Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes Is A True Championship Event
Rascova beats Double Grand Slam in last year’s Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas over the Hollywoodbets Greyville 1600m coure and distance of te Ridgemont Garden Province, but Double Grand Slam reversed form when an extremely unlucky third in last year’s Garden Province.(Candiese Lenferna Photography).
The Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes sees most of the best miler fillies in he country clashing in what will be one of the races of the day on Hollywoodbets Durban July day.
The arch rivals Double Grand Slam and Rascova stand out on form as they easily accounted for the dual Gr 1-winning three-year-old filly Fatal Flaw in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes.
Rasova won that race by a hair’s breadth and displayed her courage, whilst there was just a shorthead also separating them last time out when they were both luckless in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Double Grand Slam was ahead in the latter race and that made it 7-5 in her favour in their 12 clashes.
This time Rascova is favoured because Double Gand Slam’s usual jockey Richard Fourie is contracted to ride for Ridgemont and so will be riding the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas winner Mon Petit Cherie, who is improving but is not quite up to the same class as Double Grand Slam.
The latter is not a straight forward ride and Fourie went around runners early on in the Majorca after initially being at the back and that might suggest she did not settle perfectly.
Andrew Fortune takes over from Fourie and has a tricky draw of nine to contend with, which won’t be easy if indeed it was a case of her not settling perfectly in the Majorca, although he could take her forward.
Rascova has a good draw of six and Gavin Lerena stays aboard. It is only her second run for the Sean Tarry yard and is her second run after a layoff, but she looked fit enogh last time in the SA Flllies Sprint.
Asiye Phambili is full of class and although her Graded success has come over sprints she did on one occassion win three in a row over this trip, so she could be a player if able to overcome the widest draw of all.
Green Sapphire has won impressively twice over 1400m and was caught wide when well back in the WSB Guineas. A good draw here gives her another chance to prove she stays.
The Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner Fatal Flaw beat older horses when winning the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes so she could still be involved here and the Majorca might have been a below par run.
Spumante Dolce is progressive and if able to overcome a wide draw should be in the shake up.
White Pearl and Minogue have the class to earn.
Just Be Lekker has plenty of ability but needs to prove she stays this trip at this level.
Those are the horses who make most appeal.
Rscova is selected to beat Double Grand Slam with Asiye Phambile, Green Sapphire and Fatal Flaw next best.
Lyle Hewitson Escapes Terrible Fall with Two Possible Fractures
Lyle Hewitson is under observation in hospital (Picture Supplied).
Lyle Hewiton had a terrible fall at Happy Valley tonight (Wednesday), but an update on his condition and that of the otther two jockeys involved was positive considering the severity of the incident.
However, he might be unable to make the Gold Cup meeting at the end of the South African season, which he had intended to ride in.
Hewitson’s mount came down after breaking down and it appears two other horses were brought down.
It was near the end of the fifth race.
Karis Teetan managed to walk away from the incident, but was taken to hospital for observation together with Hewitson and Jerry Chau.
A report on their condition later stated:
Imaging of Lyle Hewitson has identified fractures of his right wrist and suspected ankle, with no other identified injuries and he remains under observation.
Imaging of Jerry Chau has not identified any injuries and he remains under observation.
Karis Teetan has no identified serious injuries and is undergoing precautionary imaging.
Both Hewitson and Chau rode winners before their falls, with Chau coming from behind midfield to strike on My Day My Way in the second section of the Class Four Hereford Handicap.
Hewitson got on the scoresheet for a relieved David Hayes, who snapped a 39-runner losing sequence when Amazing Run lived up to his name to win the second section of the Lancashire Handicap.
With the Hong Kong Season coming to an end on 16 July, Hewitson will not see action again and will end on 28 winners and gross stakes of HK$51 805 725.
Order Of Appearance In Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops
The Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops always attract a big crowd. Dave The King and Safe Passage are pictured being put through their paces in the 2023 Gallops. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding will get the ball rolling at 07H00 in the official Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow morning (Thursday) and there will be eleven July horses galloping plus some other Hollywoodbets Durban July day runners, including the crack filly Double Grand Slam.
There were nine pre-recorded gallops done on the Highveld earlier in the week and those will be screened.
Each gallop will be timed and televised on GallopTV starting at 07h00.
A panel discussion on each horse’s performance will take place immediately after the gallops.
Entry is free and visitors can enjoy free coffee and pastries.
