July is upon us so once again I have been lucky enough to be asked out to South Africa once again for the World Famous Durban July to be run this Saturday at 15:20pm UK time. As some of you may remember I have long been a Champion of the very concept of International racing and I see chinks of light at the end of that particular tunnel as television coverage gives us more of an awareness and various betting pools are being set up tyo encourage us punters to bet in to massive International pool that can only garner even more attention of the lesser known racing Countries.
On to the weekend and with fashion shows, pop concerts (I am guessing that phrase ages me badly), varied and affordable food options (European tracks take note), drink stalls, and a lot more smiles than I have ever seen from the punters back home racegoers here are in for a fabulously entertaining day. Add a twelve-race card (as a British punter that takes stamina and a very deep wallet), and the notorious thirteenth race of (generally drunken) naked people (Google it if you don’t believe me), and you have a day out to remember, even if it isn’t exactly Pimms and a cucumber sandwich at glorious Goodwood.
Enough of the travelogue (though if you ever get the chance to go you will most certainly not regret if – South Africa is a beautiful Country, Durban a welcoming City, and the Durban July an experience to savour – but can we find any winners to help pay the (tiny) drinks bill.
Firstly, a little bit of refreshing honesty – my South African form knowledge is better than many, but most certainly not good enough to try and go through a card of that size – or anywhere near it. Luckily, my hosts here (thank you Gold Circle for the invite, and Liesl King for the photos), arranged a chat with Champion trainer elect Justin Snaith at his Durban satellite yard, and as he is responsible for five of the eighteen runners in the big race, where else would anyone want to start. Africa Night Sky trades a very short priced 5/2 favourite as I write which when you consider there are eighteen runners on a pretty tight track where luck is expected to play a major part and that just looks far too skinny. He was mentioned in conversation however briefly but as a big fan of body language (sometimes I get it right, sometimes wrong), I just got the feeling that he narrowly prefers the chances of DO IT AGAIN, second favourite at 7/1 but at least that is an each way price. A son of the Sir Henry Cecil trained Twice Over, he did remind me of his dual Champion Stakes winning father and with top jockey Anton Marcus sweating away to get down to 54 kilos for the ride I see enough hints there to open the wallet for a bet in the big one.
One more bet for me (mustn’t get too greedy) and if the race isn’t run at a furious gallop then the same trainer will strike with SNOWDANCE in the Garden Province Stakes at 4.55pm UK time. Justin described her as an absolutely top-drawer sprinter who is forced to race over a mile thanks to the lack of top class opportunities over shorter distances in South Africa, and admitted that if they can sort out the export quarantine issues he would love to see her come over to take our sprinters on in the near future. The Captain Al filly looks an absolute picture to me and although her stamina has to be a question mark in this company, if she gets home she will still take all the beating with Bernard Fayd’Herbe in the saddle.
