David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Wylie Hall gelding Fifth Of July wins cosily at Turffontein Standside on Saturday (JC Photos).
Two particularly well named horses, Dual Prophecy and Fifth Of July, won respective races at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.
Both of their names are influenced by South Africa’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The Joe Soma-trained Dual Prophecy by Twice Over is a three-parts brother to Do It Again, being out of a half-sister to Do It Again and being by the same sire as Do It Again.
“Do It Again” is a synonym, in the right context, of “Twice Over”.
However, the name of the stalwart Justin Snaith-trained gelding Do It Again also turned out to be wonderfully prophetic.
He won the Durban July in 2018 … and then in 2019 he did it again.
Sheldon Peters rates the 2019 July as one of his most memorable commentaries and it certainly was a spine-tingling and wonderfully apt moment when he empasised on the finish line “… and he will DO It Again!”.
Following on from that wonderful feat the name Dual Prophecy is a very well thought out name indeed by his breeders Drakenstein Stud. It incorporates the number two of Twice Over’s name, but also the prophecy contained in the name of his three-parts brother … Do It Again’s name incorporates the number two in actuality and of course historically through his feat of being a dual July winner.
However, it goes further than that because Dual Prophecy’s dam is called Supreme Vision and of course a vision is often interpreted as a prophecy.
Perhaps Drakenstein only meant to incoporate the “vision” meaning into the name, but the name could incororate so much more and perhaps they saw that too.
Dual Prophecy is in fact a full-brother to See It Again, who has been strongly fancied in the last two Hollywoodbets Durban Julys and has finished second and an unlucky fifth respectively.
Dual Prophecy started his career in highly promising fashion with a narrow second over 1160m but then disappointed in his next three starts. He came back from a layoff to win his maiden on Saturday and will hopefully go on to realise his potential.
Fifth Of July was bred by Michael Leaf and he leased this horse to trainer David Nieuwenhuizen.
Michael owned Fifth Of July’s sire Wylie Hall and also owned his dam Virgo’s Babe after purchasing her in training.
Virgo’s Babe was a very quick Nieuiwenhuizen-trained filly by Malhub, who won the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery by an astonishing five length despite odds of 28/1.
She did not repeat that performance in the ensuing months, but did win the Listed Swallow Stakes the following January.
Later, Michael decided to make an offer for her after she had finished downfield in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint … the offer was accepted.
He kept her with Nieuwenhuizen and she won her first start for him in a Conditions Plate.
She then arrived at Greyville for one of the most fateful days of Michael’s life, the fifth of July, 2014.
Michael owned the crack Weiho Marwing-trained four-year-old colt Wylie Hall, who had won the Gr 1 SA Derby as a three-year-old and was coming off two good fourth place finishes in the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the Gr 1 Champions Challenge.
He was also at Greyville on the fifth of July, 2014 … to run in the Durban July.
In a dramatic finish Wiley Hall clung on under MJ Byleveld to beat the favourite Legislate in the big race.
However, after initially being bumped by Legislate, Wylie Hall had drifted outward in the finish, interfering with Legislate.
An objection was lodged and it was upheld, meaning Wylie Hall was demoted to second.
Many felt it was an unjust decision, questioning whether Legislate would have been able to overtake Wylie Hall anyway, while others pointed out that the first bump had come from an inward shift by Legislate.
Michael won widespread accolades for the sporting way in which he handled the bitter disappointment.
He pointed out in an interview today that the rule had changed that year in that the right to seek legal recourse to challenge an objection decision no longer existed … he therefore had no option but to accept what he himself felt was an unjust decision. He added that such luck was part and parcel of sport and mentioned the case of football whereby a result stands no matter the unfairness of a wrong penalty decision, for example.
Michael had almost immediate consolation for the unfortunate July loss when Virgo’s Babe won later on the same day under the lights. She not only won her 1200m event on the poly on the fifth of July , 2014, but she smashed the course record, a record that still stands today.
Wylie Hall went on to win the Gr 1 Champions Challenge to end his career with two Gr 1 wins as well as a Gr 2 and Listed event victories.
When Michael later sent Virgo’s Babe to Wylie Hall in the breeding shed there could only be one name for the resulting foal … Fifth Of July.
David Nieuwenhuizen had asked a long time beforehand whether he could lease the colt for himself and Michael granted him the wish.
The hard-knocking now eight-year-old gelding was recording his fourth career victory on Saturday and there could be more in the tank.
Meanwhile, Michael was forced to dramatically cut his numbers during the uncertainty of Covid-19, but he still maintains a foothold in breeding and racing.
Wylie Hall has become infertile, but not before produicng four stakes winners, including this year’s Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Down To Business.
Michael will hopefully soon be back in the game in a big way and nobody would ever begrudge him a Hollywoodbets Durban July victory to make up for that heartbreaking moment ten years ago.
