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The Citizen
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
What Durban July gallop poll revealed
A couple of local hopes are too hot to trot. See it Again will be back at the Durban July, stilling searching for its first win. Picture: Gerhard Duraan/Gallo Images Public gallops for the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July were notable for the horses that did not gallop at Greyville racecourse on Thursday morning. Seven of the 18 carded runners were not in KwaZulu-Natal for the official, 'compulsory', exercise held every year 10 days before South Africa's premier race. Recorded videos of the out-of-province contenders in training were shown during the live TV broadcast, but questionable production quality of these fleeting images tantalised more than revealed. The last two July winners were prepared on the Highveld and floated to Durban on the eve of the race, so lightning raiding is the new wisdom. Locally trained hope Royal Victory was on the spot at Greyville but simply refused to move an inch from it. The big fellow stood stock still on his designated starting point on the back stretch – gazing distractedly at a lovely sunrise over the Indian Ocean, then at passing rush-hour traffic in Musgrave, and then at other eager gallopers queueing up behind him. Not jockey Muzi Yeni's determined urgings nor the yankings of handlers could get the stubborn beast to move a hoof. Eventually, someone had the bright idea to remove the blinkers fitted to Royal Victory and the five-year-old deigned to saunter down the track, break into a canter and eventually gallop for a crowd of thousands gathered in the grandstands 'He's got a mind of his own,' sighed the gelding's trainer Nathan Kotzen looking slightly peeved, adding, 'He galloped quite well.' Interestingly, Royal Victory has not been declared to wear blinkers in next week's big race. He has not worn them in any recent starts nor for his famous wins in Joburg – in the Summer Cup and the Premier's Champions Challenge. See It Again has 'mildly raised temperature' Another KZN resident didn't even make it to the turf on Thursday morning. See It Again, previously second and fifth in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, appeared saddled in the Greyville parade ring and was mounted by his big-race jockey Raymond Danielson. But then he was led away with news filtering through that the five-year-old had a 'mildly raised temperature'. Trainer Michael Roberts decided not to put his charge under strain, purely for the benefit of the hoi polloi. Pundits say we shouldn't read too much into this, equating it with someone waking up with a headache but quickly shaking it off. However, most people didn't join the throng at Greyville or check out the TV coverage to see any of the above. They wanted to see hot-pot favourite Eight On Eighteen put through his paces. The Justin Snaith-trained star did not disappoint – though he did not show a great deal either. Retired July-winning jockeys Anthony Delpech and Kevin Shea both noted that the best horses are seldom show-offs in exercise work and reckoned this guy revealed just enough to indicate he was in good nick. Shortest-priced favourite Other candidates to catch the eye at the gallops were Gladatorian, Selukwe and On My Honour. In the sketchy videos, My Best Shot, Oriental Charm and Confederate stretched out well, while Immediate Edge – one suspects – is well prepared. In short, the racing cognoscenti is ever more convinced that Eight On Eighteen is the horse to be with when the bell sounds at the 2200m start to the R5-million, Grade 1 showpiece on Saturday 5 July. Bookmakers had him at 14-10 before the gallops but that price could be short-lived. There's a good chance he'll start as the shortest-priced favourite in the July's 129-year history. Stats show Yard-Arm as the only horse to have started the race at odds-on – at 8-10 in 2004, when he was runner-up to Dynasty. Fools Holme was an even-money chance in 1986 but also ended up second. The shortest-priced winner was Sea Cottage, at 11-10 when he dead-heated with Jollify in 1967. BETTING 14-10 Eight On Eighteen 6-1 Oriental Charm 8-1 Immediate Edge 12-1 The Real King 14-1 See It Again 16-1 Selukwe, Gladatorian 20-1 Okavango, Royal Victory 25-1 Atticus Finch, Confederate 33-1 Madison Valley, On My Honour, My Best Shot, Native Ruler 50-1 Rainbow Lorikeet, Pomodoro's Jet, Purple Pitcher
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Durban July: Salads, saunas for Gavin and Callan
