Final Fields July Day

Vodacom Durban July pundits around the country will be asking during the next two weeks "where is that German octopus when we need him" and the man with seven horses in this year's race, Mike de Kock, agreed that the form leading into the big race also has him "stumped".



He began by saying that he was happy with his horses' draws.



"We've got the whole field covered although the 19 and 20 draw has been reserved for me as usual."



Talking of the pace he said, "They tell me Red Rake likes to stride along, but I'm not sure that suits him best. We might actually want it slower for some of our horses, but we will discuss tactics closer to the time."



He confirmed that all seven of his horses were doing very well before adding, "I have no real fancies among them. The weights might have swung against some of the three-year-olds, but have swung into Lizarre's favour. If you look at his last race in the Pinnacle Plate he went close despite the slow pace, so it was a very good run. Now he has a pull in the weights with the older horses there (although he doesn't have a pull with the three-year-old winner Flying Tristram). He also has a pull in the weights with Irish Flame and Bold Silvano from the Daily News 2000. He has an obvious chance, but then he is drawn 20. Bold Silvano and Irish Flame are both very, very well. There are two schools of thought regarding the three-year-olds these days. Firstly history would say they have a lot to do at the weights. But secondly a lot of the best older horses have left the country, which could be why the three-year-olds have been dominant. The race this year is also at the end of the month which gives the three-year-olds a weight-for-age advantage. The three-year-olds have campaigned much more against the older horses this year due to the race being at the end of July. But I can't really make my mind up about them. The form is so topsy turvy. Bold Silvano beat Aslan in the Greyville 1900, but Aslan's subsequent form hasn't seen that form stand up. Orbison was well beaten in Jo'burg, but then comes and runs the race of his life in the Champions Cup. But in that race two horses that turned for home in the first three were first and second and the second horse, Galileo's Galaxy, was previously well beaten in a Pinnacle Plate and only just scraped home in a Graduation Plate against Directorate. But then again Flying Tristram's form when beating Orbison in the Cup Trial stood up as he then won the Pinnacle Plate against Fort Vogue, Rudra, Lizarre and Aslan. The form is so upside down it has me stumped, but it is the three-yar-olds that have thrown it like that by beating older horses."



De Kock's views on the three-year-olds have particular meaning this year as five of his seven runners, Irish Flame, Bold Silvano, Lizarre, Happy Valley and Ancestral Fore are three, with his couple of older horses Red Rake and Rudra both being five.

De Kock said of the dangers from other yards, "The one horse that sticks out like a sore thumb to me is River Jetez. Whatever beats her will win. She is the one horse the handicapper has not been able to get his paws on to."



Regarding whether he reckoned she would stay a true 2200m or not, he said, "In 2008 she hit the front too soon and is an older stronger filly today."



He did not see the Jeff Lloyd July jinx as a factor in River Jetez's chances, "Muis Roberts had a July jinx but that didn't stop him pipping me in 1997!"



The Roberts-ridden Super Quality beat Golden Hoard by 0,75 lengths in that race and also ended something of a July jinx for the Ferraris family.



De Kock also mentioned Pocket Power, saying that although he was virtually eight-years-old he was yet to run a bad race..



De Kock, reverting to the draws, said, "I'm not sure about wide draws in the July. Sometimes they are okay as you can keep out of trouble. I have won this race from two wide draws."



He spoke too of Rudra being poorly handicapped.



"He is shockingly handicapped. They've got him 0,5 lengths behind Pocket Power. The Gold Challenge proved that he is not a 116. He ran a very good race in the Pinnacle Plate last time, but must now give those horses roundabout 5kg."



He added, "He is a hard horse though. He takes a lot of work. I could run him every week."



De Kock concluded by saying that he believed this could be the strongest July of his time.



"I can't remember a July with the merit ratings of all the horses being so high."



Roll on July 31 for what will not only see a high quality assembly of thoroughbreds, but also one of the most intriguing Julys in living memory.



