Rachel Venniker, denied a first ride in the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July last year with the last minute withdrawal of her intended mount, gets her chance this year when she partners Without Question for Justin Snaith and owner Nick Jonsson.
The final field was unveiled at a glittering function in Durban this afternoon. Twenty of the cream of the country’s middle distance horses will line up over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 6 July, the field headed by last year’s winner Winchester Mansion and runner-up See It Again. The latter shoulders top weight of 60kg and will again be ridden by Piere Strydom for Michael Roberts.
The race holds special significance for both trainer and jockey. Roberts, a winner of the race aboard Super Quality back in 1997 for David Ferraris, will be attempting to win it as a trainer while Strydom has delayed his intended retirement to ride the Twice Over colt and hopefully end his career on a high note with a fifth win in the big race. See It Again put in an eye-catching performance in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge in his final preparation and is one of the big fancies in the betting. Roberts was hoping for a draw between 1 and 6 but drew 10.
It has been many years since a KZN-trained horse has won the July, the last being the Dennis Drier-trained Spanish Galliard ridden by Robbie Sham in 1992. Roberts came close last year with See It Again but joining him this year with an outstanding chance is Summerveld-based colleague Nathan Kotzen who saddles Royal Victory who drew pole position. A winner of both the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr1 Champion’s Challenge at Turffontein, Kotzen has elected not to give his charge a warm-up race and it will be interesting to see what the plans will be for Royal Victory in the July gallops which take place on Thursday, June 27 where all the July runners will be on show in the compulsory lead-up to the big one.
English-based jockey Daniel Muscutt, son of KZN-based trainer Peter Muscutt, will be attempting to add the July to his CV after winning the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met earlier this year. Muscutt will again be aboard Met winner Double Superlative (16) for Justin Snaith and Nick Jonsson.
Snaith has three runners in the race that include Without Question (6), Double Superlative and Future Swing (4), the mount of record-breaking jockey Richard Fourie. Snaith also trains Hluhluwe, the first emergency acceptor should there be a scratching before Friday week.
Ruling ante-post favourite before the announcement of the draws was the Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner Green With Envy (5) who will be looking to give Dean Kannemeyer his fourth July winner.
Green With Envy will again be up against the Summerveld-based Gareth van Zyl-trained Flagman (17) who shot to prominence when running Green With Envy to a shorthead in the Gr1 Daily News 2000. Flagman is now 0.5kg better off in the weights that equates to around half-a-length. The draw could be a telling factor between these two three-year-old rivals.
Brett Crawford, saddled last year’s winner Winchester Mansion (9) who will again be partnered by Kabelo Matsunyane and recent Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial runner up and WSB 1900 winner Oriental Charm (11) will be ridden by JP van der Merwe who, like Matsunyane last year, will be hunting his first July victory.
Crawford appears to have planned the front-running Oriental Charm’s path perfectly as he comes into the race with bottom weight for his age group. Alongside him in the weights is Gr1 SA Derby and Gr1 SA Classic winner Purple Pitcher (8) trained by Robyn Klaasen. Purple Pitcher is owned by Stinkie Pooe who was part owner of Second Base who finished fifth in last year’s July and will be ridden by Philisande Mxoli who will also be having his first ride in the race.
Sean Tarry has two runners in Cousin Casey (15) and Future Pearl (18) and also second emergency acceptor Hotarubi.
Mike de Kock, winner two years back with the filly Sparkling Water, has two runners in Aragosta (7) and Shoemaker (6), both at long odds in the betting market.
Tony Peter also saddles two runners in former Gr1 SA Derby winner Son Of Raj (12) and Meridius (13), both at fairly lengthy odds in the betting market.
Andre Nel sends out Master Redoute (14) and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s runner Barbaresco drew well at 2.
ENDS
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