Weights Vodacom Durban July

0 POCKET POWER (7G) 60.0 117 Mike Bass

0 RUDRA (5H) 59.5 116 Mike de Kock

0 FABIANI (4G) 56.5 110 Glen Kotzen

0 IRISH FLAME (3C) 56.0 113 Mike de Kock

0 FORT VOGUE (4G) 56.0 109 B Mike Bass

0 BOLD SILVANO (3C) 55.5 112 Mike de Kock

0 ORBISON (3G) 55.5 112 Herman Brown

0 RED RAKE (5G) 55.5 108 Michael De Beer

0 ANCESTRAL FORE (3G) 55.0 111 Mike de Kock

0 RIVER JETEZ (6M) 55.0 107 Mike Bass

0 ASLAN (4G) 54.5 106 C Sean Tarry

0 FOREST PATH (4G) 54.5 106 S H Page

0 LOVE IS IN THE AIR (4F) 54.5 106 Mike Bass

0 HAPPY VALLEY (ARG) (3G) 54.0 109 Mike de Kock

0 CAPTAIN SCOTT (4G) 54.0 105 Alec Laird

0 LIZARRE (3C) 53.5 108 Mike de Kock

0 GRAFTON STREET (8G) 53.5 104 Mike Stewart

0 RUSSIAN SAGE (5H) 53.5 104 Justin Snaith

0 BULSARA (3G) 53.0 106 Gavin van Zyl

0 ECHOHAWK (3G) 53.0 106 Dominic Zaki

0 GALILEO'S GALAXY ( (3C) 53.0 106 Charles Laird

0 TALES OF BRAVERY (3G) 53.0 106 Vaughan Marshall

0 AL'S DEPUTY (3G) 53.0 105 B Kumaran Naidoo

0 FLYING TRISTRAM (A (3G) 53.0 105 Charles Laird

0 EXHILARATION (3C) 53.0 104 Dominic Zaki

0 SERVICE ACE (3G) 53.0 104 B Mike Azzie

0 STRAIGHT FORWARD (3G) 53.0 102 Mike de Kock

0 VERTICAL TAKEOFF (4G) 53.0 101 Sean Tarry

0 GALANTHUS (3C) 53.0 100 Tyrone Zackey

0 KILLARIDGE (ZIM) (5G) 53.0 100 Weiho Marwing

0 NOBLEWOOD (5G) 53.0 100 S H Page

0 STRATEGIC NEWS (AU (6H) 53.0 100 B Herman Brown

0 WINTER'S NIGHT (3G) 53.0 100 Neil Bruss

0 DELLOTTO (3C) 53.0 99 Kumaran Naidoo

0 SPEED FOR GOLD (5G) 53.0 99 B Dennis Drier

0 BOUQUET-GARNI (4G) 53.0 98 Gavin van Zyl

0 FORT PETERSBURG (3G) 53.0 97 Dominic Zaki

0 KING FERNANDO (3G) 53.0 96 Doug Campbell

0 SUPERFEDERATION (4G) 53.0 94 B Gary Alexander

0 CALL TO COMBAT (4C) 53.0 91 St John Gray

0 SALUKI (GB ) (4G) 53.0 91 B Michael De Beer

0 WITTENBERG (3C) 53.0 90 Gavin van Zyl

0 CITIZEN DANTE (AUS (5G) 53.0 87 B Glen Kotzen

0 ROYAL ROCKER (AUS) (3G) 53.0 82 Tony Rivalland

0 TOP MARK (BRZ) (3C) 53.0 0 Mike de Kock

0 HERE TO WIN (BRZ) (3F) 52.0 102 Mike de Kock

0 GOAT (4F) 52.0 101 B Paul Lafferty

0 IMPERIOUS STAR (3F) 52.0 99 Glen Kotzen

0 SANGRIA GIRL (5M) 52.0 98 Greg Ennion

0 FLIRTATION (3F) 52.0 97 Mike de Kock

0 EQUIPARADA (ARG) (3F) 52.0 94 Mike de Kock



Please note:

* First Declaration Thursday, 8 July 2010
* Final Field will be announced live on Tellytrack on Thursday, 15 July 2010
* Public Gallops will take place at Greyville Racecourse on Thursday, 22 July 2010

Mike Bass Face book

Mike Bass was particularly impressed with Pocket Powers run in the Champions Cup when finishing third to Orbison and his trainer believes he still may be the horse to beat in this years Durban July.