In fact most pundits at this stage, before the July Gallops on Thursday morning at Greyville, would still have a double figure number of possible winners in their minds.



ends

Note! Articles thanks to David Thiselton:

Anthony Delpech confirmed yesterday that the Vodacom Durban July is the race the jockeys of South Africa most want to win and is bullish about his chances this year aboard the Mike de Kock-trained Bold Silvano.



"You can see in the jockeys' room before the race how much each jockey wants to win it," he said. "You can see the focus on each of their faces."



Delpech mentioned pre-race nerves too, but added, "I wouldn't be a jockey if I did not feel them, but they don't affect me. I am beyond that stage and I have won the race before too, so I know what it takes to win it."



Delpech won in 1998 with the David Ferraris-trained Classic Flag and in 2004 with the de Kock-trained Grey's Inn.



Delpech is thrilled with Bold Silvano's draw of two.



Asked on whether he feared being chopped off in the mad early rush for the lead he replied, "No, he has got the speed. The draw will make a huge difference."



Bold Silvano was drawn wide in his last two starts in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m and ran on in eye catching style in both.



Delpech said, "I had to ride him from the back because of the draw. This time that won't be necessary. The faster they go the better but if they go slow it won't matter as he has a turn of speed. He is a tough horse and has had a fantastic prep. I couldn't have asked for better. We will just need a bit of luck."



Elaborating on the last point, Delpech said that there is always a lot of shouting during the running of the July.



"It is a very rough race, it always has been and is not going to change," he said. "I've never ridden in a July that hasn't been rough."



Interestingly Mike de Kock believes that the "two length law" that is used in Hong Kong should be introduced to South African racing to make it cleaner.



Felix Coetzee, who rode for many years in Hong Kong explained the law, "You have to be two lengths clear of another horse before you can cut in no matter where you are in the field. They are very strict about it. It is in the interest of safety. Also with the amount of gambling involved they want every horse to have an equal chance. If you cut in and don't interfere with another horse (i.e. cause it to ease or check) you could get away with it but the stipes would let you know immediately if you had caused another horse to ease."



A violation of that law in Hong Kong brings an automatic suspension.



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Please be advised that due to Trainers J Ramsden and N Claassen not wanting their horses to be reserve runners, the revised reserve runners in the Durban Thekwini Stakes and the Premier's Champion Stakes have been amended as below:







Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T Jockey Trainer
1 FRAGRANT AL 58.0 95 ( 76) 18 A F Coetzee Justin Snaith
2 HAPPY ARCHER 58.0 94 ( 75) 8 A T A Marcus Sean Tarry
3 SIX BLUE NOTES 58.0 94 ( 75) 17 A D Daniels Glen Kotzen
4 FLAMING ALICE 58.0 92 ( 73) 7 A B Fayd'Herbe Joey Ramsden
5 FOLLOW THE PIPER 58.0 92 ( 73) 10 B A B Lerena Dominic Zaki
6 LEGAL ACCOUNT 58.0 92 ( 73) 9 A P Strydom Paul Lafferty
7 SILENT CALL 58.0 92 ( 73) 16 A S Randolph Deon Visser
8 STRATISFACTION 58.0 92 ( 73) 4 A S Brown Bradley Maroun
9 FAIR ROSALIND 58.0 91 ( 72) 3 A M Mienie Paul Matchett
10 LAS RAMBLAS 58.0 90 ( 71) 13 B A R Fourie James Goodman
11 DIAMOND GAME 58.0 89 ( 70) 15 A K Shea Mike de Kock
12 BROWN EYED BEAUTY 58.0 88 ( 69) 1 A R Danielson Deon Visser
13 BIG ON BROADWAY 58.0 87 ( 68) 11 A G Cheyne Glen Kotzen
14 KEEP ON DREAMING 58.0 82 ( 63) 2 A M Yeni Kumaran Naidoo
15 CHERRY ON THE CAKE 58.0 81 ( 62) 6 A *A Domeyer Gavin van Zyl
16 CHATANOOGA CHUCHU 58.0 80 ( 61) 12 A K Neisius Glen Puller
Reserve Runners
17 JUNE BUG 58.0 0 ( 0) 5 A Reserve 1 Mike Azzie
18 AMICA 58.0 84 ( 65) 14 A Reserve 2 Ernst Oertel
Couplings: (3,13) (7,12)




Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T Jockey Trainer
1 COPPER PARADE 58.0 107 ( 88) 15 B A P Strydom Joey Ramsden
2 KAVANAGH 58.0 107 ( 88) 2 A K Shea Mike de Kock
3 ZANZAMAR 58.0 98 ( 79) 18 A K Neisius Mike de Kock
4 THE ASSAYER 58.0 97 ( 78) 10 A A Marcus Charles Laird
5 PERANA 58.0 93 ( 74) 5 A A Delpech Mike de Kock
6 DOMINO PLAYER 58.0 92 ( 73) 17 A *J Greyling Paul Matchett
7 GOLD ONYX 58.0 92 ( 73) 16 A F Coetzee Sean Tarry
8 SHERE KHAN 58.0 92 ( 73) 6 A M Yeni Kumaran Naidoo
9 SKY LINK 58.0 91 ( 72) 8 A J Geroudis Mike de Kock
10 FIDELIS 58.0 90 ( 71) 7 A *A Domeyer Charles Laird
11 WONDERLAINE 58.0 90 ( 71) 3 A R Danielson Paul Matchett
12 ENGLISH GARDEN 58.0 88 ( 69) 9 A B Fayd'Herbe Mike Bass
13 TROJAN RIVER 58.0 88 ( 69) 4 A M Mienie Paul Matchett
14 APPROACHABLE 58.0 87 ( 68) 12 A G Lerena Weiho Marwing
15 NOT LIABLE 58.0 87 ( 68) 1 A G Hatt Charles Laird
16 IRISH EMINENCE 58.0 86 ( 67) 11 A R Fourie Yadav Singh
Reserve Runners
17 HOW MANY TO WON 58.0 87 ( 68) 13 A Reserve 1 Paul Lafferty
18 MAJOR VICTORY 58.0 84 ( 65) 14 A Reserve 2 Ernst Oertel
Couplings: (2,3,5,9) (4,10,15) (6,11,13)


ends

Will getting intresting in the next few days when the July fields prices start to shorten.

De Kock has record number in Durban July

South Africa: Mike de Kock, bidding for his third win in the Vodacom Durban July, will have a record seven runners in the 20-strong field for South Africa's greatest race at Greyville on July 31.

He also has three of the first six in the betting including South African Derby winner Irish Flame (Kevin Shea), who is 4-1 favourite with local operators Betting World and Hollywoodbets.net.

Five of De Kock's septet are three-year-olds and that age group has the best recent record in the race. Ten of the last 20 winners - and five of the last ten - have been three-year-olds.

In addition to Irish Flame, the De Kock three-year-olds are Bold Silvano (Anthony Delpech), Ancestral Fore (Karl Neisius), Happy Valley (Muzi Yeni) and Lizarre (Piere Strydom).

De Kock said: "Bold Silvano and Irish Flame are both very, very well. Lizarre has a pull in the weights with them and has an obvious chance but he is drawn 20 [on the outside]."

The master trainer also runs five-year-olds Red Rake (Ian Sturgeon) and Rudra (Johnny Geroudis), although he added: "Rudra is shockingly handicapped."

He rates this year's J & B Met winner River Jetez as the main danger, rather than her strongly fancied stable companion Fort Vogue (Anton Marcus) and Pocket Power, who has to give weight all round.

"The one that sticks out like a sore thumb to me is River Jetez," De Kock revealed.

"She is the one horse the handicapper has not been able to get his paws onto. Whatever beats herwill win."

Trainer Mike Bass has booked six-time champion Jeff Lloyd for River Jetez while Pocket Power will be ridden by regular partner Bernard Fayd'herbe.

Betting World: 4 Irish Flame, 5 Fort Vogue, 6 Bold Silvano, River Jetez, 12 Ancestral Fore, Flying Tristram, 14 Aslan, Lizarre, Orbison, Pocket Power, 20 bar.

looks like Striker is not going to get a ride in this years July ! interesting. I don't think he can make 52 kgs for LAFF.

he rides the winner lizarre at 53.5

Mike Bass and Justin Snaith joint Vodacom Durban July winning trainers of 2008
having a chat Tuesday morning at Clairwood. In the background is the ever busy Marsh Shirtliff.




