125th Durban July to be held behind closed doors
THE 125th Vodacom Durban July and Post Race Day is set to go ahead as planned on Saturday, July 3, amidst the new Level 4 lockdown regulations.
The event will be held without spectators. Covid-19 safety protocols will be enforced, with only essential services personnel granted access to the track, according to organisers Gold Circle.
“Gold Circle can confirm that the Vodacom Durban July race day will go ahead. On course attendance at all race meetings in KwaZulu-Natal from today until further notice, will be limited to essential services personnel, trainers, jockeys, grooms, NHA Staff and Gold Circle Staff required to ensure each race meeting can proceed. No owners, Gold Circle members or box/suite holders will be permitted access to either Hollywoodbets Greyville or Hollywoodbets Scotsville until further notice,” said Gold Circle events and marketing executive Stephen Marshall in a statement.
Raf Sheik, racing executive of Gold Circle, indicated that the betting revenue is likely to be lower this year due to the financial impacts caused by the pandemic. “As the industry is self-sustaining, the decreased revenues from betting and on course attendance have resulted in the need to lower the stakes or prize money that horses race for in order to continue racing and this raises the cost of owning horses. The result is that we have fewer horses in training which in turn affects field sizes and betting revenues. It becomes a vicious downward spiral. With the adjusted level four restrictions, we are expecting a further decrease in betting revenue from this year’s Durban July which has historically been a major revenue generator,” said Sheik. Despite the impact of the pandemic on the industry, Sheik indicated that it has been resilient with fewer job losses. He indicated that revenue needs to improve to avoid potential job losses. With a rating of 5/2 and healthy weight of 55kg, 2020 Durban July runner-up Got The Greenlight is the favourite to win the Durban July main race, according to Sheik. He is followed by three-year-old Linebacker at 4/1 and Rainbow Bridge (5/1).
Trainer Justin Snaith won the Durban July for the past three years and will aim for another victory.
“Snaith won with Do It Again in 2018 and 2019 and Belgarion last year. Both are competing this year and he has Crown Towers and Nexus in the race with Silver Host as the first Reserve Runner. It would be foolish to discount Snaith’s chances of recording a fourth victory in a row in Africa’s greatest horse race,” said Sheik. Vikash Budhai, group risk manager for Marshalls World of Sport, has different predictions. “I am expecting Linebacker to win followed by Rainbow Bridge, Got The Greenlight and Sovereign Bridge,” said Budhai.
Budhai said that while the industry has suffered due to the pandemic, newer sectors such as virtual, e-Sports and online casino games have started to grow. The event marks the second consecutive year in which the event will be held behind closed doors, without the presence of the glamour and after-parties that follow. Fans will have to tune in to Tellytrack (DStv Channel 249) and via the official broadcast on SuperSport 4 (DStv Channel 204) from 4pm on Saturday to watch the action.