Veteran champion jockey Piere Strydom looks to have put his retirement on hold and is set for a serious bid to equal Anton Marcus’ ‘big five’ on 1 July after Hollywoodbets Durban July ante-post favourite See It Again swept to an impressive victory in Saturday’s R1,5 million Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July ‘golden ticket’ contest was a formality for the SplashOut Cape Derby winner, who turned on the acceleration at 18-10 from some lengths off to give the forward galloping and clearly versatile Hollywoodbets Durban July entry Dave The King (14-1) a 0,70 length beating in a time of 123,22 secs.
Piere Strydom wins the Daily News on a flying See It Again (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Justin Snaith’s Variety Club Mile winner Without Question (6-1), who also campaigns in the Jonsson silks and has Hollywoodbets Durban July aspirations, was 0,30 lengths away in third.
The win on the Michael Roberts-trained colt gave the inimitable Strydom his first Daily News trophy since celebrating success in 2000 for Mike de Kock on Badger’s Coast, and then Flying Duel (1998) and London News (1996).
Like London News, See It Again is also a chestnut and now bids for the Daily News – Hollywoodbets Durban July double, along with the likes of equine luminaries Dynasty (2003), Big City Life (2009) and Legislate (2014).
Ironically, Anton Marcus’ last Durban July victory was in 2018 on Do It Again – a three parts brother to See It Again, and a potential opponent for the Roberts 3yo as he bids for an historic third victory in the iconic race.
In fact, if Justin Snaith’s Do It Again, one of only five horses to have registered back-to-back Durban July wins, does make the final line-up on Saturday 1 July, the eight-year-old will make history as the first horse to have has contested the event six times.
Raced by Nic Jonsson, See It Again is a son of Twice Over (Observatory) out of the twice winning Visionaire mare, Supreme Vision.
Watch the replay:
Bred by Drakenstein Stud See It Again is a R120 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale and has now won 4 of his 9 starts with 3 places for stakes of R2 065 625.
Final declarations for the Hollywoodbets Durban July are due on Monday.
Of the balance of the big race entries who ran in the Daily News, there were excuses for Cousin Casey (2,30 lengths).
Shoemaker ran on steadily for a 3,70 length fifth, while Son Of Raj (6,55 lengths), East Coast (6,60 lengths) and Anfields Rocket (6,85 lengths) may have some ground to make up.
