2012 Vodacom Durban July

Must say had a quick look at official betting and looks a bit skinny considering the races IMO was certainly hoping 15/10 ebony as one example

Had a dream last night that the winner of the July was sold overseas.
mmmm....was definitely not Ilha Bela .
Gotta have another double JWB tonight before I sleep and hopefully complete the dream.

agra Wrote:

---

> Had a dream last night that the winner of the July
> was sold overseas.
> mmmm....was definitely not Ilha Bela .
> Gotta have another double JWB tonight before I
> sleep and hopefully complete the dream.

had a dream the other night then went to the store to pick my lotto numbers,but the assistant kept on telling me 69 is not in the lotto ()

You goota take a hint. Go back
69...LOL

David Thiselton

Mike Bass revealed that both Bernard Fayd’herbe and Karl Neisius had wanted to ride his shortest price Vodacom Durban July horse, English Garden, and the former had got the nod, being the yard’s first choice jockey.



Bass has won the July three times and will have three chances to improve his record this year with English Garden, Chesalon and Castlethorpe.



Fayd’herbe couldn’t have had an easy choice as he rates Chesalon, along with the race favourite Jackson, as the two horses he has to beat.



Fayd’herbe rides Chesalon a lot in work, so this was an interesting comment.



English Garden is drawn nine, Chesalon, who will be ridden by Jeff Lloyd is drawn ten and Castlethorpe, with Neisius up, unfortunately has a tough draw of 18.



Bass said, “If I was drawn ten in a Greyville 1600m race I would think it would be a bad draw, but in the July it’s not too bad. The ones on the inside usually squeeze them a bit to get up there. Nobody wants to be caught wide so there’s usually a bit of scrimmaging. English Garden and Chesalon have a chance of getting a reasonable spot, although you can have bad luck in this race even from draw five. I will be happy if they are lying one off the fence.”



Regarding Castlethorpe’s wide draw he said, “He has enough speed to get up there. He has a master tactician aboard and I will leave it to him.”



Bass always had high hopes for English Garden, who was called “Little Pocket” in his younger days due to his resemblance to the great Pocket Power.



“He always had that look about him, so we were hoping,” he said.



English Garden soon fulfilled these hopes by winning the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein.



He was then an unlucky second in the Grade 1 SA Derby before finishing third in the July.



“I think the July is exactly the same strength as it was last year,” said Bass. “So the result should be Jackson, Pierre Jourdan and English Garden.”



However, English Garden runs off a merit rating one point lower than last year, while Pierre Jourdan is rated four points higher, so English Garden definitely looks to have come into the race as the best weighted older horse.



The Camden Park four-year-old gelding has had a problem with epistaxis (burst blood vessels) in the past, which caused him to miss this year’s J&B Met, but Bass said, “I took him up to Johannesburg to get him fit and it seems to have helped with his bleeding problems too.”



He has only had two runs in the Champions Season, but Bass said he was already quite fit when he arrived in Durban.



He made eyecatching late progress in his last start when third in the Grade 3 Cup Trial, which looked to be a perfect July preparation run.



English Garden’s ability to run on strongly late is an ideal asset for the tight Greyville track and if he can be as beautifully placed as he was last year he will be a huge runner.



Bass said Chesalon, a Fort Wood four-year-old gelding, who didn’t reach his R250,000 reserve at the Sales, had been a bit “light and narrow” as a younger horse so had to be nurtured along and had improved this season.



He said, “Ideally I would have wanted another run, but there are not many races and he is a bit of a softy. But he is doing well at home.”





The yard said Chesalon had needed his Betting World 1900 outing, only his second since being scratched from the Met with a ligament strain.



However, Bass reckoned that run proved he had the necessary finishing speed for Greyville.



Bass, when questioned whether Castlethorpe would stay the trip said, “He finished five lengths back last year after being interfered with badly. He appears to be a sprint-miler on his racecourse performance, but his pedigree has a lot of stamina and depth and he has never had a chance to prove himself over this trip.”



Castlethorpe’s dam is in fact a three-parts sister to the brilliant 2008 Epsom Derby winner New Approach.



Bass said that although Mombasa’s ideal trip was 1400m, they would take their chances in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province over 1600m as it was one of her last runs before going to stud and she had done well in the Tibouchina when second to Princess Victoria.



Bass said Richard Fourie had been impressed by Thanks John in a recent gallop, so gave him a chance in the Gold Vase if he could overcome his wide draw.



He didn’t know what to expect from Golden Parachute, who they are trying to qualify for the Ladbroke’s Gold Cup, as he had won two races in Port Elizabeth before disappointing last time out.



He reckoned Jeppe’s Reef was an unreliable sort but felt he was the sort that could surprise in the Schweppes 2200 from a good draw if he tried his hardest.



He said Brown Penny was “doing okay” at home but had a tough draw in the Thukela over 1600m, which he won last year.



He reckoned Captain’s Secret was doing well and as an honest, game horse could finish in the money in the Thukela.