“Considering the conditions I thought it was a brilliant run” said Bass

With a firm tail wind on a fast running Clairwood track it was always going to be difficult for him having to give weight to the younger generation but he ran a cracker under the circumstances. The Clairwood track is running like lightning and in a race similar to his penultimate in the Gold Challenge it was just too much work to do for him when the light weights skip clear. “You can’t win them all” said Mike, “but I am very happy with the big effort he showed us all on Saturday and this proved to me that he is still as game as ever”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe was equally pleased with his charges run and explained that although his Clairwood woes continue, he (Pocket) does set his own pace in a race so it’s a lot to ask of him someway back when giving that sort of weight away on a speedy surface like Clairwood.

That said, there were no excuses for him on Saturday, Orbison ran a cracking race and was a worthy winner. Galileo’s Galaxy finished well in second and I thought an exceptional run from Bold Silvano who found himself in a similar circumstance to Pocket, but ran on well from some way back to get fourth.

On Pocket Power’s current seasons performance he must head into this years Durban July a real contender. It will certainly be a difficult task for him and we have come to terms with the fact that his age should be telling, but he is still proving that he is very competitive at the highest level and when that day comes that he begins to underperform, we will certainly retire him as of immediate effect. Until such time, we shall persevere.

Congratulations to the seemingly unstoppable Mike De Kock who had a terrific Champions Cup Day and to all the connections of Orbison who have now catapulted themselves into contention of what appears to be another cracking July line up.

Please be advised that Royal Rocker has been scratched from this year’s Vodacom Durban July by trainer, Tony Rivalland (Reason: Nil given Time: 10:47).



ends

damm

Latest prices from World Sports Betting

Pocket Power 18/1 20/1 Bizarre

51 Runners left MDK 11 runners

Have to agree Shayne, nothing wrong with Pocket ew

First declarations:

HORSE WGT M/R JOCKEY TRAINER

0 0 RED RAKE 55.5 108 A ............... Mike de Kock
0 0 LIZARRE 53.5 108 A P Strydom Mike de Kock
0 0 POCKET POWER 60.0 117 A ............... Mike Bass
0 0 RUDRA 59.5 116 A J Geroudis Mike de Kock
0 0 FABIANI 56.5 110 A ............... Glen Kotzen
0 0 FORT VOGUE 56.0 109 BA ............... Mike Bass
0 0 IRISH FLAME 56.0 113 A K Shea Mike de Kock
0 0 BOLD SILVANO 55.5 112 A A Delpech Mike de Kock
0 0 ORBISON 55.5 112 A R Danielson Herman Brown
0 0 ANCESTRAL FORE 55.0 111 A K Neisius Mike de Kock
0 0 RIVER JETEZ 55.0 107 A ............... Mike Bass
0 0 ASLAN 54.5 106 XA F Coetzee Sean Tarry
0 0 LOVE IS IN THE AIR 54.5 106 A ............... Mike Bass
0 0 CAPTAIN SCOTT 54.0 105 A S Randolph Alec Laird
0 0 HAPPY VALLEY (ARG) 54.0 109 A ............... Mike de Kock
0 0 GRAFTON STREET 53.5 104 A ............... Mike Stewart
0 0 RUSSIAN SAGE 53.5 104 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
0 0 AL'S DEPUTY 53.0 105 BA *A Domeyer Kumaran Naido
0 0 BOUQUET-GARNI 53.0 98 A ............... Gavin van Zyl
0 0 FLYING TRISTRAM (A 53.0 105 A ............... Charles Laird
0 0 FORT PETERSBURG 53.0 97 A ............... Dominic Zaki
0 0 GALANTHUS 53.0 100 T S ............... Tyrone Zackey
0 0 SALUKI (GB) 53.0 91 BA ............... Michael De Be
0 0 SERVICE ACE 53.0 104 BA ............... Mike Azzie
0 0 VERTICAL TAKEOFF 53.0 101 A ............... Sean Tarry
0 0 WINTER'S NIGHT 53.0 100 A ............... Neil Bruss
0 0 GOAT 52.0 101 TBA ............... Paul Lafferty
0 0 HERE TO WIN (BRZ) 52.0 102 A ............... Mike de Kock
0 0 SANGRIA GIRL 52.0 98 A ............... Greg Ennion


