By adjusting the weights to what they would have been under the Hollywoodbets Durban July conditions of 2025 and working out what the finish would have looked like on paper had the horses performed to the exact same level as they had in this year’s July, it shows that the lower rated horses of any age were significantly advantaged by the current system.
The quartet would have had a slightly different look under last year’s conditions and Justin Snaith would have run first, second and fourth as the 121-rated Native Ruler would have finished in fourth place.
The 114-rated three-year-old Viva’s Liberte would have been 2kg worse off with the winner under last year conditions than he was this year and would have only managed fifth place.
This year’s fifth-placed older horse, the 108-rated Isivivane, would have been a whopping 4kg worse off with the winner under last year’s conditions than he was this year and would have only managed seventh place.
There would have been a few changes in the overall positions further down, although the first three positions in the race would not have been affected and they would have been out on their own.
Below are the actual positions on Saturday and below that are the positions as they would have looked under last year’s conditions (lengths beaten is the column on the extreme right):
2026 actual finish
1st Note To Self 3yo g (55kg)
2nd Wish List 3yo f (54.5kg) 0,25
3rd King Pelles 5yo g (59kg) 1,55
4th Viva’s Liberte 4yo g (53kg) 1.70
5th Isivivane 4yo g (52kg) 3.20
6th Native Ruler 4yo g (58.5kg) 3.90
7th Gladatorian 6yo g (61.5kg) 5.00
8th Zeitz 4yo g (53kg) 6.40
9th Mocha Blend 4yo f (56.5kg) 8.80
10th Choisaanada 4yo g (58.5kg) 10,00
11th Aladdin’s Lamp 5yo g (53kg) 11.30
12th Legal Counsel 4yo g (62kg) 12.10
13th Curious Girl 3yo f (52kg) 12.15
14th Minogue 5yo m (56kg) 13.95
15th Olivia’s Way 4yo f (55kg) 14.95
16th Regulation 4yo g (52kg) 16.00
17th I Salute You 4yo g (54,5kg) 16.90
18th Hazy Dazy 3yo f (54.5kg) 18.90
Finish as it would have looked under 2025 conditions
1st Note To Self 3yo g (53kg)
2nd Wish List 3yo f (52.5kg) 0,25
3rd King Pelles 5yo g (57kg) 1,55
4th Native Ruler 4yo g (56.5) 3.90
5th Viva’s Liberte 3yo g (53kg) 4.05
6th Gladatorian 6yo g (59.5kg) 5.00
7th Isivivane 4yo g (54kg) 7.90
8th Mocha Blend 4yo f (54.5kg) 8.80
9th Zeitz 4yo g (54kg) 9.95
10th Choisaanada 4yo g (56.5kg) 10,00
11th Legal Counsel 4yo g (60kg) 12.10
12th Minogue 5yo m (54kg) 13.95
13th Curious Girl 3yo f (52kg) 14.50
14th Aladdin’s Lamp 5yo g (54kg) 14.85
15th Olivia’s Way 4yo f (53kg) 14.95
16th I Salute You 4yo g (54kg) 18.65
17th Hazy Dazy 3yo f (52,5kg) 18.90
18th Regulation 4yo g (54kg) 20.70