He said Monsieur Dupont, who is well drawn, might find the twelfth over 1200m a touch sharp but he was doing very well.



He said Shanghai Kid had a big ask in the eleventh and it might be a bit soon for him to take on the likes of Depardieu.

Summerveld is abuzz with Vodacom Durban July day talk at present and one popular opinion is that the Gavin van Zyl-trained three-year-old Eton Square’s chances are increasing by the day.



Van Zyl was also bullish about the chances of Seal in the Gold Vase, while runners on the big day from other yards were also being given the thumbs up.



Eton Square slammed Knock On Wood by 4,75 lengths when winning the Grade 3 Jubilee over 1800m at Turffontein and although he was receiving 4,5kg from the four-year-ol Muhtafal colt, the latter franked the form when winning the inaugural running of the KZN Breeder’s Million Mile on Sunday at Greyville despite carrying 58,5kg.



Van Zyl felt Eton Square had not been green when going to the front in the Jubilee and then having to rally back after being overtaken, but had instead shown his fighting spirit.



He reckoned that based on what he had shown in work and in his racing career to date he was a “top horse.”



Furthermore, he has an all important good draw of five.



Eton Square is being prepared by Van Zyl’s son Chesney at Turffontein and will travel down to Summerveld on Thursday.



Van Zyl felt Seal was not a horse who needed soft ground, despite his SA Derby win and his last win over 1600m in February coming when there was cut in the ground.



“He has been running well on the rock hard going lately,” he said. “The key is that this is the first time since his SA Derby win over 2450m that he will be going over further than 2000m and he is crying out for a trip. I make him a very big runner.”



Van Zyl said that Lizzy Grey had been working very well, but lamented the wide draw of 16 she has to contend with in the Grade 1 Durban Golden Slipper over 1400m.



He reckoned that the jockey had sent him for home too soon last time, but would have learnt that he can afford to wait with her for a while longer.



Van Zyl said that on racecourse performance Gray’s Champ would be the choice of his coupling in the second race, but he found him and King Of Clover difficult to separate on their homework after the latter had matched the former in a gallop.



Furthermore, King Of Clover will receive 3kg from Gray’s Champ on Saturday.



He said both horses would relish the 1900m trip.



Van Zyl made Bulsara a big runner in the Schweppes 2200m.



“The trip is his limit, but if he brings his July run of last year, he will be very competitive.”



Brandon Lerena reckoned that based on Bulsara’s last run in the Cup Trial , where he plodded in the straight, he would do better with the blinkers back on.



Van Zyl said Bay Leaf could improve on her last run and run into the money in the ninth.



Glen Kotzen remains bullish about Princess Victoria.



He added that Victory Cruise had a definite shout in the second as she would relish the step up to 1900 having disappointed last time when dropped from 1600m down to 1450m.



He said Fly Me Over had been green in his last start but had come on from that run.



However, this promising Jet Master two-year-old doesn’t have the easiest draw to contend with in the Grade 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Horseshoe over 1400m.



Another horse on the day that drew comment was the Glen Puller-trained Cossack General, who runs in the first, a competitive MR78 Handicap over 1400m.



The vaunted Daylami three-year-old gelding might prefer the step back to 1400m.



He appeared to have plenty in hand in the straight over 1600m last time, but in the end faded into fourth place.



Some also reckoned that reverting to the front-running tactics of his win on debut would be beneficial.



Colin Scott has a strong hand in this race with the improving Stolen Destiny and Live Controversy.



The former runs on strongly from behind and Scott revealed that both jockeys who had recently won on him had wanted to ride him in preference to Live Controversy.



He had given the ride to Sean Cormack, saying he had always got on particularly well with the horse.



Craig Eudey also has a competitive runner here in the talented Zatopek, who will now have Anthony Delpech aboard from a good draw of five.



“He’s a hot horse and the pacifiers have definitely settled him down,” said Eudey. “He had the joint fastest 400m to finish time in his last run, the same time as Whiteline Fever’s, and he has come on from that run.”

The Dennis Drier-trained Tsogo Sun Medallion winner Potent Power has been sold to Hong Kong concerns for an undisclosed sum so has been scratched from the Grade 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day where he was expected to start favourite.



Drier said, “He has been bought to race overseas, so it is probably the wise thing for the connections not to run him. He will fly to Hong Kong as soon as the export protocols allow.”



Drier will still have three Grade 1 contenders on the big day, Beach Beauty in the July and Schiffer and Anne Trulove in the Durban Golden Slipper.



He said, “I just worry whether they’ve given Beach Beauty a kg or two too much. It’s not easy for a small filly to carry 58kg. But she couldn’t be better than she is right now.”



Beach Beauty beat Chesalon, Polar Bound, Top Seller, Gold Onyx and Solo Traveller when winning the Betting World 1900 in impressive fashion and of these, on paper, only Chesalon and Solo Traveller have chances of matching her at the turnaround of weights.



Beach Beauty doesn’t have an easy draw of 12 and Drier reckoned, “If she was carrying 50kg then you could afford to drop her in, but you can’t give start and weight.”



