Glen Kotzen’s Many Chances On Hollywoodbets Durban July Day
Glen Kotzen has been in good form and has some lively runners on Hollywoodbets Durban July day.
He went through all of his runners
Race 2 (BSA Sales Cup for colts and gelding) Blackberry Malt (Ideal World): “In his second start when we fancied him the field split up and he went down the middle on his own and raced really green. He has come on a lot from that race and he’ll be competitive.”
Race 2 Captain Catman (Captain Of All): “He’s drawn nine. It is one of those draws that’s not good or bad but you’ve got to get lucky. He’ll appreciate the extra distance. He prefers Greyville as well and he’s got to have a chance of running into the quartets. ”
Race 3 (Grade 3 Vodacom 2200) Chollima (Pathfork): “He’s cracked a good draw and has got a pull in the weights with Airways Law. He won the East Cape Derby and I think the trip here just took a little bit out of him, he was just a little bit flat in his first run back here in the Cup Trial. But he’s come on a helluva lot and he looks amazing. I think he’s a huge runner from a favourable draw with a good galloping weight and a top jock on (Muzi Yeni). He’ll be right there.”
Race 5 (Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper) Ameena (Quasillo): “I was very excited about Ameena, we were all raving about her work before her last start, I honestly don’t know what happened in the race. She came out the pens, the jockey caught her in the mouth and she was a bit further back than we wanted her. They then split and she was in no man’s land, she saw daylight the whole way and never gave a kick. It was also her second run after a break. She had come back and had only been in work a couple of weeks when we took our chances and ran her in the Grade 3 Strelitzia. She ran fresh (and won). So her second run was a bit flat. I think she is going to absolutely love the extra distance, she’s got a good draw. If he tucks her in and switches her on I think she will fly at them. She is a big runner.”
Race 6 (Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe) Countdown (Gimmethegreenlight): “It’s surprising Richard didn’t choose to ride him because he needed his first run here after all the rains and we wanted to show him Scottsville. In his second start he got knocked right out of the race coming out of the pens. Himself and the favourite Prophet and his stable companion Imposing all got caught in that same trap. They couldn’t get out and then on top of it everytime we tried to come out with Countdown, Imposing kept on pushing him back in again, so there was no stable companions riding for each other in that race, it was every man for himself. He didn’t get as close as we would have liked, but he’s crying to go further and I am glad we’ve got Louis on, he’s riding exceptionally well and hopefully Countdown can make amends. He’s quite a headstrong horse and he just needs things to go his own way.”
Race 6 Cousin Casey (Vercingetorix): “He’s spot on for the distance. When he won his maiden he came from a bad draw, when he won the Listed Cell C Sharks Gatecrasher Stakes he came from a bad draw as well and he’s got a bad draw again. He’ll jump and be positive. He’s seriously working exceptionally well.”
Race 6 Grinkov (Twice Over): “He’s really, really flying. His main mission is the mile at the end of the month but we decided if we cracked a good draw here in single figures we would run him. Gavin was very excited about his gallop.”
Race 6 Imposing (Visionaire): “Surprisingly Richard has jumped on to Imposing. He’s a very smart horse. He ran in front of Countdown but I think Countdown had a lot of excuses. Imposing is just lacking racing experience. He’s got all the ability. He’s cracked a good draw, he’s got Richard up. I think he would just need one more run to be really effective but we’re building him up to something big. He is a really smart horse and he’s going to love the extra ground.”
Race 8 (Grade 1 Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes) Kailene (Jackson): “She’s in one of the toughest miles. We raced her in a handicap the other day and she was probably a false favourite because she had to give 6kg and 8kg away to the rest of the field. She was further back than we wanted her to be and it was on the poly and she prefers the grass. But she is coming on and is a very fit filly and very sound. Unfortunately, Rachel has been stood down and we’re in consultation with the owners and will have a replacement soon.”
Race 9 (Grade 2 Post Mecrchants) Good Traveller (Visionaire): “The field parted last time and he was in the middle of the Red Sea. He just saw daylight all the way and he never quickened up, he just stayed where he was. He loves Greyville and he will be covered up (from draw 3) this time and has a top jock on. It’s not as strong as his previous race (Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint) and he must have an outstanding chance of redeeming himself.”
Race 10 (Listed Compendium Insurance Brokers Handicap) Cat Daddy (Ideal World): “He went slightly off on his form, but horses peak at the right time of year. He won this race last year and he is exceptionally well in himself. He’s got a top jock on whose very happy to be riding him. He hasn’t got a draw, but he just needs to get cover, because otherwise he just overdoes it a bit, so we will just leave that to Gavin.”