RUNNERS IN RACE : 29


Please note:

Final Field will be announced live on Tellytrack on Thursday, 15 July 2010
Public Gallops will take place at Greyville Racecourse on Thursday, 22 July 2010

Mike de Kock, who was last Saturday a boardroom decision away from breaking his record of three feature wins on a day, said that all of his runners had pulled up well.



Of his Vodacom Durban July contenders, he was pleased with the runs of Irish Flame, Happy Valley and Bold Sivano, but not enamoured with the run of Rudra.



He said of the impressively resolute galloper, Happy Valley, "If he doesn't get into the July, Irish Flame shouldn't be July favourite."



Happy Valley finished just a length behind Irish Flame in the Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m and was five lengths ahead of the third horse, Service Ace.

De Kock agreed that Happy Valley would be a valuable asset to the yard in the July as he is the type that could ensure a good gallop.



"He won't be stopping at the end either," he added.



He said of Bold Silvano's Champions Cup run, "He was too far back. The first three places went to horses who were in the first four in the running. Bold Silvano was the only one of the field who really made up ground in the straight."



Of Rudra, he said, "It was a bad run. He pulled up coughing. We did some tests and he had no issues, he probably just got the worst of the kickback."



Kevin Shea spoke about the two best de Kock juveniles of the day, Mahbooba and Kavanagh.



He implied that Mahbooba was one of the best two-year-old fillies he had sat on and added, "She is better than Raihana was." The latter went on to win the UAE Oaks and finish second to Musir in the UAE Derby.



De Kock added, "Mahbooba has done enough and has nothing left to prove. She won't run again until Dubai where she will go the same route as Raihana."



Shea felt that Kavanagh, who lost on an objection to the Joey Ramsden-trained Copper Parade, deserved to win the race. He said the Tiger Ridge colt hadn't had much left at the end as he had sent him for home early. He felt he would prefer the 1600m of the Premier's Champion Stakes on July day, a race he reckoned would tell who was the better, him or Copper Parade."



De Kock added, "Kavanagh's also had a few runs. I will only run him on July day if he draws well."



De Kock was not surprised with Sweetie Pie's win in the Gold Circle Oaks and spoke glowingly of the family she comes from, the same family as Happy Valley's.



"She didn't travel well up to Jo'burg and didn't travel well coming back. So she had bad luck in her last two runs."



De Kock felt that the more likely option for her on July day would be the Schweppes 2200.



He said that Equiparada, Flirtation and Here To Win could all be possibilities for the Mercedez Benz Gold Vase or the Schweppes 2200 on July day or the Off To Stud Handicap over 1800m at Scottsville on July 24.





ENDS

Both above and below from David thanks.

Journalist: David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing

8 JULY 2010



The scratching of Big City Life from this year's Vodacom Durban July was sad considering he had the chance of completing the July double on the diamond (60th) anniversary of Milesia Pride's famous second successive win of the big race.



Milesia Pride became the first to achieve this double since Corriecrian did it in 1907 and 1908 and in the process he broke the then South African record for stakes earnings.



Diamond (60th) anniversaries are important events in the July due to the race's close association with womens' favourite jewel, mainly through the Oppenheimer family, who will always be irrevocably linked to two major South African institutions, diamonds and the July.



The famous yellow and black Oppenheimer silks have a chance of gracing the parade ring once again this year.



