Eighteen Runs And Lands A Fine Draw

Ante-post punters were left on tenterhooks until the last moment about the participation of the Hollywoodbets Durban July favourite Eight On Eighteen in the big race, so there were many sighs of relief around the country when his name appeared among the eighteen runners at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field and Draw ceremony in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring on Tuesday morning.

There were some surprised looks when his supplemented stable companion Underworld did not appear among the 18 runners, but it was revealed that he was a scratching as was his stable companion, Future Swing, who had been a top 18 incumbent on the last Hollywoodbets Durban July log.

Lady fans were pleased that, unlike last year, there will be a female runner this year, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Rainbow Lorikeet.

Eight On Eighteen drew perfectly in stall eleven. This is the first barrier position in the second set of stalls and the wheels between the stalls create a big gap between that stall and stall ten, meaning there is a lot of room to manoeuvre in the early stages.

However, he probably won’t want to be too far back in a big 18 horse field, despite his exceptional turn of foot, so the draw could still present some problems for champion jockey Richard Fourie, who is bidding for a fourth win in the big race.

Justin Snaith is bidding for a sixth July win and his other pair did not fare as well with Okavango drawn 13 and Native Ruler in the widest barrier position of all, draw 18. Andrew Fortune at age 58 will become the oldest July-winning jockey if Okavango wins, beating the record of Piere Strydom, who won it as a 50-year-old in 2016.

Tristan Godden will be aboard Native Ruler.

The Nathan Kotzen team were happy in a sense with draw 17 for the dual Gr 1-winning stalwart Royal Victory as not only is his late daughter’s birthday on the 17th, but so is the birthday of part-owner Peter Victor’s late daughter and part-owner Sandy Arundel’s birthday is also on the 17th.

Michael Roberts was not happy with draw 15 for See It Again as it will be a problem to tuck in a horse who tends to start slowly.

Grant Cornwall, local part-owner of the Alec Laird-trained Atticus Finch, hoped for draw four to seven, so was pleased with draw four.

Terry Fripp, assistant to Candice Bass-Robinson, said to the latter he hoped to draw his favurite number of seven for Rainbow Lorikeet and he duly did so.

Both Glen Kotzen and S’Manga Khumalo were thrilled with On My Honour’s number three draw.

Last year’s winner Oriental Charm drew pole position to loud cheers, but some would say it is the worst draw as he will need to hold his position early and could burn energy. However, owner Greg Bortz is thrilled with the draw pointing at his good gatespeed and for a horse who tends to hang right he will be on the rail for free. Greg was not unhappy with the widest draw of all for Native Ruler as he can be a temperamental horse and will be out of the scrum.

The Fabian Habib team were not unhappy with handy to front-running sort Confederate’s draw of 14.

Kabelo Matsunyane was also happy with handy to front-running sort Purple Pitcher’s twelve draw.

The Andre Nel team were pleased with Selukwe’s draw of six.

Stuart Ferry would not have been displeased about Gladatorian’s wide draw of 16 as he likes to be left alone and he will be away from the scrum out there.

Sid Moodley was delighted with draw two for his Frank Robinson-trained charge Madison Valley.

Dean Kannemeyer would have been thrilled with The Real Prince’s draw of five, considering there is a bit of a question mark about this potential superstar’s stamina.

Mike de Kock will be out to land a sixth July and drew well in ten for the progressive three-year-old Immediate Edge.

The first East Cape runner since 2004, the Alan Greeff-trained My Best Shot, draw well in barrier position nine.

James Crawford will be attempting to land a third successive July for Crawford Racing and has two runners, defending champion Oriental Charm as well as Pomodoro’s Jet. The latter drew well in eight.

Litigation and Son Of Raj are the two reserves and there will have to be a scratching or scratchings before 8H15 next Friday for either of them to get in.