The weather is good at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and it’s all systems go for the final two Champions Season features before the Hollywoodbets Durban July class of 2023 is unveiled on Tuesday.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July final field and barrier gates will be broadcast from 11h00 on Tuesday on GallopTV as well as on Supersport Blitz and 4Racing Channel 240 on Dstv.
There are 23 left of 61 entries for the big race and a final field of 20, including 2 nervous reserves, will be declared on Tuesday. The public gallops will be held on Thursday 22 June at 07h00.
On the official final big race top twenty log published at the end of May, Cousin Casey (position 9) and Zapatillas (position 12) have since fallen by the wayside.
So that leaves Aragosta needing a smart showing at his first Hollywoodbets Scottsville outing on Saturday.
Happy Aragosta team after his Gr1 SA Derby victory – can he find his winning stride on Saturday? (Pic -JC Photos)
He is the only Hollywoodbets Durban July entry in action in the Hollywoodbets Scottsville features and Mike de Kock’s 2022 Gr1 SA Derby winner, who showed an encouraging flicker of his better form when staying on for third under top weight behind Sea Master in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup last month, can step up in a disappointingly small field of six.
The Gr3 Track And Ball Derby and Gr2 Track And Ball Oaks run over 2400m are open to all ages at weight-for-age terms plus penalties.
Aragosta has to get past the Tony Peter-trained Shangani, who was a revelation last year. He shot up the staying ranks by winning both the Listed Aquanaut Handicap and Listed Java Handicap before taking last Gr3 Gold Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
This five-year-old son of Soft Falling Rain is the best-weighted runner in the field on Saturday and boasts four wins and a second from his six starts over 2400m. He had legitimate excuses for his disappointing showing in the Gold Bowl last time when he returned not striding out after being bumped at the start. If he adapts at his maiden outing at the Capital City track and his first run under the talented Denis Schwarz, he can go very close to winning.
In the Oaks the Glen Kotzen-trained Hold My Hand is the best-weighted runner and the three-year-old daughter of Gold Standard ran on well to finish a 2,50-length fourth to Rain In Holland in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 last time. The extra 400m should not be a concern and Richard Fourie will be in the irons again.
The first race is off at 12h00.
- The Bipot starts in the second race at 12h30
- The Place Accumulator starts in the third race at 13h00
- The Pick 6 starts in the fourth race at 13h35
- The first Jackpot starts in the fifth race at 14h10
- The second Jackpot starts in the sixth race at 14h45