Bass said of his Vodacom Durban July gallops plans for Thursday morning at Greyville.



“River Jetez will work with Love Is In The Air and will just do some easy pacework. Pocket Power will work with Fort Vogue and Fort Vogue will be asked to do more than him. Those are the gallop plans at the moment.”



However Bass, a master trainer who can look at a horse walking out of its box in the morning and know what he needs to do with it, said that he could change his mind on the day


David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing

Russian Sage looking relaxed after having fun in the sand yesterday (Tuesday) at Clairwood Racecourse




Justin Snaith said that his Vodacom Durban July charge Russian Sage was “the best value for money roughie” in this year’s race.



“There have been a lot of scratchings this year,” he continued. “There are about ten horses that are extremely strong, top horses, and there are about ten that shouldn’t be in the race.”



He felt that Russian Sage deserved to be in the ten that could win alongside the Mike de Kock and Mike Bass couplings.



Snaith disagreed that Russian Sage had been part of a relatively weak male crop when named Equus Champion three-year-old in 2008 and pointed out that Imbongi, who beat him by 0,75 lengths in the KZN Guineas, had gone on to perform very well overseas.



Russian Sage won the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m that year and the Grade 1 Daily News 2000, but the horses that finished behind him have done nothing of note since.



Snaith said, “If we didn’t think he could finish in the first three we wouldn’t be running him.”



He spoke of the Jallad five-year-old entire’s courage, “What he lacks in other factors he makes up for with his huge heart. If he can pass on that heart I think he will make a very good stallion one day.”



In Snaith’s opinion Russian Sage’s breeding, Jallad out of a Badger Land mare, was just about “as good as you can get” in South Africa.



“The Jallad’s are very tough boned,” he said. “Like every good horse he has his niggles though.”



He had little doubt about Russian Sage’s stamina capacity and said, “The 2000m trip is probably his best trip, but 2200m is not a problem for anyone if the pace is not on.”



Snaith doesn’t believe it is essential for a horse to be a stayer for the July.



In fact his father Chris’ July winner in 1991, Flaming Rock, was essentially a miler.



Rusian Sage campaigned overseas in 2009 and his best effort was when dead-heating for second with Jay Peg at level weights over 1800m on turf in Dubai.



Snaith said the horse was as good as he was before he went abroad.



Russian Sage has had two runs since returning, a good third in a too short 1200m race at Kenilworth and a close third in a Listed handicap over 1600m at Greyville.



“He needed that last run. We wanted to make it hard for him and sent him to the front at a good gallop. It probably cost him the race, but he came out a fitter horse. The gallops will be interesting. He will work with Sparkling Gem and both will need a good gallop. It is a pity that it’s just a little too close to the day though.”


David Thiselton /Gold Circle

The more I look at the form, the more convinced I am that this is very competitive; in order to try and clear my thinking, I thought I'd take a leaf out of 2 cents book and have an 'A' (likely winner), 'B' (possible winner) and 'C' (unlikely winner) groups:

Group A (in no particular order of preference)
Fort Vogue - if one ignores his run in the Pinnacle Plate last weekend (false run race, the experts say), I think he has the form to be right there
Bold Silvano - Needs to make up a couple of lenghts on Orbison on their last meeting - but was running on smartly and has the draw - huge runner
Orbison - If not for a widish draw, he would be my 1st pick - luck in running needed
River Jetez - Still relatively well handicapped, must have a shout but could be held by Fort Vogue on the Met form
Goat - Like the name or not, here's a filly who imo is real value at her current price; should be right their on her last run behind River Jetez and also on her run in the Greyville 1900 - she stays well, is well drawn and I think that 17/1 (as per Hollywood) for a place is generous

Group B (in no particular order of preference)
Irish Flame - Obvious claims, but I just think he needs a little more ground - and his current place odss of 13/20 is no value imo
Happy Valley - Pushed Irish Flame all the way in the Gold Circle Derby and represents nice place value at 42/10
Lizarre- Well weighted, but he needs to be a Dynasty imo to win from that draw
Russian Sage - Needs to have improved some on his latest run, but if back to best can feature - fair place value at 37/10
Flying Tristam - Seems very well weighted, but badly drawn and Marcus has opted for Fort Vogue

All the others have their work cut out imo.

