HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY FINAL FIELD ANNOUNCEMENT & BARRIER DRAW TUESDAY 25 JUN

Philasande Mxoli to ride Purple Pitcher.

Serino Moodley rides Flagman 

 

Screenshot until press release

 

Shoemaker cracks a draw in a big race for the 1st time in his career I think ?

Fancy him for a place . 

 

Royal Victory is a massive runner imo, perfect prep, coming in under the radar and pole draw so should have no issues getting to the rail. Took two bets now at Hollywoodbets:

Royal Victory win @ 14.29/1
Royal Victory to finish in first six @ evens

One thing for sure,quartet going to pay 

HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY FINAL FIELD

Rachel Venniker, denied a first ride in the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July last year with the last minute withdrawal of her intended mount, gets her chance this year when she partners Without Question for Justin Snaith and owner Nick Jonsson.

The final field was unveiled at a glittering function in Durban this afternoon. Eighteen of the cream of the country’s middle distance horses will line up over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 6 July, the field headed by last year’s winner Winchester Mansion and runner-up See It Again. The latter shoulders top weight of 60kg and will again be ridden by Piere Strydom for Michael Roberts.

The race holds special significance for both trainer and jockey. Roberts, a winner of the race aboard Super Quality back in 1997 for David Ferraris, will be attempting to win it as a trainer while Strydom has delayed his intended retirement to ride the Twice Over colt and hopefully end his career on a high note with a fifth win in the big race. See It Again put in an eye-catching performance in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge in his final preparation and is one of the big fancies in the betting. Roberts was hoping for a draw between 1 and 6 but drew 10.

It has been many years since a KZN-trained horse has won the July, the last being the Dennis Drier-trained Spanish Galliard ridden by Robbie Sham in 1992. Roberts came close last year with See It Again but joining him this year with an outstanding chance is Summerveld-based colleague Nathan Kotzen who saddles Royal Victory who drew pole position. A winner of both the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr1 Champion’s Challenge at Turffontein, Kotzen has elected not to give his charge a warm-up race and it will be interesting to see what the plans will be for Royal Victory in the July gallops which take place on Thursday, June 27 where all the July runners will be on show in the compulsory lead-up to the big one.

English-based jockey Daniel Muscutt, son of KZN-based trainer Peter Muscutt, will be attempting to add the July to his CV after winning the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met earlier this year. Muscutt will again be aboard Met winner Double Superlative (16) for Justin Snaith and Nick Jonsson.

Snaith has three runners in the race that include Without Question (6), Double Superlative and Future Swing (4), the mount of record-breaking jockey Richard Fourie. Snaith also trains Hluhluwe, the first emergency acceptor should there be a scratching before Friday week.

Ruling ante-post favourite before the announcement of the draws was the Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner Green With Envy (5) who will be looking to give Dean Kannemeyer his fourth July winner.

Green With Envy will again be up against the Summerveld-based Gareth van Zyl-trained Flagman (17) who shot to prominence when running Green With Envy to a shorthead in the Gr1 Daily News 2000. Flagman is now 0.5kg better off in the weights that equates to around half-a-length. The draw could be a telling factor between these two three-year-old rivals.

Brett Crawford, saddled last year’s winner Winchester Mansion (9) who will again be partnered by Kabelo Matsunyane, and recent Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial winnner and runner up in the WSB 1900 Oriental Charm (11) will be ridden by JP van der Merwe who, like Matsunyane last year, will be hunting his first July victory.

Crawford appears to have planned the front-running Oriental Charm’s path perfectly as he comes into the race with bottom weight for his age group. Alongside him in the weights is Gr1 SA Derby and Gr1 SA Classic winner Purple Pitcher (8 ) trained by Robyn Klaasen. Purple Pitcher is owned by Stinkie Pooe who was part owner of Second Base who finished fifth in last year’s July and will be ridden by Philisande Mxoli who will also be having his first ride in the race.

Sean Tarry has two runners in Cousin Casey (15) and Future Pearl (18 ) and also second emergency acceptor Hotarubi.

Mike de Kock, winner two years back with the filly Sparkling Water, has two runners in Aragosta (7) and Shoemaker (6), both at long odds in the betting market.

Tony Peter also saddles two runners in former Gr1 SA Derby winner Son Of Raj (12) and Meridius (13), both at fairly lengthy odds in the betting market.

Andre Nel sends out Master Redoute (14) and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s runner Barbaresco drew well at 2.

Question

Come few days before the July and Hluluwe is working like a champ. Do they scratch Without Question to give the horse with the better chance a run?

I would.

As per usual a case of the 3yr-olds against the older horses - in the past I have been siding with the older horses - especially Winchester Mansion receiving weight from See It Again; this year I'm not so sure- while See It Again has many of these 'out-at-the-weights', I do think the 3yr-olds have an edge and at the weights imo there is not much between Green With Envy, Flag Man, Oriental Charm and Barbaresco - with the question 'will Gavin be making the weight' - he did win with Kommetdieding (53 kg) in 2021 - but this is 3 years later ..... still at the odds I'd prefer Barbaresco; then there is also Purple Pitcher - not sure about Greyville though

I do think (looking for egg-on-the-face) that many of the other older horses look held - why has Winchester Mansion not had a recent run ? And I do also think the track is against Royal Victory, Cousin Casey in my book prefers shorter, Without Question - bar from the MET he has not shown a lot; Double Superlative - has the ability, but that last run ? Best of the rest imo would be Son of Raj (but he did run disappointingly last year) and Future Pearl - at least had a good recent win (and only 1.5 kgs out-at-the-weights), fast early pace would help him 

Not an easy race 


 

Going with Winchester Mansion again.
Will finish in top 4.

www.turftalk.co.za/winchester-mansion-wi...ars-of-july-history/

Very intresting Draws.....

On this I can't see Green with Envy beat See it Again.

Green with Envy is out if the weights with See it Again, 56kgs should of been 54kgs or at worst 55kgs. I dont believe the 3yr olds are up to par with true ratings looking at the collateral form with GWE and Flagman. I also believe GWE is on the wrong side of draws....will have to drop in and get pushed back on the rail. 

See it Again on the other hand has probably got the best draw it could ask for. Will sit midfield and it runs best coming from behind...and with half the field behind him unlucky to get blocked for a run. And will have first run on GWE. Also in the last over 1600m Striker let him run on and he did...he had the best finish in that race....a prep gallop.

Just like Do It Again won in 2018....where Marcus pulled out and made his move on the turn sitting about 8th/9th in the field...i see the same happening again

manwatweet wrote:

Going with Winchester Mansion again.
Will finish in top 4.

www.turftalk.co.za/winchester-mansion-wi...ars-of-july-history/

So WInchester Mansion has been rested and being prepared without a prep run (to not gain a possible penalty) - I am definitely not a trainer, but imo there is nothing like a race to bring a horse to his peak - but what do I know    - but there just seem to be to much against WM - first horse in how many years to double up, plus the jock and the trainer - must have a chance, but I am looking elsewhere for the winner

Looking at the weights, I think Master Redoute is not without a chance of  placing - well in here with Oriental Charm and Future Swing ?