Tough gallop competition on July track

ON SATURDAY, Hollywoodbets Greyville will echo with the sound of thundering hooves rather than the roar of 55000 spectators as the 18 runners for this year’s Vodacom Durban July do battle.

Owing to lockdown regulations, the races will take place in front of empty grandstands that will give the race meeting an eerie feeling.

However, this has not detracted from the quality of racing and the 10 races have attracted most of the cream of the country’s equine stars.

Lockdown on public attendance, not only to the race meeting but to the normal prerace publicity functions and public gallops, have forced Gold Circle to re-think their publicity strategy and the accent has been on social media platforms, television coverage and radio.

All the best middle-distance horses in the country will line up in the July as Do It Again, winner of the last two Julys, tries for a record-breaking third straight win. He has been off the boil since that victory but showed signs of coming to hand in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.

He has been parading in an equine compression suit in training and trainer Justin Snaith will have him spot-on come the big day.

Three-year-old Got The Greenlight finished well when winning the Daily News 2000. Prior to that, he found the tough Turffontein 2 450m just out of his compass as he looked a winner 100m out. He should be ideally suited to this trip and with only 53kg to shoulder, he will be a big runner.

One of owner Mike Rattray’s life dreams has been to win the July, his horses having finished second three times with Celtic Grove in 2001, Yardarm in 2003 and Rainbow Bridge last year. Rainbow Bridge, second to Do It Again, gives weight to all except Vardy but turned in a game front-running performance to win the Gold Challenge beating a fast-finishing Vardy. Rainbow Bridge will much prefer this trip while Vardy may have stamina doubts given that he carries joint top weight.

The well-fancied Belgarion, one of five Snaith-trained runners, did not fare well in the draw but has done little wrong in his career, winning six of his eight starts and his last four on the trot.

He has a handy galloping weight which is very much in his favour, while stable companion Bunker Hunt came from the clouds to beat top sprinter Kasimir in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m but may have stamina limitations in this company.

The meeting will be broadcast live on Supersport channels 204 and 210, from 1pm to 4pm with pre-recorded footage of the fashion.

The Vodacom Durban July is due off at 3.10pm.