Race 11 (XM MR 86 Handicap) Lucky Dancer (Master Of My Fate): “It’s a handicap, he’s got a chance, he’s carrying the bottom weight. We scoped him post race last time, because we were disappointed with his run. The poly was quite loose that day and we found poly all the way down his trachea. Hopefully that is why he ran so badly. He’s definitely got a chance. He’s a good solid honest horse.”
Race 12 (Gagasi FM 74 Handicap) My Cherie Amour (Canford Cliffs): “She could be my best runner on the day. She won her maiden coming from way off them and next time with apprentice Zuma on again she couldn’t get a run for three furlongs, so she is a winner without a penalty after that. She is a two-year-old, it is not the strongest field and she has a good draw and a good jock (Yeni) and a light weight. She will be a big runner.”
Race 12 Oh So Squishy (Pomodoro): “I thought she was the one to beat before I put My Cherie Amour in. She’s honest and she ran right on top of them last time out. She doesn’t quite have a distance yet, so we don’t if we are going too far or too short. She’s always running thereabouts. She’s knocking on the door so she should be competitive.”
Picture: Ameena (Candiese Lenferna)
Hollywoodbets Durban July Broadcast Schedule
Fate Awaits “Exceptionally Well” Waterberry Lane
Dean Kannemeyer’s Hollywoodbets Durban July charge Waterberry Lane (Soft Falling Rain) has been the subject of a few whispers at Summerveld as he is looking in mint conditions and if a horse was fated to win this year it would, of course, be him.
His owner, the late great doyen Mike Rattray, had a life-long burning desire to win this race and in the year of his passing it would be fitting if his colours finally crossed the line in front.
Three times July-winning trainer Kannemeyer said, “He is doing very well. I was very happy with his gallop last week at Greyville on his own. He’s stripped a fit horse. He’s basically finished his hard work. He did a bit of pace work on his own on the beach track yesterday (Monday). I couldn’t have asked for a better draw. It’s the first time he is trying 2200m. He quickened up very well the other day behind Safe Passage (in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000), but he was too good for us. There wasn’t much between the second, third and fourth, three of them in a line short-head, short-head. He has to go an extra 200m and the race will tell whether he gets it.”
He will be 1,5kg better off with Safe Passage for a 2,25 length beating, which on paper will put him within about half-a-length of Safe Passage.
Kannemeyer concluded about the three-year-old Soft Falling Rain gelding, “He finished that last run off well and has come through it well. I am hoping for a clean run race and that they go at a good, even tempo. He is doing exceptionally well, he’s in great shape, I am happy with his prep.”
Kannemeyer runs the good debut winner Bright Green (Gimmethegreenlight) in the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe and said, “Unfortunately he drew 14 out of 14. He won exceptionally well first time out. It wasn’t a strong field but he quickened up well and he couldn’t do more than that. From a wide draw you always need a lot of luck, there is always a scramble. There’s always arguments and fights in the jockeys room afterwards about the early stages of the race, but I have got to take my chances. This will probably be his final race before he goes back to Cape Town.”
Kannemeyer added about Bright Green’s readiness for that debut, “A horse who is bred like that you are not going to have them half fit, you have them ready and fit enough to run a good race. My first-timers don’t come out the gates and are gone, I like them to jump out and stretch out and then finish the race off. So that race could only have brought him on.”
In the BSA Sales Cup for two-year-old males over 1300m he runs The United States colt USA’s Hope and said, “He ran very well first time out in open company (4,70 length third over 1200m on the Hollywodbets Greyville turf behind Formagear). He is also drawn wide (13 out of 14). I think he will come on for that debut run. It’s an open race and he’s got to have a chance.”
Kannemeyer runs Rex Union (Duke Of Marmalade) in the Grade 2 DSTV Gold Vase over 3000m and said, “It’s his last attempt at putting him in this class and the intention is to come in with a bottom weight in the Gold Cup. He gives the impression he will stay the trip. He ran unplaced the other day, he ran second last (beaten 2,75 lenghs in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup) but the handicapper didn’t forget to put him up six pounds.”
He runs Silvano’s Timer (Silvano) in the Listed Compendium Insurance Brokers Handicap over 1600m and said, “”The Track And Ball Derby last time was too far. I thought he woud stay and he slipped through on the inside and looked like he was picking them off, but the last 300m he had had enough. He came through that run well, so I have put him in this handicap over 1600m. He is nicely drawn and I think he should give a good account of himself, but it’s also a very competitive race. He’s done well. He’s hardly raced, he’s gone through some serious setbacks, but he’s bounced back to win and you can’t leave him out.”
He concluded, “It’s going to be a great day’s racing.”
