FINAL FIELD HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY

Draws to follow

With five runners in the 18-horse field, Justin Snaith holds a strong hand in this year’s R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July after the field was announced at a glittering function in Umhlanga Rocks this morning.
Africa’s greatest horseracing event, featuring the pinnacle race in the South African calendar will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 2200m on Saturday July 1 where a full house of 55 000 people are expected through the turn styles.

23 runners were left at final acceptances and the three not to make the cut were Aragosta, Union Square and Electric Gold with Nebraas and Jimmy Don the two reserve runners, should any one of the final 18 be withdrawn prior to Friday, June 30.

The race will have an international flavour with Mike de Kock engaging multiple French Champion Jockey, Christophe Soumillon, to ride Safe Passage. Soumillon arrives on the Friday before the race and jets out shortly after. Safe Passage was a close-up second to Puerto Manzano in the G1 Betway Summer Cup. Puerto Manzano was always an automatic entry after that win but gave notice of his well-being by recently winning the Gr3 WSB Jubilee Stakes for Johan Janse van Vuuren.

Top weight Trip of Fortune was supplemented into the race with his connections forking out R30 195 for the privilege of running in the race, despite being allotted top weight of 60kg and never having run further than 1600m. Aldo Domeyer will be aboard for Candice Bass-Robinson.

Bernard Fayde’Herbe, with a riding infraction hanging over his head in Mauritius, has been given the green light to partner Pomp And Power for Justin Snaith.

Snaith also saddles veteran and twice winner of the race, Do It Again who completed his preparation in the recent Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. This will be his record sixth run in the race and Gavin Lerena, successful on Kommetdieding in 2020, will be aboard.

Also in the Snaith armory is Without Question, beaten odds-on favourite in the Gr1 SplashOut Cape Derby, third in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and winner of the Gr3 Variety Club Mile . First call stable rider, Richard Fourie, had the pick of the Snaith runners so his decision could be significant.

Michael Roberts, 11-time South African Champion Jockey and successful aboard Super Quality in 1997, will be hoping to find the winner’s enclosure as a trainer as he saddles ruling ante-post favourite See It Again with veteran rider Piere Strydom in the irons. See It Again was a winner of the Gr1 SplashOut Derby and more recently the Gr1 Daily News 2000. Strydom, a four-time winner of the race, will be looking to equal the five wins by Anton Marcus.

Weiho Marwing will be hoping to rub out the disappointment of having Wylie Hall relegated to second behind Legislate in 2014 as he sends out Gr1 WSB SA Derby winner Son Of Raj who has quickly risen through the ranks for owner Stephen Chetty.

There are four fillies in the race including recent Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Rain In Holland, runner-up Time Flies, Silver Darling, winner of last year's Woolavington and third this season in both the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and the Woolavington and Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic winner Bless My Stars from the Sean Tarry stable.

Kabelo Matsunyane will be aboard Brett Crawford’s gelding Winchester Mansion, second to Pacaya in the Gr2 WSB 1900 but booking his place with an impressive performance in the Gr3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial.

Congratulations to all the connections…. It looks like a good contest in the offing … partial to the 4 year olds at 53kg…. May it be a true run race.

Without Question I am happy with draw 2

Let the games begin

Gonna be a quiet parade ring
Gaynor Rupert
Nic Jonsson
Morrie Nestadt
Marsh and Bryn
Greg Bortz
Anthony Delpech

Sheik Al Addy unlucky 3 nominations and no runner.

I will go with See It Again. Will be an amazing story

Kabelo moet net ore plat trek op Winchester Mansion. He will be flying the last 50 meters…………..

Dave Scott wrote:

Without Question I am happy with draw 2

Let the games begin

Dave I am more than happy with SEE IT AGAIN Draw 07 should not get boxed in on the rail, IF a tad slow away.

That is the problem with draw 1,2,3, - better get away SMARTLY !

Definitely disappointed with Jimmy Don being left out

The influencers have done their job again

If Pomp and power reproduces his MET run, he is almost unbeatable imvho. Only danger for me is Rascallion. Tos up for 3rd between, Pacaya, Without question and See it again. If See it again wins as a 3YO carrying 56.5, he is a champ in my books.

4/7/12/10

They will have to be very very Good to beat WM on this day

heinrich wrote:

4/7/12/10

They will have to be very very Good to beat WM on this day

4/7/12/10/9

For those of you who missed the announcement of today's Final Field for the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July, you can relive the excitement by watching the video above. #HDJ2023 💜🌟🏇🏻