Drier was very pleased with Schiffer’s gallop before the races on Sunday at Greyville and rates the Var filly, who was a facile winner of her 1000m debut.



She is drawn quite well in eight, but he added there was still a slight concern over her seeing out the 1400m trip.



He reckoned Besugo had a good place chance off a low weight in the eighth and made Never Forever a runner over his “right trip” in the 12th over 1000m



The other runner he mentioned as having a chance was Tipo Tinto in the eThekwini Sprint.

Mike de Kock revealed that one of his Vodacom Durban July contenders, the five-year-old Irish-bred mare Gorongosa, nearly didn’t see a racetrack as she had shown so little at home before her first run.



“I nearly didn’t race her but decided I might as well give her a couple of runs,” he said.



Gorongosa finished unplaced on debut over 1200m, 13,65 lengths behind the winner, but then improved to finish a 3,5 length fourth in her second start when stepped up to 1900m.



Even that second race couldn’t have filled the yard with much hope as the winner, her stablemate Celestial Cloud, was a relative battler by De Kock standards.



However, Gorongosa has proved a revelation since then, winning nine of her next ten starts from 1700m up to 3200m.



She has a good draw of six and a jockey in Kevin Shea who already has two Vodacom Durban July wins under his belt.



“She will be running at them strongly,” said De Kock of the mare, who possesses plenty of stamina, but also a good turn of foot.



He added that she was a horse who still showed little at home, especially on the sand tracks, although her grass work was usually good.



However, De Kock still rates Ilha Bela his best runner despite her wide draw.



“She has to be the best of the four,” he said.



Anthony Delpech will ride Ilha Bela and confirmed that she had improved a lot since her Woolavington second place finish.



He wasn’t too concerned about the wide draw.



De Kock said that Vettel had “definitely improved” since his Daly News run when finishing 3,75 lengths behind July favourite Jackson.



His relatively good draw and the 2kg swing in the weights should see him finishing closer.



De Kock said that on Solo Traveller’s Betting World 1900 run he had little doubt that he would see out the 2200m trip.



He recorded the fastest 400m to finish time in that race when a 1,8 length fourth to Beach Beauty, with whom he will now be 1,5kg better off.



However, jockey arrangements would suggest Solo Traveller is the least fancied of De Kock’s four runners.



De Kock will equal the feat of the great Terrance Millard by having three July winners on the trot if one of his runners wins this year, although this will still be short of the record of four set by Fred Murray from 1910 to 1913.



It would also be De Kock’s fifth July win in total, two short of Syd Laird’s record seven and one short of Millard’s six.



His success today has surpassed his expectations when he first took out his license in the late 1988.



“I just wanted to win one July,” he admitted.



De Kock, talking of his other runners on the day, described the two-year-old New Zealand-bred Red Ransom filly Rumya as “smart.”



He added, “She wants a lot further.”



She will start one of the favourites for the Durban Golden Slipper over 1400m having run out an impressive 3,25 length winner of her debut over 1200m.



She has the advantage of a pole position draw.



His Australian-bred Redoute’s Choice filly Honorine will run in the Grade 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Horseshoe over1400m against the boys.



She looks to be packed with speed and has won both of her starts over 1000m despite starting slowly both times.



She has a wide draw to overcome, but looks a type that should settle, so she should be a very interesting runner.



De Kock’s Golden Chateau was very impressive in his gallop at Greyville last Thursday when cruising alongside Solo Traveller.



Many pundits make him the best bet on the card in the Listed Thukela Handicap over 1600m, where he has a good draw.



However, the Yogas Govender yard are also bullish about the chances of the pole position drawn Lake Arthur in this race.



De Kock also has fine chances with the likes of the well regarded Dubai Dizzy in the second, Captain’s Wild, Galileo’s Destiny and Silent Partner in the Grade 3 Schweppes 2200 and classy stayer Ilsanpietro in the Grade 2 Mango Gold Vase over 3000m.



However, it can virtually be taken for granted with the professionalism of his yard that all of his 17 runners on the day will arrive in peak condition and form study will be the best guide to their chances.

No need to study form i'll give you the winners right here LOL!

R6 My jelly bean

R11 She's a stunner

R12 Cool spender

R5 All is secret

R2 Act fast

Thats my yankee for the big day.

Gorongosa has shortened into 8 from 14-1

It could also be raining?

hibernia Wrote:

---

> agra Wrote:
>

---

>

---

> > Had a dream last night that the winner of the
> July
> > was sold overseas.
> > mmmm....was definitely not Ilha Bela .
> > Gotta have another double JWB tonight before I
> > sleep and hopefully complete the dream.
>
> had a dream the other night then went to the store
> to pick my lotto numbers,but the assistant kept on
> telling me 69 is not in the lotto ()


Hibs is wasn't for the lotto it was for the July. It can be looked at two was either number 6 to win by 9 lengths or 6 to beat 9. I think it is the 9 lengths one though. <