Durban -Twenty-nine horses have stood their ground for the running of the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and the big question on everyone’s lips is will star three-year-old Eight On Eighteen be among the select 18 to face the starter at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 5.
As things stand, Justin Snaith’s colt will shoulder 57kg, the highest weight ever carried by a three-year-old in the race. Given that the weights are allocated according to merit ratings with conditions, even though Eight On Eighteen will shoulder a record weight, he is still well in according to official merit ratings. He is the highest merit rated horse in the race but will be in receipt of 3kg from top weights, See It Again, Gladatorian and last year’s winner, Oriental Charm. Word from the early morning Summerveld touts is that Eight On Eighteen is working great guns so we wait with bated breath as to whether Snaith and owners Johan Rupert and Nick Jonsson are willing to take on the challenge.
The highest weighted three-year-old winner of the big race was the Snaith-trained Legislate back in 2014 who carried 56kg to victory. More recently, Oriental Charm and Kommetdieding both carried 53kg. The minimum weight for a three-year-old male is set at 53kg and one of the more interesting entries is the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Immediate Edge. The Gr3 Jubilee Stakes run at Turffontein is traditionally the last chance saloon for Highveld-based runners and Immediate Edge romped home, although he only had 52kg on his back. Immediate Edge has won four of his six races. On a merit rating of just 108, he is way out at the weights with the majority of the field, including Eight On Eighteen who in a normal handicap would be giving him 10,5kg, but just the fact that the De Kock’s have let him stand his ground is enough to have the sponsors Hollywoodbets taking no chances, and Immediate Edge is currently third favourite on offer at 7-1.
Eight On Eighteen is the ruling favourite on offer at 18-10 with last year’s winner Oriental Charm at 11-2. Joint top weight See It Again will be having his third bite at the cherry and could emulate the Pat Antelme-trained Gondolier, who won the race at his third attempt. See It Again races in the same silks as Eight On Eighteen but is trained by Michael Roberts.
The final field will be announced on Tuesday 24 June live on Gallop TV from 11am, with the Gallops broadcast from Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday 26 June from 7am.
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