African Night Sky escapes lightly

VODACOM DURBAN JULY favourite African Night Sky has been raised four points by the handicapper to 112 after his impressive win in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1 800m on Saturday.

Handicapper Matthew Lips said Platinum Prince, who finished a 0,9 lengths third, was chosen as the line horse. On paper that equated to just a two point raise for African Night Sky but another two points were added due to the circumstances of the win.

He came from a long way back, suffered some interference (which caused him to switch) and yet still won easily.

As things stand African Night Sky will carry 57kg in the July.

Betting World currently make him 16-10, World Sports Betting have him at 17-10 and Track and Ball offer 19-10.

Platinum Prince

Platinum Prince and second-placed Crowd Pleaser remain on their same merit ratings of 101 and 102 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap winner Yakeen has been raised four points to 103 and the narrow runner up Tilbury Fort went up three points also to 103.

Yakeen’s best July ante-post price is now 22-1 and Tilbury Fort’s is 25-1.

The merit ratings of July contenders Gold Standard and Roy Had Enough, beaten into 5th and 6th in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, remain unaltered on 117 and 110 respectively.

Michael Clower reports African Night Sky, 28-10 with Betting World for the Vodacom Durban July before Saturday’s Cup Trial victory, came in for further support yesterday and is now as short as 16-10 with South Africa’s biggest bookmakers.

They had him at 17-10 when they reopened their books late on Sunday afternoon but the Justin-Snaith trained fouryear-old was backed at that price and is now a point tighter.

That is an incredibly short price in such a competitive handicap, particularly considering the handicappers raised his merit rating yesterday to reflect Saturday’s win and that the race is such a poor one for favourites. There has only been one winning favourite (Igugu at 2-1 in 2011) in the past nine runnings and during that period only two other favourites have even made the frame.

Indeed the average price of the winner in those last nine seasons is over 13-1.

Three-year-olds Majestic Mambo and Do It Again, second and fourth in the Daily News, are joint second favourites at 8-1 with Elusive Silva, Abashiri, Jeff Lloyd’s mount Made To Conquer and Coral Fever all on 16-1.

Perovskia

Drill Hall winner Perovskia, who disappointed in the Cup Trial, has gone for a big walk from 33-1 to 75-1.

Rival firm World Sports Betting has African Night Sky at 18-10 (previously 3-1) and goes 7-1 Do It Again, Majestic Mambo,12-1 Abashiri, 15-1 Elusive Silva, 16-1 Made To Conquer, 20-1 and upwards others.