Few July clues so far
GUIDANCE: 1900 COULD HELP DELPECH DECIDE WHO TO RIDE IN JULY
Marcus and Woodruff team up with Master Switch.
For years the Greyville 1900 has been a pointer to the Durban July, but it’s doubtful punters will get many clues from this Friday’s Grade 2 event which is sponsored by Betting World.
Of the declared runners, only Justin Snaith’s, Elusive Silva, is prominent in the ante-post July betting and is on offer at 8-1 at Betting World.
However, the race will help Anthony Delpech who rides Elusive Silva. He has said Black Arthur is his likely July mount, but the fouryear-old could only finish 10th in the recent Drill Hall Stakes.
Geoff Woodruff runs Master Switch (Anton Marcus) in Friday’s race and will be hoping to qualify this somewhat temperamental sort for the big race on 1 July.
Two others looking to boost their prospects with good runs are Ten Gun Salute (Muzi Yeni) and another Snaith inmate, It’s My Turn (Bernard Fayd’Herbe).
There’s one remaining goal for much-accomplished jockey Anthony Delpech - the 48-year-old would love to make racing history by becoming the first to partner five Durban July winners.
Along with Tiger Wright, Anton Marcus and Piere Strydom, Anthony’s current tally is four and - of this quartet - he may have the best chance of making headlines on 1 July.
The intriguing question about the popular KZN-based rider is this - could he switch from Black Arthur to Elusive Silva if the latter justifies favouritism in Friday’s Greyville 1900?
In early betting, the two Justin Snaith inmates, Elusive Silva and It’s My Turn, are quoted at the head of the market at 33-10 and 7-2 respectively.
At the recent Champions Day meeting at Turffontein, I chatted with Anthony and he was certain that Black Arthur would be his July mount. This was also confirmed by Justin Snaith.
However, things can change quickly in racing and - since then Black Arthur has finished in midfield in the Drill Hall Stakes with even his 100-1 stablemate, Baritone, finishing in front of him.
Quite probably, Black Arthur needed that run but the seed of doubt may now be in Anthony’s mind especially in view of Elusive Silva’s impressive win in last month’s Listed Sledgehammer 1800.
Bookmaker reaction has been to push Black Arthur out to 16-1 in July betting while pricing Elusive Silva at 8-1.
After the Sledgehammer, Justin Snaith was quoted as saying the son of Silvano would need to take “a considerable step up”, but it’s worth remembering he won the 2016 Cape Derby suggesting the extra 200m of the July should be no problem.
Justin has a strong hand on Friday for - apart from Elusive Silva - he will also saddle It’s My Turn (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and Prince Of Wales (Greg Cheyne).
It might be a wise move to include Prince Of Wales in exotic bets as many pundits will have put him in their notebooks after his running on third behind Elusive Silva in the Sledgehammer.
It won’t have been lost on Justin that there’s an important condition to the 1900 - the winner cannot be raised more than six merit-rated points.
The 1900 is also an important date for the strong partnership of Geoff Woodruff and Anton Marcus with Master Switch (11-2) bidding to improve his position on the July log with a bold showing.
If my memory hasn’t completely eluded me, this is the same route the horse took a year ago with Callan Murray in the saddle and his temperament got the better of him. Possibly, Geoff has solved that problem, but I want him to produce the goods before outlaying hard-earned cash.
Go Direct (Marco van Rensburg) is the other Woodruff runner in the line-up and - with Marco in hot form - a place looks a possibility.
Sean Tarry relies on Tilbury Fort but this is one race in which the Sean juggernaut may have to play second fiddle to the Snaith team.