Yeni saddles up for July race glory
Four years ago S’manga Khumalo made history when he became the first black jockey to win the Vodacom Durban July. Muzi Yeni will try to emulate that feat when he rides Ten Gun Salute in SA’s most famous race at Greyville on Saturday.
The number of different horses who have topped the betting boards for the race will have confused both pundits and punters, yet Ten Gun Salute — available at 40-1 when the first market was formed — rates a good each-way wager with the tote paying six places.
Like 2016’s winner, The Conglomerate, Ten Gun Salute is an Aussie import and he booked his place in the R4.25m race when winning the Betting World 1900. His trainer, Duncan Howells, detected a back problem in his previous unplaced but it responded to treatment.
Khumalo has a very real chance of following up his 2013 success on Heavy Metal as he
partners the talented threeyear-old Al Sahem for champion trainer Sean Tarry.
It is mind-boggling that the Randjesfontein trainer’s runners have amassed more than R32m in stake money this season.
The worry is whether Al Sahem might be feeling the effects of four hard races. If that proves to be the case, Tarry has strong back-up in the form of filly Safe Harbour.
Justin Snaith has made no secret that winning the July has been his goal this season and he has two talented representatives in It’s My Turn and Black Arthur. The latter was a borderline case to get an invitation, yet Snaith is adamant the Silvano gelding will run a big race. Piere Strydom, who won 2016’s race on The Conglomerate, will like Snaith’s comment “He’s worth two lengths in the July” and his mount, It’s My Turn, probably needed the run when third behind Ten Gun Salute in the Betting World 1900.
This season’s leading rider, Anthony Delpech, was linked with both Black Arthur and Al Sahem, but in the end he will partner Klawervlei Majorca Stakes winner Nightingale.
There is no rule against backing two horses in a race and — given her consistent record and favourable draw — it will be a shock if she finishes out of the first six.
Anton Marcus is bidding for his fifth July victory and his mount Edict Of Nantes is fancied
to run a big race for the Brett Crawford stable. However, the three-year-old’s rather strange final gallop has resulted in bookies drifting the Daily News winner in ante-post betting.
Marinaresco, runner-up in 2016, has questions to answer after a poor performance in the Gold Challenge, and stablemate Nightingale has more appeal.
While Bela-Bela is a worthy favourite for the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, her stablemate Star Express looks overpriced at 16-1. The two four-year-olds could prove a lucrative swinger.
Other fancies on the 12-race card are Leisure Trip (first race), Trophy Wife (third), Whorly Whorly (ninth), Doosra (11th) and Callan Murray’s mount Master ’n Commander in the final event on the card.