Let's see what the gallops tell us tomorrow - if anything

This year's Vodacom Durban July will see Jeff Lloyd having an excellent chance of winning the race for the first time as he is aboard the fancy of many pundits, the Mike Bass-trained River Jetez.



Lloyd has finished third an amazing eight times in the race.



Michael Roberts, whose first and only July win was on Super Quality in 1997, was also once in the position, like Lloyd, where he was unfairly said to have a “July jinx”.



He said, “There was a big gap when I was overseas. I used to come back but didn't ride for Millard who was dominating the race in those years. I should have been on the winner one year when Bert Abercrombie asked me to ride Bush Telegraph as Garth Puller wasn't going to do the weight. But the July coincided with Mtoto running in the Eclipse and I chose to stay for that.”



Garth Puller duly wasted down to 49kg and Bush Telegraph won.



Roberts had no regrets as he won the Eclipse on Mtoto, his first Group 1 win in Europe.



“Never having won the July did begin to weigh on my mind a bit as I didn't want to retire without one,” he said. “Some people didn't care about the championships, they'd say 'but you've never ridden a July winner'.”



In 1997 he was set to ride the David Ferraris-trained North By Northwest, but after he won the Daily News stable jockey Weichong Marwing switched to him from his original choice, Super Quality.



“David phoned and I decided to come out for Super Quality as it was always nice to come and see friends anyway.”



Roberts remembered how his heart sank when he came into the parade ring and saw this “little pony” he was to ride.



"I asked the groom if he'd backed him and he said 'No I've backed North By Northwest'". His hopes sank further.



However the horse gave Roberts a tremendous feel down to the start and he remembered saying to Garth Puller, “I hope the bomb hasn't gone off early!”



Roberts described the race, “It was very rough until the Drill Hall and being small he was bumped around a lot. But then he got comfortable and coming up the hill he was cantering. A wide gap opened at the top of the straight – I couldn't believe it. I was able to angle to the outside. In the last 50m he was in the front and I had this image in my mind of how a horse often comes flying late in the July. It was the longest 50m of my life!”



Few will forget the tears of Roberts as he entered the winner's enclosure having finally won the race that is every South African jockey's dream.

D-Thiselton

This year’s Vodacom Durban July will see Craig Peters commentating his 26th July and his son Sheldon doing his ninth.



Sheldon will be the On-course and Tellytrack commentator and Craig will be on SABC TV and the radio.



Both Craig and Sheldon said that pre-race nerves were forgotten as soon as the starting stalls opened as the adrenalin then kicked in.



Craig believes it is important to involve the crowd in the race.



“But you have to remember to lower your tone once you do so,” he said, “else you can end up screaming yourself into an inaudible pitch. We usually raise our tone for a moment at the 1400m, the 800m and as they turn for home.”



Craig was known as “Eagle Eye” in the days of audio-only off-course commentaries due to his incredible strike rate in calling the winner in very close finishes.



In the two closest July finishes of the last decade he correctly called El Picha the winner of the 2000 July and before a dead-heat was declared in 2008 he announced that he could not separate Pocket Power and Dancer's Daughter.



“I remember running upstairs to Sheldon's box in 2008 to see what he thought and he also couldn't separate them.”



In the audio-only days Craig was also known for his uncanny ability to spot the winner and emphasize its name 200m or more from home.



He feels it is important to emphasize a horse that is travelling like a winner but added modestly, “Horses can sometimes make fools of you.”



Craig rated his most memorable commentary as Illustrador's win in 1990 due to the Millard one-two-three while Sheldon rated Dynasty in 2003 and Eyeofthetiger in 2006 as the commentaries that he had delivered best.