With the sands of time virtually having ebbed away to establish a big race claim, seventeen Hollywoodbets Durban July entries will step out on Saturday and Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville and Turffontein, respectively.
With two reserves in the final field, a maximum of eighteen runners will line up at the 2200m marker for the 126th renewal of Africa’s richest graded stakes race, sponsored for the first time by South Africa’s international sportsbook operator, Hollywoodbets.
Linebacker – don’t write him off yet! (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The R1,25 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge, a golden ticket passport to the big race on 2 July, includes six July entries, comprising the Snaith duo of Jet Dark and Crown Towers, Vaughan Marshall’s dual Gr1 star Linebacker (9th on latest log), Dean Kannemeyer’s Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock (an eyecatching second in the recent IOS Drill Hall Stakes), and the Gauteng duo of Al Muthana and Bingwa.
1st R781250, 2nd R250000, 3rd R125000, 4th R62500, 5th R31250
Hollywoodbets GOLD CHALLENGE (Grade 1)
For Horses at Weight-For-Age
WFA: 2yrs-10.5kgs 3yrs-1.5kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 1 | Prince Of Fire | 58.5 | 110 | AM | Warren Kennedy | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 2 | 2 | Bingwa | 60 | 117 | BA | Kabelo Matsunyane | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 3 | 3 | Silver Operator | 60 | 119 | A | Craig Zackey | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 4 | 4 | Russian Rock | 60 | 118 | A | Keagan de Melo | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 5 | 5 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 60 | 122 | A | Richard Fourie | Mike de Kock | |
| 6 | 6 | Crown Towers (AUS) | 60 | 117 | AM | *Rachel Venniker | Justin Snaith | |
| 7 | 7 | Linebacker | 60 | 126 | BA | Grant van Niekerk | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 8 | 8 | Eden Roc | 60 | 111 | T A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Sean Tarry | |
| 9 | 9 | Jet Dark | 60 | 130 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Justin Snaith | |
| 10 | 10 | Supreme Warrior | 58.5 | 117 | A | Gavin Lerena | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 11 | 11 | Chimichuri Run | 60 | 115 | TBA | Calvin Habib | Sean Tarry | |
| 12 | 12 | Mk’s Pride | 60 | 122 | A | Muzi Yeni | Paul Peter | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (1,2) (3,7) (6,9) (8,11) | ||||||||
The R180 000 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Gr3 Cup Trial (Hollywoodbets Greyville, Saturday) is a ‘preferential consideration’ race for inclusion in the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July on Saturday 2 July.
Six of the seventeen Hollywoodbets Durban July entries running this weekend will line up in the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Gr3 Cup Trial on Saturday, including Snaith duo Warrior and Native Tongue, the Glen Kotzen trio of Crimson King, Never Ending Rain and Chollima, and Candice Bass-Robinson’s Firealley.
Warrior is flying at home! (Pic- Chase Liebenberg)
Jonathan Snaith told the Sporting Post that their 2021 WSB Gr3 Variety Club Mile winner Warrior was ‘flying at home’ and would ‘take some beating’ from the pole position draw. He is currently at 3-1 with Hollywoodbets.
“He would need to win this to justify running in the Hollywoodbets Durban July,” added the Assistant trainer.
Candice Bass-Robinson’s Marina will contest the East Coast Radio Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes, also run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Paul Peter’s exciting Naval Guard will contest the WSB Gr3 Jubilee Stakes, a race that historically was on the preferential July inclusion list in past years.
The 1800m contest is run on the Turffontein standside track on Sunday, and includes Sean Tarry’s former Summer Cup star Zillzaal (20 on latest log) and the Johan Janse van Vuuren duo of Puerto Manzano (12 on latest log) and Second Base (17 on latest log.)
- Hollywoodbets Durban July final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 14 June.
- The big race weights will be published on the same day.
- Final declarations close at 11h00 on Monday, 20 June.
- The announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Tuesday, 21 June.
- All runners are required to participate in public gallops scheduled for Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday, 23 June.
