The big day has dawned warm and beautiful and there is already a hive of activity at Greyville in anticipation of a great day’s racing. The first of the 12 races kicks off at 11h25.
The Vodacom Durban July has been analysed to breaking point – what about looking at a support feature?
The R500 000 Gr3 Betting World 2200 is better known as the ‘consolation’ July.
Trophy Wife – slow starter
S’manga Khumalo and Sean Tarry team up with the hardkocking mare Trophy Wife, who may find that her slow starting antics won’t be of major consequence over the 2200m. While she was comprehensively outgunned behind The Conglomerate in the July last year, she has won at Gr2 level over 2000m against her own sex, and is very versatile.
She takes on Justin Snaith’s enigmatic Australian-bred Zodiac Ruler, who is yet to win in his 3yo term. The 2yo Gr2 winner did run decent races in the Cape Derby and Daisy Guineas and ran close to July contender Horizon at his penultimate start.
Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Crowd Pleaser did everything but win the Cup Trial last time and a repeat of that effort would make him a serious contender here. The son of Captain Al is out of a mare who at 1000m and there is nothing to suggest he definitely stays a hard run 2200m.
Royal Badge wins the Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers
Adam Marcus was hoping to get Royal Badge into the July and while things didn’t pan out on that front, he could pick up a nice cheque here. The son of Go Deputy has his third run back – and as an older horse with no stamina doubts, he could hold the whip hand over the 3yo’s.
Lonsdale Stirrup runner-up My World is something of a plodder and shows little heart when the chips are down. That said, he stays well and while he has not won a race in 18 months, he could get lucky.
Past Derby Trial winner Bankable Teddy found form at his last start when storming home to be beaten 1 length by Coral Fever. The son of Bankable has always looked to be decent and could realise his potential as a late 4yo.
Geoff Woodruff’s Go Direct will be familiar with the Greyville track. The son of Go Deputy has had two hard feature races in the Betting World 1900 and Cup Trial, where he failed to feature.
Mike de Kock – saddles The Centenary
The Centenary was runner-up in this race last year and stays well. The New Zealand-bred mare was baulked in the Track & Ball Oaks and hardly disgraced when running sixth and 2,25 lengths off the winner. She looks ready for a big effort.
Consistent Joburg challenger Hidden Agenda has his first run at Greyville and is in the form of his life. He stayed on strongly for third in the Jubilee Handicap behind Coral Fever and looks likely to stay the trip.
No Worries ran fourth in the KZN Breeders Million Mile on Sunday and this race comes quite quickly on the heels of that effort.
Royal Badge ticks all of the boxes required to win a race of this nature, and he could get the upper hand at the expense of Bankable Teddy and Crowd Pleaser. But it doesn’t end there – Tarry is red hot and Trophy Wife is a must for the quartet.
