South Africa’s richest graded stakes race, the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, has attracted a high quality capacity field of 18 plus 2 reserves for the 126th renewal which will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 2 July.
The final field announcement and barrier gate draw was hosted by the big race sponsors at their Head Office in Umhlanga Rocks at a slickly organised festive function hosted by Hollywoodbets ambassador Carol Tshabalala and veteran Graeme Hawkins, and attended by leading horseracing and sporting personalities on Tuesday morning.
The event was broadcast on Supersport and on Racing 240, and was streamed live on the fast-growing KZN-based horseracing broadcast platform, GallopTV.
The 2022 renewal includes no real surprises after the big race panel had to convene to filter out 8 of the 28 final entries.
The line up on the first Saturday of July hosts a top notch nationally representative field of thoroughbreds from the yards of champion trainers and past Durban July winners.
Justin Snaith draws Pomp And Power’s gate (Pic -Candiese Lenferna)
Reigning SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith saddles 5 runners in his bid to win the Durban July for the sixth time.
The Snaith attack includes topweight and dual Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Jet Dark, as well as two past winners in the ‘old man’ Do It Again (2018,2019) and Belgarion (2020). The latter will be ridden by multiple champion record-breaking rider Piere Strydom, who returns from an injury enforced break to attempt to equal Anton Marcus’ record of five winners.
Strydom won the Durban July winners with London News (1996), Trademark (2021), Pomodoro (2012) and The Conglomerate (2016).
In the new generation of jockeys, Richard Fourie, who partners Cape Derby star Pomp And Power for Justin Snaith.is next best with 3 winners, in Legislate (2014), Do It Again (2019) and Belgarion in 2020. They were all trained by Snaith!
1st R2940000, 2nd R940000, 3rd R470000, 4th R230000, 5th R120000, 6th R60000, 7th R60000, 8th R60000, 9th R60000, 10th R60000
Hollywoodbets DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)
Open to all Horses
WFA: 3yrs-2kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Aragosta | 53 | 118 | A | Warren Kennedy | Mike de Kock | |
| 2 | 2 | Do It Again | 58.5 | 126 | A | Aldo Domeyer | Justin Snaith | |
| 3 | 3 | Hoedspruit | 53.5 | 116 | A | Craig Zackey | Justin Snaith | |
| 4 | 4 | Linebacker | 58.5 | 126 | BA | Grant van Niekerk | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 5 | 5 | Puerto Manzano (ARG) | 55.5 | 120 | BA | Raymond Danielson | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 6 | 6 | Zapatillas | 53 | 118 | A | Luyolo Mxothwa | Brett Crawford | |
| 7 | 7 | Waterberry Lane | 53 | 117 | A | Keagan de Melo | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 8 | 8 | Pomp And Power | 53 | 118 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 9 | 9 | Jet Dark | 60 | 129 | A | Bernard Fayd’Herbe | Justin Snaith | |
| 10 | 10 | Safe Passage | 54.5 | 122 | A | Muzi Yeni | Mike de Kock | |
| 11 | 11 | Belgarion | 59.5 | 128 | A | Piere Strydom | Justin Snaith | |
| 12 | 12 | Sparkling Water | 53.5 | 116 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Mike de Kock | |
| 13 | 13 | Kommetdieding | 60 | 129 | A | Gavin Lerena | HWJ Crawford/M Rix | |
| 14 | 14 | Red Saxon | 53 | 118 | A | *Rachel Venniker | Joe Soma | |
| 15 | 15 | Second Base | 54.5 | 118 | BAM | Kabelo Matsunyane | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 16 | 16 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 58 | 125 | A | Callan Murray | Mike de Kock | |
| 17 | 17 | Astrix | 56.5 | 122 | BA | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Paul Peter | |
| 18 | 18 | Flying Carpet | 53.5 | 116 | TBA | Calvin Habib | Sean Tarry | |
| 19 | 0 | Airways Law | 53 | 108 | A | Reserve 1 | Andre Nel | |
| 20 | 0 | Nebraas | 54.5 | 118 | BA | Reserve 2 | Sean Tarry | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (1,10,12,16) (2,3,8,9,11) (5,15) (18,20) | ||||||||
Multiple SA Champion and international ambassador Mike de Kock saddles a quartet of July runners, and will be keen to get back on to the illustrious honour roll, having last saddled the brilliant filly Igugu to win in 2011.
Coincidentally, De Kock saddles the only member of the fairer sex in the 2022 renewal in the Silvano daughter Sparkling Water, who races in the famous Wilgerbosdrift silks.
Former multiple SA Champion Sean Tarry has won the Durban July twice and his two-handed attack is headed by Gr1 Summer Cup hero Flying Carpet and champion stayer Nebraas, who is a reserve runner.
Defending champion Kommetdieding will again be ridden by Gavin Lerena and ‘lucky’ owner Ashwin Reynolds drew gate 13 for his star.
2021 Durban July winning owner Ashwin Reynolds raises a glass to the title defence
Milnerton trainer Dean Kannemeyer has won the Durban July three times and saddles Waterberry Lane who races in a partnership of the late Mike Rattray and his wife, Norma.
“I am pleased with the 7 draw. He is a very smart 3yo and nothing would mean more to me than to honour Mike Rattray’s memory and enormous investment in the sport by winning the Hollywoodbets Durban July. If we don’t have a ticket we don’t have a chance and it’s the race that we all want to win,” Kannemeyer told the Sporting Post.
SA Champion apprentice elect Rachel Venniker gets a big chance to show her mettle at her first Durban July engagement as she partners Gr1 SA Classic winner Red Saxon for veteran Turffontein conditioner, Joey Soma. In what could be an omen, the Soma 3yo drew the same 14 gate as his illustrious stablemate Got The Greenlight in 2021.
On Thursday morning the Hollywoodbets Greyville gates open at 06h30 as the Hollywoodbets Durban July class of 2022 will be put through their paces in the official public gallops at the Theatre Of Champions.
The whole family is invited to enjoy the visual spectacle of these magnificent thoroughbreds in the flesh. Premier coffee and pastries will be served.
The Winning Form and official Gold Circle racecard for the Hollywoodbets Durban July day racemeeting will be on sale at the Gallops on Thursday morning.
See the big race betting here!
The 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion theme is ‘Show Me The Honey’ – read more about it and how to join in the fun on Africa’s greatest day of horseracing by visiting www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za.
