First entries for the Durban July announced

There are 69 first entries for the R4.25-million Vodacom Durban July over 2200m, at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday 7 July.

With the cream of the country’s middle distance runners featuring in the list, the fact that 18 of the nominees are of the fairer sex could well become the talking point of the season with fillies like Sun Met winner Oh Susanna and Irish-bred Cascapedia likely to be considered as strong contenders for the ultimate honour.

With Mike de Kock, Sean Tarry and Justin Snaith responsible for 28 of the entries, notable stables missing from the entry list are those of Cape trainers Candice Bass-Robinson and Joey Ramsden who have won the last two runnings of the race with Marinaresco and The Conglomerate respectively.

Champion trainer Tarry has nominated 12 horses and De Kock eight while the Snaith team has entered eight of which the threeyear-old filly Oh Susanna could be the leader of the pack. Having beaten a strong Sun Met field under weight-for-age conditions, the Australian-bred daughter of Street Cry is something special.

Another exciting young filly is the daughter of Visionaire, Takingthepeace, who won both the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and SA Fillies Classic for De Kock. De Kock has entered duel Empress Club Stakes winner Nother Russia but she is likely to go to stud after running in the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday 5 May.

Snaith’s other entries include the 2014 winner of the blue ribbon event, Legislate, who has been brought back into racing following a stint as a stallion. This seven-year-old has not raced since failing to make the frame in the Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville two years ago.

Among the colts and geldings there are some smart young horses including De Kock’s Like A Panther who ran a good third in the SA Classic and Snaith’s Do It Again who was beaten less than two lengths by Eyes Wide Open in the Investec Cape Derby.

Surcharge was second in both the Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic for Stuart Pettigrew while looking to the older runners, fiveyear-old Dynasty gelding Liege caused a 14-1 upset when winning the Summer Cup last November for Tarry.

First declarations close at 11am on Monday, 14 May, first supplementary entries close on Tuesday, 15 May, Second declarations close on Monday, 4 June, final supplementary entries close on Monday, 18 June with the weights published the next day.

Final declaration close at 11am on Monday, 25 June. The final field and draw will take place on Tuesday, 26 June.

First entries for the R4.25million Vodacom Durban July (Grade 1) over 2200m at Greyville on Saturday 7 July.

ABASHIRI (M/A Azzie); AFRICAN NIGHT SKY (S J Snaith); BANNER HILL (G V Woodruff); BRAZUCA (J J van Vuuren); CASCAPEDIA (M F de Kock); CHARIOT OF GOLD (S G Tarry); CORAL FEVER (R R Sage); CROWD PLEASER (J J van Vuuren); DARK MOON RISING (P V Lafferty); DAWN ASSAULT (S J Gray); DEO JUVENTE (G V Woodruff); DO IT AGAIN (S J Snaith); ELUSIVE SILVA (S J Snaith); FORT EMBER (P A Peter); FRENCH NAVY (S G Tarry); GAMBADO (A G Laird); GIRL ON THE RUN (J J van Vuuren); GLIDER PILOT (T Zackey); GOLD STANDARD (G S Kotzen); GREEK FIRE (M/A Azzie); HEAD HONCHO (W A Nel); IT'S MY TURN (D Kannemeyer); LADY IN BLACK (D R Drier); LEGEND (D C Howells); LEGISLATE (S J Snaith); LIEGE (S G Tarry); LIKE A PANTHER (M F de Kock); MAJESTIC MAMBO (P A Peter); MAMBO MIME (D Kannemeyer); MARDI GRAS (J J van Vuuren); MATADOR MAN (S G Tarry); MY FAVOURITE BROWN (J J van Vuuren); NGAGA (W A Nel); NOBLE SECRET (M F de Kock); NOTHER RUSSIA (M F de Kock); OH SUSANNA (S J Snaith); PACK LEADER (G S Kotzen); PEROVSKIA (H W Crawford); PLATINUM PRINCE (S J Snaith); RABADA (B Crawford); RED CHESNUT ROAD (R A Hill); ROY HAD ENOUGH (F Robinson); ROY'S RIVIERA (F Robinson); ROYAL CRUSADE (M F de Kock); SABINA'S DYNASTY (P A Peter); SAFE HARBOUR (S G Tarry); SARATOGA DANCER (D C Howells); SECRET POTION (G V Woodruff); SHENANIGANS (S G Tarry); SILVA'S BULLET (D Kannemeyer); SILVAN STAR (G S Kotzen); SILVER GOD (S G Tarry); SILVER THURSDAY (M F de Kock); SIMPLY ROYAL (S G Tarry); SOCIAL ORDER (S G Tarry); STAR EXPRESS (S J Snaith); STEEL ROSE (G R Puller); STRATHDON (S J Snaith); SURCHARGE (S T Pettigrew); TAKINGTHEPEACE (M F de Kock); THE ROCKETMAN (M/A Azzie); THE SLADE (D Kannemeyer); THRONG (S G Tarry); TILBURY FORT (S G Tarry); WARRIOR'S REST (S G Tarry); WHITE RIVER (B Crawford); WILD WICKET (D C Howells); WIND CHILL (J A Soma); YAKEEN (M F de Kock)