Book your Durban View Restaurant breakfast for just R130 — call 031 314 1736.
The history of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops:
The Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse in central Durban began in the early years when trainers were given the opportunity to put their big-race runners on the grass for a final workout before the big day and to enable visiting horses to familiarize themselves with the venue.
In the years before the establishment of the Summerveld Training Centre at Shongweni just outside Durban, local horses were stabled at various sites around Durban and in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Some were trained at the private out-of-town venues in the province, others at Pietermaritzburg’s Scottsville track and many at Clairwood.
Many more were stabled at Newmarket in the northern region of Durban and these horses were trained on the beaches at Blue Lagoon.
Visiting horses from Gauteng and the Western Cape were freighted into the area weeks before, many competing in the important races early in the season from which their trainers hoped they could emerge as candidates for invitation into the country’s biggest race.
In the final week before the race the runners were invited to use the Greyville track for their final workout and the public was encouraged to attend the event with coffee and sticky buns available free of charge.
And so was born the July gallops and they became one of the biggest occasions in the build-up to the event with thousands of people crowding the course to watch their fancies in action and to make their final selections.
It became a tradition, but when the Summerveld Training Centre was established and trainers had the superb grass training tracks on which to prepare their candidates, they became reluctant to take their horses to Greyville for their final workouts. This situation was exacerbated as transportation methods improved and trainers from Gauteng began floating their runners overnight to Durban, arriving either the day before or even on the morning of the race.
So the July gallops fell away and a part of the July tradition disappeared. However, with constant pleas from the public, Gold Circle decided in 1999 to re-introduce the Gallops. Only a few of the final field made an appearance with Geoff Woodruff’s star, El Picha, putting up a splendid gallop before going on to win the country’s greatest racing event some 10 days later.
Gold Circle then went one step further and made appearance at a timed, televised, public gallop a condition of acceptance into the race and the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops was officially reborn.
Sid Moodley Believes In His Charge Madison Valley
Sid Moodley just wanted a good draw on Tuesday morning and he duly got one. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Passionate owner Sid Moodley is deserving of a runner in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and he is upbeat about the chances of the Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding Madison Valley.
It has been a long held ambition of Sid’s to win big races and it will be a dream come true if he can win the country’s biggest race and to do it in his hometown.
He had some tense moments at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field and Draw Ceremony on Tuesday morning and said after drawing barrrier position two, “I am very, very chuffed with it. All we wanted was a good draw. I think with that draw, we stand a good chance. He normally runs from off the pace, but it is always good to have a good draw over the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2200m course and distance. I think from that draw, we can see our chance.”
Madison Valley has shown a tremendously strong finishing run in his best starts.
He came from the tail of a 19 horse field in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup to run a 2,35 length fourth.
He beat See It Again and Royal Victory and faces the former on the same terms and the latter on better terms.
He faces Atticus Finch on 3kg better terms for a 2,35 length beating.
All of those horses are shorter in the betting than him.
The question mark might be whether the short straight suits him as well as the long straight of Turffontein Standside.
However, he had to jump from a wide draw in the Summer Cup and in the July he could be closer to the pace from that good draw.
Madison Valley was rested and gelded after the Summer Cup and has been brought on slowly, culminating in a good win in the traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m.
He should now be at his peak and is one who can not be ignored, especially considering he has the top July-winning jockey Gavin Lerena aboard.
Sid is sure to have some other runners on the day and he said, “We are working very, very hard to have a good day. We are just hoping for everything of the best.”
Savanna's First Win As A Professional Rider
Savanna Valjalo scores a first professional win on the Gareth van Zyl-trained Royal Mo filly KMV Retrofit. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
Yesterday was a day that apprentice Savanna Valjalo will have etched in her memory as she scored her first official win as an apprentice aboard the Gareth van Zyl-trained KMV Retrofit in the Open Maiden on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Always in front, she had the measure of stable companion Di Rosa and S’Manga Khumalo a long way out and such was her confidence that she cruised the last 50m under the hands.
Apprentice races are not always the easiest and coupled with a modest field of horses doesn’t make it any easier.
Purple Flower was friendless in the market but she won like and odds-on shot under Mauritian apprentice Girish Dookhit. Having her first run for Gary Rich who bought the mare on an on-line sale on the advice of his daughter Tess, Dookhit tracked the pace set by Blush Of Dawn from mid-field. At the sharp end of the race, Purple Flower was always traveling smoothly as she tackled Blush Of Dawn and in spite of looking to shift in late, she won well.
