The Gareth van Zyl yard said there have been no hiccups in the preparation of Hollywoodbets Durban July contender King Pelles (Picture: Race Coast)
The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July is one of the most wide open in recent times, so the aim of the change made to the weight structure has been achieved, and an offshoot is bullishness from connections.
Jockeys Tristan Godden, Sean Veale and Andrew Fortune were all bullish about their July chances at Summerveld this morning and there were also bullish noises from the Gareth van Zyl and Candice Bass yards.
Tristan Godden, Sean Veale and Andrew Fortune are all out to win their first July.
They are respectively aboard Mocha Blend, Isivivane and Wish List.
The trio are respectively 25/1, 20/1 and 11/2 chances with the race sponsors, Hollywoodbets.
Tristan Godden said about the Frank Robinson-trained four-year-old filly Mocha Blend, “We are very happy with her. She has had the ideal prep going into the race. Frank will do the final touches, but she is doing really well and I am looking forward to the big race and I am very confident of a big run from her.”
Tristan showed in last year’s race he has the necesssary BMT for the country’s premier race. No quarter is asked for or given in the July, which makes it the toughest of races to ride in.
Tristan rode 100/1 shot Native Ruler to a 3,95 length sixth from draw 18 of 18 last year and it could have been better as he had to find his way through a crowd of horses coming from near the back. That forced him to switch way inward and he had to then switch outward late when the horses in front of him hung inward.
Tristan has another tricky draw of 13 to negotiate this year and he said, “Obviously it is not ideal, but I am not too worried about it. She is a pretty straight forward filly and if things go to plan I think we will be in the right place.”
Mocha Blend will be out to give the most successful family in July history, the Oppenheimer family, a tenth win in the big race. The family has won it six times with homebreds, one with a part-owned horse and they bred a further two winners.
Mocha Blend was officially bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein. Mary Slack, the daughter of Mauritzfontein Stud’s founders Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer, founded Wilgerbosdrift Stud and her daughter Jessica Jell (nee Slack) now owns Mauritzfontein together with her husband Steven.
Mocha Blend runs in the famous black colours with the yellow sash, sleeves and cap of Mauritzfontein and she will be out to become the seventh Oppenheimer family homebred to win it and the seventh to win the race in those famous black and yellow silks.
Sean Veale rides the Peter Muscutt-trained Isivivane and he said about the pole position-drawn four-year-old Erupt gelding, “He is doing very well, his gallop was very good. Obviously it is a competitive race, but it’s an open July and with that weight I have got to have some sort of a chance. He’s drawn one and is quite a straight forward horse, he does everything I want him to do, he pings the gates and is a horse who can hold his position for that first 200m. So, I will probably be in the box seat for the first few hundred metres. His preparation couldn’t have gone better. He is in a very good space and it’s now just up to the race to tell.”
A bullish Andrew Fortune kept it short and sweet about the twice Gr 1-winning three-year-old filly Wish List, “Why do you think I chose her? She is the best of the Justin Snaith yard’s runners, I don’t care what they say (about which one is the best).”
Wish List is one of three July runners who are by the former July winner Legislate. History could be made as any of this trio could become a third generation winner of the same paternal family, because Legislate himself was by former July winner Dynasty.
Gareth van Zyl has King Pelles (Duke Of Marmalade) in the big one, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, and he said, “He is doing well, he has had no hiccups in his preparation. He is fit and is in a very good space and he is ready to run. His draw of 17 is actually nice as it means he will be out of the hustle and bustle that will be going on, so hopefully we don’t get trapped more than three wide. Horses have won going three wide, it is not always an excuse in a race like the July (with the probable most important factor being to get cover). I am not upset about the draw, it could have been worse if we had been in the middle and being bumped around. His gallop on Thursday was pleasing. He is not a horse who sets the track alight, he does what he needs to and he came out of it well.”
Terry Fripp, assistant to Candice Bass, said about July contender Viva’s Liberte, “We wanted a good time for his July Gallop and all went to plan. He came out of the gallop very well. His recovery afterwards was exceptional, he took it well. It was just what we needed and he is doing very well at home too. Craig (Zackey) rode him this morning (Monday) and he’s keeping ticking over. He will probably do his last piece of work on Wednesday, but we’re not going to do to much with him. He is fit and ready.”
Viva’s Liberte is drawn three which should suit because he can take a string hold and will likely need to have some cover.
