Durban July Final Field

July post-draw comments

PUBLISHED: June 20, 2017

What the connections of 2017 Vodacom Durban July runners had to say following the draw ceremony at Greyville racecourse this afternoon…

What the connections had to say after the 2017 Vodacom Durban July draw:

[1] MARINARESCO

Assistance trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe: Marinaresco is doing well at home, his work has been good and all is very much on song,” said Fayd’Herbe, Candice Bass- Robinson’s KZN assistant.

Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson: “Nine is a perfect draw for Marinaresco. He has to be given a chance and half to three-quarters the way back is where he needs to be ridden.”

Jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe: “I have still to study what is around me but I am happy enough with nine – it’s certainly better than ten and upwards.”

[2] FRENCH NAVY – comments to follow

[3] MASTER SABINA

Trainer Justin Snaith: Doing well. As a two-time Summer Cup winner I think he is well weighted on 57.5kg. He’ll run his race. Don’t worry about the draw. All can change in a matter of seconds.

[4] BRAZUCA – comments to follow

[5] KRAMBAMBULI

Trainer Justin Snaith: Has not come off the bit in his last two wins. I know it was against weaker but he has done nothing wrong. It will not be easy at the weights and he will need a pace. I think he will tuck in at the back of the field to save energy and look for a strong finish.

[6] SARATOGA DANCER

Trainer Duncan Howells: His last run was a bit disappointing but all that is now behind him. His work is very good and is back to his normal, honest self.

[7] THE CONGLOMERATE

Trainer Joey Ramsden: I was very happy with his last run. He ran a good race without hammering him. He’s in good order. Anton (Marcus) thought about riding him but eventually stuck to the other horse (Edict Of Nantes).

[8] IT’S MY TURN

Trainer Justin Snaith: Nicely in (at the weights). I purposely missed the Gold Challenge because we didn’t want any more penalties. He needed the Betting Word 1900 badly but is doing good work at home. His biggest asset is Piere Strydom. He’s the right guy for a big race.

[9] TEN GUN SALUTE

Trainer Duncan Howells: Has come through the Betting World 1900 very well and has recovered from his back problem. He is doing very well.

[10] NIGHTINGALE

Assistance trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe: “I am very happy with Nightingale. She is doing very well at home and has had a nice prep. She is coming well at the right time.

[11] BLACK ARTHUR

Trainer Justin Snaith: Have aimed him specifically for the July. He’s the horse to beat. He’s a huge runner off 54.5kg. Horses run for Grant van Niekerk and he can ride him confidently. Of the older horses he’s the right horse. There are lots of big races in the winter season but really this is the race we all want to win and you have to sneak into the race off the best weight that you can.

Jockey Grant van Niekerk: Drawn 11 and 17 on close-seconds Smanjemanje and Marinaresco, said of Black Arthur’s eight draw: “I am very happy. Thank you Justin Snaith!”

[12] EDICT OF NANTES

Trainer Brett Crawford: My stable is in top form at the moment and I am very happy with my horses. Edict has come through his last run like he never had a run – he is very well.

[13] AL SAHEM – comments to follow

[14] MR WINSOME

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer: I’m very happy with his 1900 performance. That’s what made me think of supplementing him for the July. He is well weighted and is a tough, sound and consistent horse. I won this race two years ago with Power King off a similar weight so I don’t think that he’s without a chance.

[15] ELUSIVE SILVA

Trainer Justin Snaith: He’s beautifully weighted and is a 2200m plus horse. He missed the Cape summer because of injury and off 53kg he is a huge runner. All my horses are well in at the weights.

[16] PAGODA

Trainer Geoff Woodruff: Was all at sea at Greyville when having his first run here but is bound to improve from the outing. Off a low weight should run well with Al Sahem – if he (Al Sahem) has a chance, so should Pagoda.

[17] TILBURY FORT

Jockey Greg Cheyne: Was satisfied with Tilbury Fort’s 11 slot, saying: “He will come in one when the reserves come out and I started from ten when I won on Big City Life in 2009.”

[18] SAFE HARBOUR – comments to follow

[19 – Reserve] HORIZON

Assistance trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe: Doing well, had three runs here in KZN – he is fit and well and all is going well with him. Hopefully he gets in, if he does, he will be a big runner at the weights.

[20 – Reserve] NEBULA

Trainer Brett Crawford: Is fit and well but unlikely to run. Not sure where we go from here. We still have to decide.

...By your criteria the bookies should pick the final field, top 18 ante post should run no matter what, is that right?[/quote]

I have often thought that that should be the case. The top 18 ante-post.

Black Arthur is my fancy

Morning clanners



My biggest concern is who is the pacemaker in the race. Every horse in the top 18 runs from of the pace or from the tail end. Are we going to see a crawl with half the field pulling? ???

Any thoughts

bold silvano wrote: Morning clanners



My biggest concern is who is the pacemaker in the race. Every horse in the top 18 runs from of the pace or from the tail end. Are we going to see a crawl with half the field pulling? ???

Any thoughts

If Snaith has half a brain he will sacrifice one of his for the right one. Everyone carrying on its BA personally I am not so sure.

mmmmmmm.. Durban dawdle

This is a Cape affair why bring all those horses to Durban they might as well had run the race in Cape Town
You cant tell me that that is the best horses in South Africa or have I got it wrong???
This would be run at a snails pace again as that is how they run in the Cape

My thoughts on this is Gavin on Brazuca is going to try skip away. Especially from that draw he will need to get out in front. I believe his U.K. Experience will have taught him that you set your own pace and I strongly believe that 40/1 about Brazuca is far too high with such a competent jock.

This would suit Striker when they bring on the Cape crawl

The race will once again come down to pure luck. I hope there will be a pace as my fancies come from off the pace and a decent pace will suit them.

The reason the July doesn't attract the top horses is because it is a handicap and the top horses have to give chunks of weight away. The Met always attracts a better quality of field due to the conditions of that race. In the past trainers seemed to not worry about carrying top weight in the July they were just too happy to have a crack at it. It seems times have changed now and trainers are more selective.

Just a question regarding the talking horse Black Arthur . Can anyone tell me why Richard Fourie would decide to ride Elusive instead of Black Arthur ? Does this not mean that he believes that Elusive the right one of the two ? Grant van Niekerk not a stable jock for Justin so trying to fit the jig saw puzzle regarding Black Arthur winning the Vdj .

lotters wrote: Just a question regarding the talking horse Black Arthur . Can anyone tell me why Richard Fourie would decide to ride Elusive instead of Black Arthur ? Does this not mean that he believes that Elusive the right one of the two ? Grant van Niekerk not a stable jock for Justin so trying to fit the jig saw puzzle regarding Black Arthur winning the Vdj .

Neither is Fourie a stable jockey to Snaith.

In The Fast Lane the 3yo filly ran fifth in the July ridden by Grant for Snaith.