Justin Snaith’s 2020 Durban July winner Belgarion is still on track in his bid to win the 2022 R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, despite running unplaced at Kenilworth on Wednesday on his return from an eleven month break.
The Kannemeyer pair of Seventh Gear (Keagan de Melo) and Azores (Grant Behr) fight out the Hybrid Stakes (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
While the 6yo son of Dynasty has not seen the winner’s enclosure since storming home to beat Rainbow Bridge in the Gr2 Green Point Stakes 5 months after injuring himself in the course of winning the 2020 Durban July, he still has plenty of fight in him.
Ironically he injured himself again when bidding for the double in the 2021 July, when suffering a chipped fetlock.
Following what was reportedly a satisfying gallop on the turf at Kenilworth in mid April, Belgarion returned to race action in the Hybrid Stakes over a mile on Wednesday and finished just over 5 lengths off the Kannemeyer pair of Seventh Gear and the flashy grey Azores, who fought out a veritable humdinger.
Jonathan Snaith told the Sporting Post that Belgarion, currently 33-1 in the Hollywoodbets ante-post, was still on target for his July double bid.
“Wednesday’s outing was just a prep and we expected that run. He’s very heavy still. We will keep him in Cape Town to run on softer tracks and then raid KZN later for the big one,” said Snaith.
Another Hollywoodbets Durban July nominee, Candice Bass-Robinson’s Marina, finished a head behind Belgarion.
The Stipes reported that in view of the performance of the 4yo daughter of Silvano, the veterinary surgeon was requested to examine this filly. Nothing untoward was detected.
Candice Bass-Robinson confirmed to the Sporting Post on Thursday that Marina was still on course for KZN.
First declarations for the Hollywoodbets Durban July close at 11h00 on Monday 9 May, with first supplementary entries closing at 11h00 on Tuesday 10 May.
The first big race log will be published next week.
