Black Arthur is also attracting strong betting support

SA Derby winner Al Sahem currently heads up Betting World’s board for this Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July after longtime favourite Edict Of Nantes drifted in the face of heavy support for his rivals.

Black Arthur is second favourite at 5-1 with Edict Of Nantes on offer at 11-2 from around 4-1.

Most experts believe three-year-old males Edict Of Nantes, Al Sahem, Pagoda, Tilbury Fort and Horizon are all well in the weights. Generally the top three-year-old carries 55kg or more in the July, whereas this year the best three-year-old, Edict Of Nantes, has 54kg.

Only the big race will tell but Durban-based handicapper Lennon Maharaj, who works alongside Matthew Lips and chief handicapper Roger Smith, believes the ratings are right.

He said: “We try to look at things as objectively as we can but the problem we have with the three-year-olds is that not enough of them run against older horses before the July, so they are rated almost as a separate crop and when that happens it is hard to compare.

“But I wouldn’t say that we have done anything differently this season and I would think it is pretty much in line with last year.”

Betting World’s odds:

9-2 Al Sahem; 5-1 Black Arthur; 11-2 Edict Of Nantes; 17-2 The Conglomerate, It’s My Turn, Ten Gun Salute; 16-1 and upwards others.

* Racing is at the Vaal today and there is money to be made.

Trainer Brian Wiid’s Lee’s Pick has won only once in his seven starts but it is a defeat by Pagoda at Turffontein in March that suggests that he can go close to winning Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 2000m.

The Alec Laird yard had a good day on Tuesday with a double and Arabian World could prove the danger. This Ideal World gelding clearly needed his last start last month and will do a lot better over this distance.

Jockey Anthony Delppech is well clear in the race for South African Champion Jockey title this season and could pull off a treble in the first three races.

Mohallela ran a cracking debut and is hard to oppose in Race 1, a Maiden Plate over 1200m. And Australian import Flexible Fugitive has run two decent races and looks the pick to win Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m.