some was partisan, some personal, but most appeared to have a fair base and substance.The debate centred on the argument and reasons some horses should not have been included, while others should not have been omitted.
High Tackle
Gold Circle Racing Executive Graeme Hawkins took most of the tackles above the waist, in typical ‘play the man rather than the ball’ fashion. But to Hawkins’ utter credit he bounced back with a soaring kick to touch at the corner flag. His detailed response was characterised by a sense of fair reason, humility and an absence of sarcasm and aggression that underlined his years of experience.
It had the grandstand referees reconsidering their stances. Is that not in the very nature of good PR? The National Horseracing Authority, in a rare show of strength, stepped in to announce that an enquiry would be held into the process and the overall final decision in the wider interests of the sport.
Weathering Heights
Then Mother Nature rushed in and provided the next hurdle. Rain. And more rain. The KZN Breeders meeting, probably ill conceived in the first place a week before the July, was moved to Clairwood on 30 June. The rain relented at the eleventh hour. We lost two minor races and the Gold Vase was reduced by 600m. Nobody died.
Bet On It
Despite the loss of the first two races the turnovers on Saftote were up by 1,7% from R 110,9m to a healthy R 112,8m in 2013. Saturday thus produced the highest tote turnovers in the history of the Vodacom Durban July.
Phumelela Betting Executive Vee Moodley was also quick to point out that the International participation into our pools had shown an increase of some 34,75%, from R 13,9m to R 18,8m.
Moodley said: “ The July itself grew from R 44,7m to R 44,9m – most interesting was the Win,Place and Quartet pools, which were up marginally from last year. In addition to the normal bets from last year,the popular Jackpot Quickmix and the PA Blitz attracted support with the PA Blitz having recorded its highest turnover to date of a gross R515 000 The Quartet Maxi – Pool on a Saturday night proved most successful,with the turnovers for the twelfth race being some 4 times higher than the previous 10 years, and also the Quartet reaching a total nett pool of just under R 1,9 m.”
Besides Saftote and horseracing, another big winner was the City of Durban. It is estimated that a windfall of something in the region of R400 million was created by one of our biggest social events. The massive cash injection was labelled a cornerstone of the economy of the country’s third largest city.
55 000 people attended the event. 24 000 were visitors to Durban. It is estimated that visitors spend between R4000 and R6000 on their stay. The Durbanites would have spent around R1695 each.
Heroes
The jockeys pose for a pre-race group shot
On the track the heroes on the day were our champion sire elect Silvano and the Heavy Metal combination of trainer Sean Tarry, owner Chris Van Niekerk and jockey S’manga ‘Bling’ Khumalo. Maine Chance Farms’ Silvano is now set to break all previous stakes earning records as he soars clear of Jet Master at the top of the log.
Best Chris
Owner Chris Van Niekerk won the July last year. He was back in the winner’s circle this year. Van Niekerk, unlike the country’s other leading owners, is a one trainer man. Mike De Kock summed it up well: “I am so proud of him and I am thrilled for Chris Van Niekerk. He has stuck with Sean and allowed him to develop.
“Chris also hasn’t got horses all over the place with a thousand different trainers. Sean’s his man. And just look how that loyalty has been rewarded!” he said. Tarry moved within R30 000 odd of Mike De Kock at the top of the national trainer championship and with Super Saturday providing the season climax in a fortnight, things should go down to the wire.
Blondie
Heavy Metal’s team celebrate as they receive the winning trophies
Khumalo rode a Gr1 double on the day. He has also has won three of South Africa’s richest races this season and he has the distinction of being the first black jockey to win the July. In a society where colour supposedly does not matter or get noticed anymore, Khumalo really made a far greater impact on us liberal types with his hair.
We were told by one of the SABC presenters that ‘black and white is the new black’. Between Khumalo’s blonde locks and that statement, we are, to say the least, confused! Veteran jockey Kevin Shea, who has been riding since Khumalo was born, also registered a Group race double for trainer Alec Laird. That is a family name that is synonomous with the July and SA horseracing as a whole. Varsfontein’s Judpot and Drakenstein Stud’s Trippi grabbed the platform to register their first Gr1 winners in this country. Varsfontein also registered a glorious Group double, although Klawervlei overshadowed the whole lot with three feature winners, including a Group race double.
Royal Blues
We have been spoilt by Royal Ascot and the day’s television coverage received a below average mark. While Tellytrack was bedevilled by technical errors, the SABC broadcast was irritating in that racing terms are racing terms and having amateurs trying to sound knowledgeable is plain silly. When we watch the Formula 1 racing or Wimbledon, we don’t have to listen to silly terms.
And how’s that interviewer asking Muzi Yeni to stand up to show the world how small jockeys are? Besides the fact that Yeni couldn’t move as he was attached to a microphone, that was just a desperate attempt at continuity. Maybe she should have stood up. Her dress was plain bloody awful. Nobody told her about the fashion theme, obviously. At least for us diehards who do this racing thing most every day, it wasn’t that posh, but it was a big winner all round.
