Strong entry of 58 runners for the R4.25-m Durban July

– There are a few hopefuls but – barring Legal Eagle and overseas-bound Whisky Baron – most of the country’s top middle distance gallopers are among the first entries for the R4.25-million Vodacom Durban July (Grade 1) over 2200m at Greyville on Saturday, 1 July. There were 58 entries received. Legal Eagle may not be an entry but Champion Trainer Sean Tarry has loaded his gun with 16 entries that include the promising Al Sahem, filly Smiling Blue Eyes and recent Grade 3 Byerley Turk winner Africa Rising, who put his field to sleep in impressive fashion in spite of still wearing a brushing boot that had not been removed at the start.

Justin Snaith, not to be outdone, has entered nine horses including the smart filly Bela-Bela, Byerley Turk runner-up Copper Force and dark horse Black Arthur.

Candice Bass-Robinson will be pinning her hopes on last year’s runner-up Marinaresco, while Captain America, French Navy, Mac de Lago and Heavenly Blue are other notable entries.

Of the local contingent, Duncan Howells has entered two runners from last year, fi fth-placed Saratoga Dancer and Ten Gun Salute, together with the smart fi lly Dawn Calling who has yet to race beyond 1600m. The full list of entries is: AFRICA RISING (S G Tarry); AL SAHEM (S G Tarry); BANNER HILL (G S Kotzen); BELA-BELA (S J Snaith); BELLE ROSE (M F De Kock); BI POT (G V Woodruff ); BLACK ARTHUR (S J Snaith); BOLD VIKING (S G Tarry); BRAZUCA (J A Janse van Vuuren); CAPTAIN AMERICA (B Crawford); CELTIC CAPTAIN (G van Zyl); COPPER FORCE (S J Snaith); COPPER POT (S G Tarry); DAWN CALLING (D C Howells); DEO JUVENTE (G V Woodruff ); EDICT OF NANTES (B Crawford); ELUSIVE SILVA (S J Snaith); FORT EMBER (P A Peter); FORT MEYERS (S G Tarry); FRENCH NAVY (S G Tarry); FURIOSA (S G Tarry); GIRL ON THE RUN (J A Janse van Vuuren); HAMAAN (S G Tarry); HEAPS OF FUN (S G Tarry); HEAVENLY BLUE (M F De Kock); HORIZON (C L Bass-Robinson); IT’S MY TURN (S J Snaith); JUBILEE LINE (M F De Kock); JUXTAPOSE (S M Ferreira); KRAMBAMBULI (S J Snaith); LIEGE (S G Tarry); MAC DE LAGO ( W H Marwing); MACDUFF (J Ramsden); MARINARESCO (C L BassRobinson); MASTER SABINA (G V Woodruff ); MASTER SWITCH (G V Woodruff ); NEBULA (B Crawford); NIGHTINGALE (C L Bass-Robinson); NOTHER RUSSIA (M F De Kock); ORCHID ISLAND (M F De Kock); PAGODA (G V Woodruff ); PRINCE OF WALES (S J Snaith); ROCKETBALL (G H Van Zyl); ROYAL BADGE (A N Marcus); SAFE HARBOUR (S G Tarry); SAMURAI BLADE (S G Tarry); SARATOGA DANCER (D C Howells); SECRET CAPTAIN (D C Howells); SILVER MOUNTAIN (C L Bass-Robinson); SMILING BLUE EYES (S G Tarry); STAR EXPRESS (S J Snaith); TEN GUN SALUTE (D C Howells); THE CONGLOMERATE (J Ramsden); THE ELMO EFFECT (G M Alexander); TILBURY FORT (S G Tarry); TROPHY WIFE (S G Tarry); WITCHCRAFT (S G Tarry); ZODIAC RULER (S J Snaith)