Wing Walker was always going to be the best bet on the card and Lucinda Woodruff’s charge made short work of the modest opposition in the first. Chad Little punched him for home crossing the subway and the result was never in doubt as the gelding quickened away to win as he liked.
Garth Puller was a master in the saddle and has been a mentor to many a young rider. But he can also be blunt. He has given 4kg claimer Mxolisi Mbuto plenty of rides but was hoping for a double starting with Blush Of Dawn in the apprentice race. “If he had let her go at the top of the straight she should have won,” he said after leading in Mbuto on Canyoudothehula in the fourth. Much improved on the poly last time out, Mbuto gave her a polished ride to get first run on stable companion and race favourite Fine Wine.
Puller was back in the winner’s circle the very next race as apprentice Brevan Plaatjies rode a smart race on Shiny Bob. Judging that there was plenty of pace in the race and apprentices are generally a bunch of tear-aways, Puller’s instructions to Plaatjies were to sit off them and wait his chance. Plaatjies carried out instructions to perfection as Shiny Bob quickened up with the leaders treading water and went on to win comfortably. The win gave Plaatjies the 40th of his career and he will claim 1.5kg next time he rides. The win also put him four clear of Trent Mayhew in the race for the Apprentice Championship.
You seldom see a horse trained by Dean Kannemeyer anywhere near the front in the early exchanges and Craig Zackey rode Gurkha to a Kannemeyer blue-print to win the sixth the son of Fire Away reveling over the ten furlongs. Trailing the field by close to ten lengths at one stage, Gurkha moved through the pack in the straight to hit the front and shake off the attentions of a game Papa C.
Paul Lafferty was quietly confident of a big showing from Mister Nibbles and his assessment was on the mark as Muzi Yeni pounced from off the pace and get the better of Star Of The Future in a tight finish. Favourite Prince Florian was awkward out of the gate, pecking and Zackey appeared to lose an iron. After closing up to the field, he was never in contention in the straight and eased out of the race.
The revamped poly surface is being praised as being fair for all horses. Earlier Gurkha came from last to win his race and Rooster Bradshaw closed off the meeting in similar fashion for Duncan Howells. Towards the back turning for home, S’Manga Khumalo took the ‘golden highway’ home and mowed them all down.
Selukwe Quietly Fancied By Many And Lands A Good Draw
Andre Nel is elated to pull out draw six. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Serino Moodley was in strong contention 200m out in last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July as the Gareth van Zyl-trained Flag Man probably put his nose in front and he has a chance this year with a horse plenty of punters fancy, the Andre Nel-trained five-year-old Pomodoro gelding Selukwe, who came from way off the pace to win the Gr 3 WSB 1900 in impressive style.
He has a tough ask on paper as he is officially 2kg under sufferance, but in the 1900 he did beat two quietly fancied three-year-olds, Okavango and Native Ruler, and he landed a fine draw of six on Tuesday morning.
Byron Forster, who oversees Nel’s Summerveld operation, said, “The horse is doing well and obviously the draw helps. There does seem to be a lot of speed in the race and I hope we get into a good position. I will leave it up to Serino.”
Selukwe does quite a lot by himself when working, so will not have a companion at Tuesday mornings Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops.
Confederate Connections Confident
Jonathan Nassif lands barrier position 14 for the Gr 1 SA Classic-winning Fire Away three-year-old gelding, Confederate. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Part-owner Jonathan Nassif spoke on behlf of the Fabian Habib-trained Confederate after he had drawn 14 in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
He said, “We are happy. I mean, it is what it is. It is a race where they jump and they go hard. It is a jostle for position. I think the right jockey is on him, Kennedy Warren. I think he will go well. He has got speed. He will progress on his own and definitely get into the race. Wherever Warren is comfortable with him from there he will pick him up. So, I am not worried about the draw. They will be away from the traffic and what is meant to be will be. We are confident. The horse is doing very well, he had a very good gallop too. Now we leave it up to God.”
Today's Question
When was the first running of a July over the 2200m distance?
Picture: The stampede for home in the Hollywoodbets Durban July (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Today’s Question Answer
The first July over 2200m was in 1970 and was won by the Reggie Knght-trained Court Day ridden by James Maree.