Six July jockey bookings as race weights announced. There's going to be some serious weight watching in the Lerena and Murray households over the next few weeks. Jockey Gavin Lerena is booked to ride Madison Valley in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and will have to lose 3kg before the 5th of next month if he is to make the 54kg allocated to the Frank Robinson-trained four-year-old. This week, the former champion is riding at a minimum of 57kg – so a lot of salads and saunas are in his near future. Callan Murray has landed the July ride on Immediate Edge for the Mike and Mathew de Kock stable. The ex-champion apprentice presently rides at 55kg minimum so must shed a couple of kilos to meet the three-year-old's 53kg. These two top riders are among six jockeys thus far confirmed for 18 runners in the 2025 edition of South Africa's biggest race. Lerena and Murray The other four – easily hitting their assigned weights – are: Muzi Yeni on Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory, whom he steered to third place in last year's July; Calvin Habib on Alec Laird's Atticus Finch, on whom he won the Summer Cup in November; Craig Zackey on lightly raced The Real Prince for his retainer Dean Kannemeyer; and ex-pat, now Kiwi champ, Warren Kennedy, on SA Classic victor Confederate for Fabian Habib. Lerena has been here before, famously slimming down from 55kg (at the time) to 53kg to ride Kommetdieding to glory in 2022. Last year he dropped from 57kg to 53.5kg for Barbaresco – who wasn't so obliging, result-wise. On his recent return from a lengthy stint in Australia, Murray – looking taller, stronger and more mature than when he left – declared he would be prepared to waste for 'the right horse'. Clearly Immediate Edge fits the bill. Given tight handicapping rules for the Durban July, there were no surprises when weights for the Grade 1, R5-million, 2200m showpiece were unveiled this week. The top permissible weight of 60kg will be shared by three horses on a merit rating of 127: Gladatorian, See It Again and defending champion Oriental Charm. At the other end of the handicap of 30 hopefuls are a number in the 54kg-53kg bracket – but, of course, some of these will not make the cut when final field is announced by a selection panel on Tuesday 24 June. Still, top lightweight jockeys will have their phones ring-toning like crazy as connections of handily weighted runners seek to give their charges the best possible chances of immortality. Reigning champion Richard Fourie will surely be declared on ante-post favourite Eight On Eighteen if the colt's prevaricating connections decide to run him. If the three-year-old drops out at final declarations next week, all serious punters' eyes will be on Fourie to see which way he jumps. Will he opt for another of the platoon of Justin Snaith runners he knows well, or a Sean Tarry familiar, or even Alan Greeff's left-field aspirant My Best Shot? Sean Veale, currently in the form of his life, is the regular partner of Gladatorian so is probably not touting for business. Similarly, JP van der Merwe looks certain to try for a repeat on Oriental Charm. Ray Danielson has taken over as first choice on warhorse See It Again. In-form lightweight Serino Moodley has been a regular on Andre Nel-trained Selukwe, but he'll possibly get a few other offers before next Tuesday. JULY WEIGHTS [name, weight, MR, trainer (jockey)] Gladatorian 60 127 Stuart Ferrie Oriental Charm 60 127 James Crawford See It Again 60 127 Michael Roberts Royal Victory 59 125 Nathan Kotzen (Muzi Yeni) Purple Pitcher 57.5 122 Robyn Klaasen Atticus Finch 57 121 Alec Laird (Calvin Habib) Eight On Eighteen 57 129 Justin Snaith The Real Prince 56.5 120 Dean Kannemeyer (Craig Zackey) Son Of Raj 56 119 Tony Peter Pomodoro's Jet 55.5 118 James Crawford Future Swing 55 117 Justin Snaith Okavango 54.5 120 Justin Snaith Holding Thumbs 54 108 Glen Kotzen Litigation 54 113 Sean Tarry Madison Valley 54 115 Frank Robinson (Gavin Lerena) Magic Verse 54 113 Justin Snaith Mucho Dinero 54 115 Justin Snaith Native Ruler 54 119 Justin Snaith Selukwe 54 111 Andre Nel The Equator 54 110 Tony Peter Thunee Playa 54 104 Mano Pandaram Underworld 54 109 Justin Snaith Confederate 53.5 118 Fabian Habib (Warren Kennedy) Beating Wings 53 113 Stuart Pettigrew Immediate Edge 53 108 Mike/Mathew de Kock (Callan Murray) Joy And Peace 53 110 Alan Greeff Legend Of Arthur 53 117 Sean Tarry My Best Shot 53 116 Alan Greeff On My Honour 53 116 Glen Kotzen Rainbow Lorikeet 53 111 Candice Bass-Robinson
