The Hollywoodbets Durban July 2024 finish (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The top middle distance horse, the 131 merit-rated See It Again, is officially the best horse in the country as the only one to be rated in the 130s. He is also effective over a mile and he and others of his type and class actually have close to R15 million worth of earnings open to them this season, or perhaps even more.
If a horse is able to win the following six races, the Betway Summer Cup (1st prize R3,45m), the L’Ormarin’s King’s Plate (1st prize R1,85m), the WSB Met (R2,94m), the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (R1,25 million), the Hollywoodbets Durban July (R2,94 million) and the HKJC Champions Cup (R937,500) then the total earnings for that horse this season will be around R13,392,500.
There is also the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Stakes (1st prize R937,500) and the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge (1st prize R1,2 million) not to mention the three-year-old classics around the country which have stakes of a R1 million or more and the big sprint events and big fillies and mares events.
However, it was just those six races which were identified as it would be feasible for a horse to run in all of them – in fact See It Again did run in all of them last season bar the Summer Cup.
The stakes could turn out to be more than stated, because KZN racing might respond to the increase in stakes that the other main centres have put up for their feature seasons.
It is obviously pie in the sky to suggest a horse could win all six of those races, but the point is there is massive stake money available to top horses this season.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July is regarded as the country’s premier race and it usually has the highest stake in any season.
It will be interesting to see whether Hollywoodbets try and match or better the R6,000,000 stake now put up for the Betway Summer Cup.
See It Again and Cousin Casey look to be the two most obvious Summer Cup entries who, from a distance suitability and class perspective, would be effective in all six of the above mentioned races.
A horse who is able to win all of the three Gr 1 weight for age miles this season i.e. the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge would scoop just over R4 million for winning those three events and it is feasible Dave The King could do it. The key to him has been found and with that amazing 1000m run in of his he is going to be hard to beat in all of the big mile races this season.
That is presuming he retains his zest for racing.
Main Defender could bounce back to his best and challenge him.
Back In Business is one who could also join the top echelon milers, as he has been impressive in all three of his wins this season and could prove to be the real deal.
See It Again is capable of a top class effort over a mile, as he proved in last season’s Green Point Stakes.
Green With Envy proved he is effective over a mile when winning the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and he he might well become the country’s best middle distance horse this season.
Flag Man could challenge the best this season in the big middle distance races.
Among the females France Ethel strikes as one who will be a force in the top middle distance races and could give Brett and James Crawford a third successive Hollywoobets Durban July.
Royal Victory could also be a force in the middle distance events and receiving 3kg from See It Again, as things stand, it would be no surprise to see him retaining his Betway Summer Cup crown.
The three-year-old One Stripe could be anything and will enjoy a mile and it will be interesting to see whether he enjoys middle distances too.
The Mike de Kock-trained Heather’s Boy still has a lot to prove, but he was very eyecatching on debut when coming home with long strides over 1450m.
An eciting season awaits the star record-breaking filly Quid Pro Quo.
It is going to be an intriguing big race season and there could be some enriched owners by the end of it.