Picture: Waterberry Lane (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Three Jackpots And Two Bipots On Hollywoodbets Durban July Day
The Saftote will be staging three Jackpots and Two Bipots for Hollywoodbets Durban July day’s 12 race meeting and a R12 Million Pick 6 Pool Has Been Estimated.
Here are the special Saftote exotic bet offerings on the day:
- Race 1: Jackpot 1: Leg 1 – likely pool R400 000
- Race 2: Bipot 1: Leg 1 – likely pool R750 000
- Race 3: PA Leg 1 – likely pool R1.7 million
- Race 4: Pick 6 MEGAPOOL Leg 1 – R2 million carryover; likely pool R12 million
- Race 5: Jackpot 2: Leg 1 – likely pool R1.5 million
- Race 7: Quartet MAXIPOOL – R2 million carryover; likely pool R10 million
- Race 7: Bipot 2: Leg 1 – likely pool R300 000
- Race 9: Jackpot 3: Leg 1 – likely pool R600 000
- Race 10: Pick 3 Leg 1 – R100 000 carryover; likely pool R500 000
The weather forecast is sunny with a maximum temperature of 23 degress and minimum temperature of 16 degrees.
Coin Spinner Is Better Weighted Than He Appears
The progressive Tony Rivalland-trained William Longsword gelding Coin Spinner is merit rated only 97 and carries half-a-kilogram over weight, so looks to have a tough task at the weights in the Grade 2 Post Merchants.
He is officially 6,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted female Sound Of Warning and 4,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted male William Robertson.
However, trainer Tony Rivalland explained, “His merit rating is only sitting at 97 because the conditions of pinnacle races allows me to keep him there. His actual merit rating is between 103 and 105 (which is called a “ghost rating”). I could have asked for him to be 105 and if taking the 105 would have guaranteed me a place in the Merchants I would have taken it, but there was always a chance of him ending up as a reserve runner”.
He continued, “I’m happy with him. He took his last run well. It was ten days ago and two weeks away from when he’s going to race. He had his final work out this morning. He’s in a good space mentally. He’s sound and I couldn’t be happier. He’s a horse on the up and he’ll be better over 1200m at Greyville (a course and distance over which he has won three times in five attempts). Fortunately, he is well drawn (in pole position), so as long as he breaks well I think he is a massive runner.”
He also runs Let’s Not Linger in the last race and said, “Tough task because she’s got 61kg and she’s drawn very wide, but she’s in a good space and she’s fit and has some sort of chance.”
Picture: Coin Spinner
Serino Moodley Lands Vacant Ride On Red Saxon
The unfortunate freak accident to Rachel Venniker in the last race on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly yesterday (Monday) left the ride on the Joe Soma-trained Grade 1 WSB SA Classic winner Red Saxon (Red Ray) for the Hollywoodbets Durban July available.
Serino Moodley has been given the ride.
This was in line with Soma’s reasons for giving Venniker the ride in which he stated he wanted somebody with experience of the Hollywoodbets Greyville track.
Moodley is lying in fifth place on the KZN Jockeys log this season with 53 wins behind Keagan de Melo on 91, Warren Kennedy on 65, Venniker on 57 and Muzi Yeni on 56.
37 of his winners have been at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Although only seven of those have been on the turf track he has had plenty winners on the Greyville turf track in previous seasons.
This included his only Grade 1 win to date on Pearl Of Asia in the Mercury Sprint last season.
Picture: Serino Moodley (Candiese Lenferna).
Snaith Yard Pleased With July Quintet
Justin Snaith will be attempting to win the big race for the sixth time this year.
The yard said about their Hollywoodbets Durban July quintet:
“Justin is pleased with his charges and their preparations have gone according to plan over recent months. He goes through each of his runners below.
Do It Again: “The legend with nothing to prove. He loves KZN and Greyville in particular. He has the best record in the race and comes to stake his claim for a historic third win. His prep run, the Greyville 1900, saw him dispose of the field with contemptuous ease, but without incurring any penalties, leaving his July weight unchanged.
It was never my intention to run him more than once before the July – he is horse who does not take a lot of racing. I could not have the champ any better if I tried. Do it Again, can do it again.”
Jockey – Aldo Domeyer
Weight: 58kg
Odds: 12-1 (great each way bet)
Jet Dark: “A horse that takes time and racing to come to hand and requires a fine balance to get him to his very best. He is a true gentleman and horse I thoroughly enjoy working with. He produced an impressive performance in his July prep run in the Gr1 Gold Challenge. Despite stumbling at the start, he recovered like the consummate professional he is to fly home. An excellent effort.”
