The thousands of racegoers that will fill Greyville Racecourse in Durban on 7 July will be treated to a feast of thoroughbred racing unmatched in the country with the seven feature events supporting the R4.25-million, Gr1 Vodacom Durban July on the day drawing more than 170 entries.
.Snowdance goes for the Garden Province Stakes
The supporting programme includes the R1-million, Gr1 Jonsson Garden Province Stakes for fillies and mares at weight-for-age over 1 600m that has attracted 26 fillies and mares including the much-vaunted daughter of Captain Al, Snowdance, that just failed to win in her two KwaZulu-Natal feature race appearances.
Not featuring among the nominations for this premier event is the famous Justin Snaith stable companion to Snowdance, Oh Susanna, that won the R1-million, Gr1 Daily News 2000 after writing a new paragraph in South African racing history by winning the Gr1 Sun Met as a three-year-old filly.
Also missing is the Duncan Howells-trained winner of the Daisy Guineas, Fiorella who goes for the Vodacom Durban July instead.
Paul Peter’s Folk Dance is entered for the Garden Province Stakes
But fillies like Lady In Black, Neptune’s Rain, The Secret Is Out, Ngaga, Redberry Lane, Star Express, Premier Dance, Final Judgement and Sylvan On Fire are among the entries and a strong line-up can be expected on the day.
R1 000 000 1600m JONSSON GARDEN PROVINCE STAKES (Gr1)
Fillies and Mares at Weight-For-Age
WFA: 2yrs-9.5kgs 3yrs-1kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 17 | The Secret Is Out | (4F) | 60 | 110 | BA | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 22 | Star Express | (5M) | 60 | 109 | A | Justin Snaith | |
| 12 | Al Danza | (4F) | 60 | 108 | A | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 23 | Gimme Six | Accepted | (4F) | 60 | 105 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 18 | Premier Dance | (4F) | 60 | 102 | A | Dennis Drier | |
| 14 | She’s A Giver | (4F) | 60 | 102 | A | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 7 | Redberry Lane | (4F) | 60 | 100 | BAT | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | Simply Royal | (4F) | 60 | 100 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 26 | Final Judgement | (4F) | 60 | 99 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 8 | Ngaga (AUS) | (4F) | 60 | 99 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 4 | Emily Jay | (4F) | 60 | 97 | BA | Brian Wiid | |
| 10 | Kilauea | (5M) | 60 | 97 | A | Dennis Drier | |
| 20 | Love To Boogie | (4F) | 60 | 97 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 24 | Rouge Allure | (4F) | 60 | 96 | BAT | Stephen Moffatt | |
| 21 | Dame Eleanor (AUS) | (4F) | 60 | 95 | PA | Mike de Kock | |
| 3 | Sylvan On Fire | (4F) | 60 | 91 | A | Candice Dawson | |
| 1 | Snowdance | Accepted | (3F) | 59 | 119 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 9 | Neptune’s Rain | (3F) | 59 | 110 | A | Duncan Howells | |
| 11 | Lady In Black | (3F) | 59 | 108 | A | Dennis Drier | |
| 15 | Elusive Heart | (3F) | 59 | 105 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 2 | Folk Dance | (3F) | 59 | 105 | A | Paul Peter | |
| 25 | Rose In Bloom | (3F) | 59 | 102 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 6 | Roy’s Riviera (AUS) | (3F) | 59 | 96 | A | Frank Robinson | |
| 16 | Twice As Smart | (3F) | 59 | 94 | A | Wendy Whitehead | |
| 19 | Desert Rhythm | (3F) | 59 | 90 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 13 | Aurelia Cotta | (3F) | 59 | 88 | BA | Sean Tarry | |
| (26) | |||||||
Two races that could prove to be the most strongly contested events on the card are the Gr 2 clashes for two-year-olds over 1 400m, the Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Golden Slipper that have both drawn strong entries that include some top performers.
Cue The Music for Golden Horseshoe
In the Golden Horseshoe, Dennis Bosch has entered his Oratorio colt Cue The Music that ran a fantastic race in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion where he was beaten a neck into second place by Van Haylen. Chimichuri Run and Golliath Heron were third and fourth in the Scottsville race and could run in the Greyville contest.
Among the fillies nominated for the Golden Slipper is the Sean Tarry-trained Captain Al filly Celtic Sea that was beaten half a length into second place behind Mighty High in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville as well as Canukeepitsecret from the Vaughan Marshall stable that finished fourth in that race.
SA Nursery winner Ronnie’s Candy goes for Golden Slipper
Ronnie’s Candy, winner of the SA Nursery at Turffontein and third-placed Captain’s Princess in that race are among the nominations along with the first two past the post in the Devon Air, Firdoas and Mazari.
The KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1 300m, sponsored by the KZN Breeders Club, has attracted 18 juveniles including the winner of the Strelitzia Stakes and third place in the Allan Robertson Championship, Inverroche.
There has also been strong support for the traditional “July consolation” event, the Gr3 Betting World 2200 with 15 nominations being received for the Gr3 Gold Vase over 3 000m
