The road to the 129th renewal of the R5 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July, to be run on 5 July, commenced in earnest on Friday 25 April with 61 first entries received for the contest billed as Africa’s Greatest Race, and certainly one that has stood the test of time.
The number of entries, which includes 13 fairer sex gallopers, compares favourably in quantum with recent years, with 58 entries received in 2024, 60 in 2023, 68 in 2022, 53 in 2021, 52 in 2020, 49 in 2019, and 69 in 2018.
The 2025 showdown promises to be a crackerjack renewal, with a diverse entry including 10 from the powerful Justin Snaith yard and 5 from Mike and Mathew de Kock – the two stables boasting 5 Durban July winners each, and will be aiming to set a new bar on 5 July at the Theatre Of Champions!
The Snaith team have already indicated that the exciting Eight On Eighteen is going the stallion-making route of the Guineas, into the Daily News (with Sail The Seas), and then the Champions Cup at the end of the term. The Hollywoodbets Durban July is clearly not his main mission at all!
It is interesting to learn that Justin Snaith will be aiming all of Future Swing (Richard Fourie), Okavanga (Muzi Yeni), Native Ruler (JP van der Merwe) and Pacaya (no jock yet) at the Greyville 1900 – a solid July pointer race.
JP van der Merwe and Brett Crawford celebrate Oriental Charm’s victory last year – can they do it again? (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The Brett and James Crawford yard have two entries, including defending champion Oriental Charm who will bid to give the Crawford family a third straight victory after Winchester Mansion won the race in 2023. The last horse to go back-to-back was Snaith’s Do It Again in 2018/19.
An interesting entry is The Equator, a former Aidan O’Brien trained son of Galileo, whom we believe was imported by leading Highveld owner Willem Ackerman and breeder Nigel Riley, and is now based with the Tony Peter yard.
The 4yo Leopardstown maiden winner ran fourth in a Gr3 and fifth in a Gr2 on the UK and has been allocated a rating of 110 by the NHA handicapping department. He has clearly been imported as a stallion, and is a three parts brother to Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner, Lake Victoria (Frankel.)
The Sporting Post tried to reach his trainer for a comment as to the plans, but we were not able to elicit any feedback.
Here are the entries:
The Hollywoodbets Durban July timeline:
- First declarations close at 11h00 on Monday, 12 May.
- First supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday, 13 May
- Second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday, 9 June
- Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday, 17 June, on which date the weights will be published.
- Final field and draw announcement will take place on Tuesday, 24 June.
- A final field of 20 horses will be carded (18 + 2 Reserves)
- The Reserves to be scratched by 08h15 on Friday 4 July. Elimination will be at the sole and unfettered discretion of Gold Circle.