Bridget, the wife of the late De Beers and Anglo American chairman Sir Harry, still has five horses in the reckoning, last year's third placed Forest Path, as well as Bulsara, Service Ace, Bouquet-Garni and Noblewood.



Her daughter Mary Slack could be represented by Happy Valley.



Bridget, fondly known as the "Queen Mum" of South African racing, received the winner's sash for the sixth time in 2007 after the victory of the Charles Laird-trained Hunting Tower.



Five of the Oppenheimer victors, Tiger Fish (1959), King Willow (1965), Principal Boy (1975), Greys Inn (2004) and Hunting Tower (2007) were also bred by themselves.



The Dennis Drier-trained 1992 winner Spanish Galliard, owned in partnership with Mr G D Nicholson, was the only one of their July winners that they purchased.



The Oppenheimer family are not the only diamond magnates to have had a strong association with the July.



The South African diamond tycoon, Sir Abe Bailey, had many July runners and one winner, Bird Of Prey, who won in 1925.



Then there was SB "Solly" Joel, the nephew of De Beers co-founder Barney Barnato, who later became head of the company Barnato Brothers, which continued their interest in diamonds although playing a greater role in the gold industry.



Joel had two July winners, Longstop in 1921 and Glen Albyn in 1928.



Glen Albyn, having carried nine stone (just over 57kg) , and being sent off at odds of 7-4, is considered to be one of the greatest July winners.



However, Joel's presence in The July is still felt today thanks to the great stallion Polymelus, that was purchased in training in England.



Polymelus, won eleven races in 31 starts in England, including the Champion Stakes, but he surpassed his track record at stud by becoming the five-times Champion Sire of Great Britain.



He was a fore-father of one of the best if not the best sire-lines in history, which in order of descent is Polymelus, Phalaris, Pharos, Nearco, Nearctic, Northern Dancer.



All of these stallions were champions.



The unbeaten Nearco was considered one of the greatest racehorses of the 20th century and patriarch of the most dominant sire line in Thoroughbred history, while Northern Dancer was the most successful stallion of the 20th century.



Joel sent some of Polymelus' progeny to race or to stand in South Africa.



One of them, Polystome, became eleven times South African champion sire and sired the 1931 July winner Agrippa.



Since then, owing to the strength of Polymelus' descendants, it is not surprising that he has figured in the pedigrees of many July winners.



In fact the first Oppenheimer winner, Tiger Fish, was by their own stallion Janus, who was a grandson of Pharos.



Another of Polymelus' stallion descendants worth mentioning is Fairthorn, a grandson of Phalaris.



One of the most successful post World War II stallions imported to South Africa, Fairthorn was the five-times SA Champion sire and sired possibly the greatest July winner of them all, the legendary Sea Cottage (1967), as well as 1960 winner, Left Wing.



It would be rare these days for a July winner not to have Polymelus somewhere in both its male and female lines.



However, without Joel's ties to South Africa and its diamonds, one of the the July's most prominent stallions of today, the multiple Champion Sire Jet Master, would not exist.



The female line of Jet Master traces directly to a South African-bred Polystome dam, Giddy Girl (born 1923), and to another dam, Midnight Fun (b. 1939), who was heavily in-bred (2x3) to Polystome.



Jet Master sired joint-2008 July winner, Pocket Power.



The diamond anniversary of Campanajo's July double (1897 and 1898) saw the Oppenheimers have their first July favourite, the three-year-old 2-1 shot Tiger Fish, and he was caught in the final stride by Excise (1958), before going on to win the following year.



The diamond anniversary of Corriecrian's 1907-1908 double saw jockey David Payne bring home Chimboraa (1968). Payne then became part of a select band who have both ridden and trained a July winner when In Full Flight won in 1972.



The diamond anniversary of Pamphlet's second victory (1918 and 1920) saw one of the best looking of all July winners, Beau Art (1980), with his four brilliant white socks, win.



What will happen on the diamond anniversary of Milesia Pride's double?



