Jack Milner
Those punters who had backed three-year-old Eight On Eighteen in ante-post betting must have been thrilled to hear the name of the brilliant three-year-old when the 18 runners and two reserves for this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July were revealed Tuesday.
The Grade 1 race over 2200m with a stake of R5 million will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 5 July.
Trainer Justin Snaith kept the punters guessing until the last minute but the son of Lancaster Bomber has accepted to run and will have champion jockey Richard Fourie in the irons. Snaith looked a little perturbed when he pulled No 11 draw for Eight On Eighteen but master of ceremonies Graeme Hawkins was quick to point out that last year’s winner, Oriental Charm, jumped from the No 11 stall.
The concern is the weight of 57kg as three-year-olds recently have been unable to win with that weight.
Ironically, Oriental Charm, one of two runners from the James Crawford yard, will jump from barrier No 1.
He should appreciate that draw as he likes to lead, but whether he will get away with that tactic having top weight of 60kg on his back but he has proven with his second place in the WSB Cape Met that he does have the ability to win with that weight. He will also meets Eight On Eighteen on significantly better weight terms.
Crawford’s other runner is Pomodoro’s Jet who is unbeaten since racing with cheek pieces.
See It Again races in the same Nic Jonsson silks as Eight On Eighteen and the Michael Roberts-trained gelding will be making has his third attempt after finishing second to Winchester Mansion two years back and an unlucky fifth last year behind Oriental Charm. He pulled a wide draw of No 15.
Immediate Edge is the lowest rated runner in the field and will carry 53kg. However, the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained three-year-old is lightly raced and based on his facile win in the Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes at Turffontein he looks far better than his rating.
Callan Murray takes the ride and this gelding will jump from No 10 draw.
Royal Victory will have his supporters but Nathan Kotzen’s charge drew deep at 17. However, he is a winner of the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup and Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Challenge at Turffontein and finished third in the Durban July last year behind Oriental Charm.
Alan Greeff will fly the colours for the Eastern Cape with his star performer My Best Shot who has a midfield draw of No 9.
Chase Maujean will take the ride.
CURRENT BETTING
14-10 EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN
6-1 ORIENTAL CHARM
7-1 IMMEDIATE EDGE
25-2THE REAL PRINCE
14-1 SEE IT AGAIN
16-1 SELUKWE
20-1 GLADATORIAN, OKAVANGO, ROYAL VICTORY
25-1 CONFEDERATE, ATTICUS FINCH
33-1 MY BEST SHOT, NATIVE RULER, ON MY HONOUR, MADISON VALLEY
50-1 RAINBOW LORIKEET, PURPLE PITCHER, POMODORO'S JET
Final fields for the R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July (Grade 1) over 2200m
1 - 1 ORIENTAL CHARM (J Crawford) J P v'd Merwe 60.0 - 127
2 - 2 MADISON VALLEY (F Robinson) G Lerena 54.0 - 115
3 - 3 ON MY HONOUR (G S Kotzen) S Khumalo 53.0 - 116
4 - 4 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) C Habib 57.0 - 121
5 - 5 THE REAL PRINCE (D Kannemeyer) C Zackey 56.5 - 120
6 - 6 SELUKWE (W A Nel) S Moodley 54.0 - 111
7 - 7 RAINBOW LORIKEET (C Bass-Robinson) D De Gouveia 53.0 - 111
8 - 8 POMODORO'S JET (J Crawford) A Mgudlwa 55.5 - 118
9 - 9 MY BEST SHOT (A C Greeff) C Maujean 53.0 - 116
10 - 10 IMMEDIATE EDGE (M/M de Kock) C Murray 53.0 - 108
11 - 11 EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN (J S Snaith) R Fourie 57.0 - 129
12 - 12 PURPLE PITCHER (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 57.5 - 122
13 - 13 OKAVANGO (J S Snaith) A Fortune 54.5 - 120
14 - 14 CONFEDERATE (F P Habib) W Kennedy 53.5 - 118
15 - 15 SEE IT AGAIN (M L Roberts) R Danielson 60.0 - 127
16 - 16 GLADATORIAN (S H Ferrie) S Veale 60.0 - 127
17 - 17 ROYAL VICTORY (N Kotzen) M Yeni 59.0 - 125
18 - 18 NATIVE RULER (J S Snaith) T Godden 54.0 - 119
Reserve Runners
19 - 0 LITIGATION (S G Tarry) Reserve 1 54.0 - 113
20 - 0 SON OF RAJ (A P Peter) Reserve 2 56.0 - 119
Same Trainer: (1,8) (11,13,18)