A capacity nationally representative field for the 129th renewal of the R5 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July was unveiled by Race Coast at the Theatre Of Champions on Tuesday morning.
Defending champion Oriental Charm, now in the care of young James Crawford, saddling his first July runners for his own account, returns to defend his crown and heads the weights, carrying 60kgs alongside two hometown challengers in See It Again and Gladatorian.
Vercingetorix’ IOS Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes winner Gladatorian and Sean Veale will be lining up on 5 July (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Justin Snaith bids for his sixth Hollywoodbets Durban July victory and saddles a trio, headed by the champion 3yo Eight On Eighteen, with Andrew Fortune riding Okavango and Tristan Godden getting a big opportunity on the highest-rated one-time winner in South Africa, Native Ruler, who pulled the widest gate of 18.
Eight On Eighteen’s participation in the great race has been a talking point for two months, with the connections keeping the public on a knife-edge until the final unveiling on Tuesday. It seems that there were concerns from the trainer about exposing the young galloper to the rough-and-tumble of the Durban July, versus going the more ‘slam dunk’ route of the Gr1 Champions Cup at the end of the season.
Eight On Eighteen is owned in partnership by July-winning owner Nic Jonsson and businessman Johann Rupert, who has owned few horses and gets a big opportunity to win a race that is on the bucket list of every owner, trainer, breeder and jockey countrywide.
Were he to win, Eight On Eighteen, who jumps from the 11 gate, is likely to surpass Sea Cottage’s 11-10 odds when winning the Durban July in 1967.
SA Champion jockey Richard Fourie will partner Eight On Eighteen and bids for his personal fourth trophy in the 2200m contest, having won it in dramatic fashion on Legislate (2014), Do It Again (2019) and Belgarion (2020). All of Fourie’s winner have been for Snaith.
Eight On Eighteen – could start in the red (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
While the iconic Syd Laird leads the honour boards with 7 Durban July winners, Snaith and Mike de Kock are both in line for a sixth, which would place them in the heady realm of the late great Terrance Millard.
Mike and Mat de Kock saddle the lightly exposed 3yo Immediate Edge, who galloped into the big race picture with an eyecatching win in the Gr3 Jubilee Stakes. He will be ridden by Callan Murray, who has just returned from a stint in Australia.
Former dual SA champion jockey Warren Kennedy, who has established his national champion credentials in his new home of New Zealand returns to ride Confederate for Fabian Habib. Kennedy is yet to win the July, having had his first ride in 2004 on the unplaced 100/1 shot Cousin John.
Candice Bass-Robinson and Zac Bloch – Rainbow Lorikeet is their hope and dream! (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Candice Bass-Robinson, who became the first lady trainer to saddle a July winner when Marinaresco won in 2017, will be pleased that her Gr3 Final Fling Stakes winner Rainbow Lorikeet made the cut and enjoys the honour of being the only filly in the line-up. She also pulled a competitive 7 draw.
Rainbow Lorikeet is owned by Zac Bloch’s Yuppie Syndicate and one imagines travel plans to fly out from London are being made as we speak. Interestingly, Querari’s daughter Rainbow Lorikeet is out of Nightingale, who ran fourth in the year that Marinaresco won, and was also Candice’s first Grade 1 winner.
Gqeberha star Bold Silvano won the July in 2011, and Alan Greeff makes the coastal journey with the exciting My Best Shot, who will jump from the 9 draw.
The big race selection panel were left with 24 entries after the scratching of the Snaith trio of Underworld, Magic Verse and Future Swing on Monday.
The official public gallops will be held at 06h30 for 07h00 on Thursday 26 June at Hollywoodbets Greyville. All are welcome for a coffee and pastry and the Winning Form will be on sale!
In the next 11 days there will be plenty of discussion and stories to be told. Enjoy the ride with us!
