Handy weights for July favourites

Edict Of Nantes and Al Sahem will both have handy galloping weights in the R4.25 million Vodacom Durban July (Grade 1) over 2 200m at Greyville on Saturday July 1.

The two three-year-olds are currently dominating betting, having finished 0.50 lengths apart in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

Edict Of Nantes, who also won the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby, will carry 54kg with Al Sahem having 0.5kg less in the big race.

Those weights will be tempting to quite a few punters because the last threeyear-old males to win the July, Bold Silvano in 2010, Pomodoro in 2012 and Legislate in 2014 carried 55.5kg, 55kg and 56kg respectively.

Three-year-old filly Igugu, winner in 2011, carried 55kg.

So historically, Edict Of Nantes and Al Sahem will have exceptionally well weighted.

The country’s top fillies will fight it out for honours in the main supporting feature, the R1-million Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) over 1 600m.

Picture superstars Bela-Bela (who might run in the July) and Just Sensual in a home straight tussle with the likes of Star Express, Polyphonic, Gimme Six, Final Judgement and Nightingale and shivers go down your spine.

Dynasty filly Just Sensual beat Nightingale home in last Saturday’s Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes, following up on her brilliant second to the country’s now-retired queen of speed Carry On Alice.

Star Express, also from the Snaith stable, ran fourth behind Just Sensual in the Tibouchina Stakes and earlier in the year finished 0.50 lengths behind Nightingale in the prestigious Grade 1 Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth.

Gimme Six, another Snaithtrained horse, was just touched off in a controversial finish by Lady Of The House in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.