Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event the Vodacom Durban July, traditionally run at Greyville on the first Saturday in July, is now worth R4,25 million, an increase of R750 000 over last year.
July 2015 celebration time – Dean Kannemeyer, Tracey Attree, Lady Christine Laidlaw and Jehan Malherbe
Further to the announcement of the increased stake, Gold Circle also confirmed that Vodacom has extended its sponsorship of the Vodacom Durban July for an additional three years.
First entries closed on Wednesday, 13 April 2016, and the 65 nominations were unveiled at the launch of South Africa’s Champion Season 2016 held at Greyville Racecourse.
At the top of the list was the country’s highest rated horse, Legal Eagle.
Champion Legal Eagle
Sean Tarry’s champion won the Gr1 SA Derby last season and has already won two of the three legs of the unofficial WFA “mile” championship in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. He is current favourite for the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Challenge to be run at Turffontein on Derby Day at the end of this month.
Tarry, well on track for his second National Trainer’s Championship, has nominated nine other runners. French Navy, arguably unlucky last year, is likely to be back for another crack and is the third highest rated runner on the list. Victory would also make it a treble for Tarry and owner Chris van Niekerk, the pair having won successive Julys with Pomodoro and Heavy Metal in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Abashiri – top 3yo
Also nominated is the country leading three-year-old Abashiri who on Derby Day will be attempting to round off his bid for the Triple Crown with victory in the Gr1 SA Derby. Michael Azzie’s smart colt has already garnered the first two legs, the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and Gr1 SA Classic for owners Adriaan and Rika van Vuuren.
Mike Bass, already a three-time winner of the Vodacom Durban July, will be pinning his hopes on Paterfamilias and his trio of smart fillies Inara, Silver Mountain and Nightingale.
Fascinating this year will be the battle of the three-year-old colts leading up to the July. Abashiri aside, Johan Janse van Vuuren has three smart entries in Unparalleled, Brazuca and New Predator but there are a host of colts that for one reason or another have not been fully exposed.
Some in this category include the Duncan Howells pair of Ten Gun Salute, already a Gr3 winner in Open company, and Sylvester The Cat. Howells has also nominated the classy Saratoga Dancer.
Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn
Justin Snaith has entered Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn and Baritone, narrowly beaten by one of Dean Kannemeyer’s entries Mambo Mime at Greyville last Friday. Another Snaith entry is Dynamic, a controversial second behind another Kannemeyer July entry Cape Speed at Scottsville last Sunday.
Surprisingly the powerful Mike de Kock yard only has three nominations, Jubilee Line, Persian Rug and the Australian-bred Kinaan
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Important Vodacom Durban July dates to diarise:
- First Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 9 May 2016
- First Supp. Entries: Close 11:00 Tuesday, 10 May 2016
- Second Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 30 May 2016
- Final Supp. Entries: Close 11:00 Monday, 6 June 2016
- Weights Published: Tuesday, 7 June 2016
- Final Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 20 June 2016
- Final Field and Draw: Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Tuesday, 21 June 2016
- Public Gallops: 7am at Greyville Racecourse, Thursday, 23 June 2016
