The powerful Justin Snaith team took their next step to launching a serious bid for a sixth victory in the Hollywoodbets Durban July when the 4yo Pacaya finished strongly under Richard Fourie to win the R400 000 World Sports Betting Gr2 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
With eight entries in the big race, Snaith, who declared the 1 July spectacular likely to boil down to a battle of jockeyship and draws, has a typically decent hand.
And the clearly focussed Pacaya, who could be regarded as a touch disappointing as a 3yo, threw his ticket into the hat in fine style in the Hollywoodbets Durban July preferential consideration ticket contest as we walk the boulevard of sometimes broken dreams to the big day.
The son of Trippi has firmed into 10-1 with Hollywoodbets.
Pacaya comes home powrfully under Richard Fourie (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It was Pacaya’s second consecutive feature win after his rather opportunistic victory in the Gordon’s Gin Listed Jet Master Stakes as the sun set on the Cape summer 11 weeks ago.
Richard Fourie, who rode 3 winners on the afternoon, was at his brilliant best and switched Pacaya from midfield after Indlamu had led the procession from Cape Eagle and Litigation.
Into the home run, Corne Orffer brought Rascallion (17-10) down the centre, and not having seen action in the fifteen weeks since his top-notch Met fringe effort, the 62kgs and match fitness told in the final stages as the son of Vercingetorix plugged on in a standout effort that would have pleased trainer Vaughan Marshall.
But it was the rampant Fourie who had timed his run to perfection as the ‘underdone’ – in the top jockey’s own words – Pacaya (4-1) dug deep to give the fast-finishing and eighteen week-rested Winchester Mansion (6-1) 2kgs and a 0,30 length beating in a time of 117,30 secs.
The Snaith team welcome Pacaya and Richard Fourie (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Under 5 lengths covered the entire field and the race was run on a testing track – so we have to be careful not to write any of them off.
Rascallion emerged with credit in third a further 0,70 lengths back, with Hollywoodbets Durban July 100-1 shot Cape Eagle digging deep for a 2 length fourth – shading One Way Ticket a head into fifth.
Sean Tarry’s Litigation was always thereabouts but plodded into sixth and the rigours of his Premier’s Champions Challenge effort two weeks earlier may have told.
Local hope Quasiforsure was given a chance and was produced down the outside in the home straight. He didn’t really quicken though and was beaten 3,35 lengths into eighth.
The balance of the big race entries in Electric Gold, Aragosta and Raiseahallelujah didn’t show.
Trainer Justin Snaith paid a compliment to the KZN racing public for their passionate support and interest.
“This feels like my second home,” said the man who has opted to get his horses fit at home in a deviation from the norm.
Richard Fourie, who has a few decisions to make amongst the Snaith, Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry drafts, said that he had not made up his mind as to which horse he would choose to ride on 1 July.
“I will leave that to the last minute,” he laughed.
Yet another Drakenstein-bred feature winner, Pacaya is raced by The Duke of Richmond Syndicate and is a son of Trippi (End Sweep) out of the top class staying mare Ash Cloud (Black Minnaloushe).
A winner of 5 races with 3 places from 12 starts , the winner has earned R551 400.
We now await the first 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July log in a matter of days.
The big race timetable:
- Second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 29 May
- Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 13 June
- Weights will be published on Tuesday 13 June
- Final Declaration close at 11h00 on Monday 19 June
- Final Field and Draw announcement will take place on Tuesday 20 June
- Public gallops (compulsory) will be held on Thursday 22 June
Watch the replay here of Saturday’s WSB Gr2 1900:
