Snaith chooses Guineas for Met champ Eight On Eighteen
The winter racing season in KwaZulu-Natal is set for a rousing start at Greyville on the first Saturday of May, with early entries for Guineas day pitching most of the country's best racehorses into action.
Gimme A Prince, South Africa's top-rated horse, tops the list for the Drill Hall Stakes, a storied race that's always been closely linked to thinking about the country's premier contest, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Unfortunately for trainer Dean Kannemeyer, Gimme A Prince has drawn wide at 19 and racing fans will have to wait and see if the brilliant gelding stands his ground for the Grade 2, 1400m contest.
Put up against him are a phalanx of big names: Equus Horse of the Year Dave The King; smart Cape Town sprinter Café Culture; Joburg raiders Main Defender, Cousin Casey and Barbaresco; local heroes See It Again and Gladatorian … and plenty more.
Three-year-old Eight On Eighteen, winner of this year's Cape Town Met and Cape Derby, is among the Drill Hall nominations, but his trainer Justin Snaith has already accepted for the colt to run in the WSB Guineas on the same card.
Both races are Grade 2s carrying R750,000 purses, but the Guineas is over 1600m, which better suits the youngster at this stage.
Snaith's Drill Hall combatants will be Royal Aussie and Great Plains, both of whom could end up in the July line-up. The champion trainer's back-up to Eight On Eighteen in the Guineas is the improving Sail The Seas, who we're likely to hear a lot more about in the coming months.
The main threat to the Snaith pair in the Guineas will come from a trio of Highveld visitors: Sean Tarry-trained Cosmic Speed and Legend Of Arthur, and Alec Laird's Fire Attack.
ENTRIES
[draw, name, (age&sex), weight, MR, equipment, trainer]
Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes
19 Gimme A Prince (6G) 60 134 A Dean Kannemeyer
16 Dave The King (5G) 60 128 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
24 Purple Pitcher (4C) 60 123 BA Robyn Klaasen
21 Main Defender (4G) 58.5 130 A Tony Peter
1 Cafe Culture (5G) 58.5 128 A Lucinda Woodruff
3 Royal Aussie (5G) 58.5 124 BA Justin Snaith
27 Outlaw King (4G) 58.5 110 A Dean Kannemeyer
5 Eight On Eighteen (3C) 58 127 A Justin Snaith
13 Cosmic Speed (3G) 58 125 A Sean Tarry
14 Montien (5G) 57 129 A Piet Botha
2 See It Again (5G) 57 127 A Michael Roberts
26 Cousin Casey (5H) 57 125 A Sean Tarry
8 Barbaresco (4G) 57 124 ATe J A Janse van Vuuren
10 Questioning (4G) 57 124 BA Vaughan Marshall
6 Gladatorian (5G) 57 123 AT Stuart Ferrie
25 The Real Prince (4G) 57 118 A Dean Kannemeyer
15 Texas Red (5G) 57 115 A Robyn Klaasen
18 Anfields Rocket (5G) 57 113 A Trevor Brown
20 Diani (5G) 57 103 A Dennis Bosch
11 Cats Pajamas (3G) 56.5 115 A Frank Robinson
9 Red Palace (4F) 56 119 A Dean Kannemeyer
23 White Pearl (4F) 56 114 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
17 Winds Of Change (3C) 55 121 AT M G Azzie/A A Azzie
4 Great Plains (3G) 55 112 A Justin Snaith
22 Sail The Seas (3C) 55 112 A Justin Snaith
7 Oxalis Gold (3F) 52.5 107 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
12 Khethiwe's Destiny (3F) 52.5 100 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
WSB Guineas
11 Eight On Eighteen (3C) 60 127 A Justin Snaith
10 Fire Attack (3C) 60 126 A Alec Laird
8 Cosmic Speed (3G) 60 125 A Sean Tarry
12 Legend Of Arthur (3C) 60 117 HA Sean Tarry
18 Cats Pajamas (3G) 60 115 A Frank Robinson
4 Great Plains (3G) 60 112 A Justin Snaith
6 Sail The Seas (3C) 60 112 A Justin Snaith
9 Musical Score (3G) 60 108 A Lucky Houdalakis
14 On My Honour (3G) 60 108 A Glen Kotzen
15 Royal Force (3G) 60 104 A Lucky Houdalakis
17 Field Marshal (3G) 60 102 A Frank Robinson
13 Legal Counsel (3G) 60 98 A Justin Snaith
7 Zeitz (3C) 60 97 BA Andre Nel
1 Jp's Palace (3G) 60 91 A Darryl Moore
3 Dance King (3G) 60 89 A Weichong Marwing
16 World Of Our Own (3G) 60 86 A Alyson Wright
2 Vj's Angel (3F) 57.5 119 A Tony Peter
5 Give Me Everything (3F) 57.5 103 A Dean Kannemeyer
19 Frozen Fantasy (3F) 57.5 99 A Robyn Klaasen
WSB Fillies Guineas
19 Spumante Dolce (3F) 60 119 AT Mike / Mathew de Kock
2 Vj's Angel (3F) 60 119 A Tony Peter
16 Scarlet Macaw (3F) 60 110 A Candice Bass-Robinson
3 Mon Petit Cherie (3F) 60 108 A BJ Crawford/JI Crawford
23 Little Suzie (3F) 60 107 A Justin Snaith
14 Oxalis Gold (3F) 60 107 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
15 Be Merry (3F) 60 104 A Justin Snaith
22 Green Sapphire (3F) 60 104 A Sean Tarry
24 Give Me Everything (3F) 60 103 A Dean Kannemeyer
17 Gimmefabulous (3F) 60 102 HA e M G Azzie/A A Azzie
7 Miss Scaletta (3F) 60 102 A Paul Matchett
5 Khethiwe's Destiny (3F) 60 100 A Mike / Mathew de Kock
9 Regeneration (3F) 60 100 A e Robbie Hill
10 Frozen Fantasy (3F) 60 99 A Robyn Klaasen
6 Jeanne Darc (3F) 60 99 A Stuart Ferrie
21 Lock And Key (3F) 60 98 A Glen Kotzen
1 Too Late My Mate (3F) 60 97 A Alec Laird
11 Magical View (3F) 60 96 AT Michael Miller
8 Mocha Blend (3F) 60 94 A Frank Robinson
4 Disting (3F) 60 92 BATe Glen Kotzen
13 Blind Ambition (3F) 60 91 BA Brett Webber
20 Goodnessgraciousme (3F) 60 91 A Justin Snaith
12 Two G's (3F) 60 89 A Gareth van Zyl
25 Glamorous Lady (3F) 60 85 A Weichong Marwing
18 One Path (3F) 60 79 A Frank Robinson
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The Citizen
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- The Citizen
Handicappers S.M.I.L.E. on July champ
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The Citizen
07-07-2025
- The Citizen
The incredible weightiness of the Durban July
Winners and losers feel intense pressure in the great race. Jockey Craig Zackey celebrates with The Real Prince after winning the Hollywoodbets Durban July at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday. Picture: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images The pressures of competing in a high-profile, historic sporting event was plain to see with the running of the 129th Hollywoodbets Durban July at the weekend. Champion trainer Justin Snaith said beforehand: 'The July is the best race and the worst. It's brilliant to win but a nightmare if you lose!' We can well imagine how Snaith felt leaving Greyville racecourse on Saturday evening after his horse Eight On Eighteen — 2-1 favourite and rated the best in a long time — had been narrowly beaten in the big race. The colt was perfectly prepared and ran a great race. But we all know what they say about coming second. Even the victorious team behind winner The Real Prince revealed the burden of expectation that comes with competing at the top. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer spoke of doubts experts had expressed about The Real Prince having the stamina to handle the July's 2200m. The furthest the four-year-old had raced was 1600m – and that was just once, in a minor feature. 'Right time, right place' 'With his pedigree, I thought he'd stay the 2200m,' said an emotional Kannemeyer after notching his fourth July victory. 'We were banking on that; 'cos he's a completely relaxed horse. Everybody said, 'You're the trainer, you should know if he stays the 2200'; and I said, 'I'm not that smart!' But I did think he'd relax and get it.' Pundits also piled pressure on Kannemeyer by suggesting The Real Prince was under-prepared, short of a prep run, as he'd had just one outing since February. The problem was the horse had built up a high merit rating by excelling in sprints, but another good performance would send it soaring and land the gelding with a hefty weight in the July. 'The handicapper is going to be looking for you,' explained Kannemeyer. 'You've got to come in at the right time, in the right place. 'We got the right draw, which was fantastic. We galloped him twice in between, at Summerveld up the hill; and he did good pace work [at the Durban July public gallops] as we all saw. So, it's fantastic!' 2024 disappointment Winning jockey Craig Zackey said he was confident of 'the best horse in the race' but also spoke of his 2024 July disappointment and the heavy stress he'd felt in being booked aboard the favourite, Green With Envy, for Kannemeyer, and then running poorly. 'Green With Envy … it felt like I was carrying the world on his shoulders. The pressure just got to the both of us,' said the well-liked rider. Currently striving to win his first national championship, Zackey said he'd carried a burden of Green With Envy's failure for an entire year. 'That pressure is well off now.' Another indication of the pressures faced by big-race trainers and jockeys was the unexpectedly slow pace at which the race was run, which clearly showed that elaborate tactics were in play with a number of runners. In almost every sporting code nowadays, sports psychologists are the norm. Is it time for racing to go that route?
The South African
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- The South African
WATCH the Hollywoodbets Durban July with Xhosa commentary
In a thrilling duel to the line, The Real Prince was crowned king of the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. Ridden by Craig Zackey and trained by Dean Kannemeyer, The Real Prince narrowly got the better of race favourite Eight On Eighteen in the Grade 1 R5 million race. Third was Selukwe with Royal Victory finishing strongly for fourth. The Real Prince's full brother Gimme A Prince was crowned Champion Sprinter two season's back so there was always a question mark hanging over his ability to stay the 2 200m trip of the Hollywoodbets Durban July. That was answered in no uncertain manner as The Real Prince fought off Eight On Eighteen who was attempting to become the first three-year-old to win the Grade 1 WSB Cape Met and the July in the same season. As expected, Oriental Charm set the early pace, but JP van der Merwe was in no great hurry, stacking the field up behind him. Richard Fourie angled Eight On Eighteen in from his 11 draw, but was not able to get anywhere near the rail in the early exchanges. With the pace pedestrian, Fourie made a dash around the final turn hitting the front shortly after crossing the subway and going clear. It looked to be a winning move until The Real Prince loomed up on his outside. Zackey had given his mount a copy book ride, cosy on the rail and keeping Eight On Eighteen in his sights. As Fourie went for broke, Zackey got a clear path and gradually reeled in his rival. It was a nod of the heads at the line, but Kannemeyer had his fourth Hollywoodbets Durban July winner in the bag and his second for Lady Christine Laidlaw and Khaya Stables. It was a plan come together said Kannemeyer speaking in the third person. 'Where were we going to place him. The first time we tried him over a mile he won by six lengths. Great run in the Drill Hall. If we run him in the Gold Challenge and run fourth the handicapper is going to be looking for you. You have to come in at the right time with the right weight and we got the right draw.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
