See It Again, pictured after winning the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 last season, is top of the HDJ Log (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
There were no real surprises in the final Hollywoodbets Durban July log, which was published today (Tuesday, 11 June).
The one question could be how Shoemaker gets in to the final 20 ahead of Meridius, but it does look explainable with a closer look.
Shoemaker and Meridius have met three times this season. In their first meeting in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile Meridius beat Shoemaker by 0,75 lengths over 1600m, but he was receiving 2kg; in their next meeting in the Listed Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m Meridius beat Shoemaker again, this time by 0,45 lengths and this time he was giving Shoemaker half-a-kilogram; then in a Pinnacle event over 1800m Shoemaker won and Meridius was a 1,25 length second, although Shoemaker was receiving 2kg from Meridius on this occasion;
So there is not much to separate them on their clashes.
However, on Sunday Meridius won a traditional Hollywoodbets Durban July pointer race, the Gr 3 Jubilee Stakes over 1800m.
This can be compared to Shoemaker’s second place finish in the traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m.
Furthermore, Meridius is now merit rated 113 and Shoemaker is only 111.
However, what might have swung it for the latter is he ran a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup over 2000m, beaten four lengths at level weights by Royal Victory.
This can be compared to Meridius’ only attempt at 2000m, in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge, in which he also faced Royal Victory at level weights and was beaten 19,25 lengths.
Son Of Raj, who is in 20th place on the log, was only a short-head behind Shoemaker in the Summer Cup when giving the latter half-a-kilogram and he finished a length behind Meridius in the Jubilee when giving the latter 4kg.
This former SA Derby winner did blot his copybook in the Premier’s Champions Challenge though, where he was beaten 27,25 lengths.
Hluhluwe, Hotarubi and Mucho Dinero were all in the top 20 on the first log, but all put in disappointing last runs. Hluhluwe and Hotarubi were beaten 6,80 lengths into sixth and 6,95 lengths into seventh in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 respectively, while Mucho Dinero was beaten 7,20 lengths into eleventh in the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial, although he was asked to do a lot after being dropped out to last from a wide draw.
All three have dropped out of the top 20.
Master Redoute, winner of the Gr 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and a good 1,70 length third in the Gr 2 WSB 1900, has been shuffled upward from position 20 to 15.
Future Swing, winner of the Gr 2 WSB 1900, was in position 18 on the first log and has been shuffled up to position 14, while Without Question, who was third in the WSB Met, was in position 10 after his unplaced run in the WSB 1900, but has somehow been dropped down to position 16 without having run again.
Frances Ethel also dropped a few places down to 18th from 12th position after only managing fourth place in the Gr 1 Tabgold Woolavington 2000.
The log otherwise speaks for itself and is shown below.