It is bound to be something significant!



ends

Who STAYS?

The panel that decides upon the final Vodacom Durban July field, which will be announced at a function at Greyville tomorrow, will have a few headaches this year.
There are 29 horses still in the reckoning, but those with realistic chances of getting into the 20 horse field can be narrowed down to 24.


The five that look likely to be automatic eliminations are Sangria Girl, who was injured in the Canon Gold Cup and has a merit rating of only 98, Saluki who was merit rated only 91 before running fourth in a Pinnacle Plate on Sunday, Bouquet-Garni, who is merit rated 98, Fort Petersburg, merit rated 97 and Galanthus who had some good Johannesburg form but is merit rated only 100 and has never raced beyond 1600m.


There are 15 horses that look certain to get in and the nine likely to fight it out for the remaining five places are Captain Scott, Al’s Deputy, Grafton Street, Russian Sage, Goat, Service Ace, Vertical Takeoff, Here To Win and Winter's Night.


Only four of these nine are actually in the handicap, Captain Scott, Grafton Street, Russian Sage and Goat.


Captain Scott finished a close second in a traditional July pointer, the Grade 3 Cup Trials in his penultimate start. This season he has also won a Listed race over 1450m, finished third in the Grade 2 Charity Mile, finished a 0,35 length fourth in the Grade 1 Summer Cup when giving the winner, Aslan 1,5kg, and finished second in a Grade 3 over 1800m.


Grafton Street, the fairytale horse who has come back from a hack yard, won the Grade 2 Premier's Trophy way back in 2005 and has done little wrong this season, winning four of his last six starts in handicaps from 1600-2000m.


Despite his age of eight, he is unexposed in big races this season, which gives him dark horse status.


Russian Sage was the Equus Champion three-year-old in 2008, although the three-year-old male crop that year was weak overall. Still he did finish only 3,35 lengths behind Pocket Power and Dancer's Daughter in the July. This season, after returning from overseas, he has run two thirds, one over a too short 1200m and the other in a Listed handicap over 1600m at Greyville. He would appreciate the step up to 2200m.


Goat, winner of the Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks last season, made a cracking start to the Champions Season, finishing a flying second in the Listed Scarlet Lady over 1800m with top weight, before running on very well for third in a traditional July pointer, the Betting World 1900 behind Bold Silvano and Aslan, beating the likes of joint-July favourite, Fort Vogue.


She had excuses in her poor Cup Trial run, returning with a sore hoof, and wasn't disgraced in the Gold Bracelet over 2000m, finishing four lengths behind River Jetez at level weights.


She probably needed that run after her hoof problem and will receive 3kg from River Jetez in the July.


Al's Deputy, 1kg under sufferance, earned his high 105 rating on the grounds of a third place in the KRA Guineas and a fifth in the Daily News 2000. The question is how strong those that finished behind him were. He finished way back in the Grade 2 Gold Circle Derby and in his only stakes race against older horses, in Sunday's Listed KZN Breeders over 1600m, he finished midfield.


Vertical Takeoff is a four-year-old rated only 101, thus being 1kg under sufferance, but he won the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m in April and finished runner up in the Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup.


Service Ace is a three-year-old rated 104 and is thus 1,5kg under sufferance. He is lightly raced and finished third, albeit pretty well beaten, in both the Grade 1 SA Derby and Grade 2 Gold Circle Derby respectively.


Here To Win, a three-year-old filly rated 102, is 1,5kg under sufferance. However, she has won a Grade 1 race, the SA Fillies Classic, and also finished second in the recent Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks. She also has two Grade 2 fourth places this season.


Winter's Night is a most interesting candidate, for whilst being a three-year-old rated only 100, and thus 3,5kg under sufferance, he has been cleaning up in Zimbabwe under Lisa Harris, including a facile 3,35 length win in their premier race, the Grade 1 Castle Tankard over 2000m. His South African form prior to leaving was not as good.
The panel faces an unenviable task and there will be a few trainers sitting on the edge of their seats at tomorrow's function.