Jockey: Bernard Fayd’Herbe
Weight: 60kg
Odds: 16-1
Pomp And Power: “After being kindly treated by the handicapper for his Gr1 Cape Derby win, the July has always been the main goal in KZN. He fought Richard the entire way in the Daily News and it is nothing short of a miracle that he still stayed on for second. He has had a lot of schooling to ensure he settles on the big day, and we have adjusted his riding tactics accordingly. He is a serious July contender at the weights.”
Jockey: Richard Fourie
Weights: 53kg
Odds: 7-1
Belgarion: “The 2020 July winner has had soundness issues, so has been prepared on the softer winter tracks in Cape Town, which has worked incredibly well. He will travel to KZN this week fully sound and in great shape. He put up a terrific effort over the 1500m trip last time out, showing that he is coming to hand and returning to full fitness right on schedule. The July is perfectly timed to be his third run after a break.
He is a Titan who will be ridden by a Legend. Anything is possible with this duo and they cannot be ignored over this trip.”
Jockey: Piere Strydom
Weight: 59kg
Hoedspruit: “An unknown, but highly dangerous contender, which is reflected by his support in the betting. Despite a highly creditable performance in the Cape Town Met, his rating remained unchanged, thanks to finishing just out of the placings. This presented a huge opportunity as well as a challenge in getting him into the July without any additional penalties. We are delighted to have achieved a good prep run under his belt without affecting his weight. I feel he is the best handicapped of the older runners and deserves the utmost respect at that weight.”
Jockey: Craig Zackey
Weight: 53kg
Odds: 15-1″
Picture: Pomp And Power And Captain’s Ransom At Summerveld this morning. (Chase Liebenberg).
July Quiz Competition – Win Tickets To The Hollywoodbets Durban July
Please send answers to joanne@cthbs.com.
The first six to correctly answer the questions, or get closest to doing so, will all win a digital ticket to the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
1. Who is the best performed horse in the history of the Durban July if the criteria used is the number of best performances at the weights.
2. Two horses, who are in the 18 horse final field plus two reserves, can this year become the first July winner to have a July-winning sire AND July-winning grandsire. Who are they?
3. Which sire has the best July record in history.
4. Which July winner holds the record for the biggest margin of victory?
5. Who holds the record time since the July was increased to 2200m in 1970.
6. Who is the only person to have ridden, trained and owned July winners.
7. Which four horses in July history have crossed the line first but not been awarded official victory?
8. Which jockey in this year’s line up will be out to equal the record of most July wins.
9. Who was the youngest trainer to win the July.
10. Who was the youngest rider to win the July?
Doubles For Yeni And Lerena
Muzi Yeni and Gavin Lerena both rode doubles at the Vaal straight course today. Yeni has now ridden 147 winners at a strike rate of 11.46% this season. Lerena has ridden 108 winners at a strike rate of 17.20%.
Today’s Question
Which horse is considered by some to be the fastest horse in the history of the turf, was voted the best British-trained two-year-old of the 20th century according to the National Horseracing Museum, was champion sire of Britain and Ireland when his first crop were just three-year-olds, and will appear multiple times in the pedigrees of every Hollywoodbets Durban July runner on Saturday despite only siring 130 foals in total.
The picture above gives a clue to the answer.
Durbanville Wednesday Fields
Today’s Question Answer
The Tetrarch foaled in 1911 was a “freak” as he was by the sire Roi Herode, an out and out stayer who was second in the Doncaster Cup, and resembled a rocking horse as he was grey with splotches of white and in conformation was big and backward and seemed destined to end up as a hunter.
However, it was soon evident he had blinding speed.
His trainer Atty Persse put him through a series of searching tests before he went to the races and by that time they knew he was a certainty for his debut.
However, the yard had kept it such a closely guarded secret he went off at 9/2.
He won like the certainty he was and that was the only time he did not starts odds-on.
He won with the greatest ease at Epsom and by ten lengths at Royal Ascot.
His nickname had by this time changed from “The Rocking Horse” to “The Spotted Wonder.”
In his next start he went up with the tapes and lost 50 yards , but still managed to run them down to win by a neck.
Racegoers thought he must be in decline that day, because it was misty and the start could not be seen.
However, he went on to thrash them in all of his remaining starts but unfortunately his career came to a close after just seven races because of a rapped tendon.
In 1919 he was the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland as a result of the performances of Tetratema and the filly Snow Maiden. Another daughter (Mumtaz Mahal) won a number of important sprint races and, according to “Thoroughbred Heritage” went on to become one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.
Mumatz Mahal became an important ancestress in the pedigrees of some of history’s most influential sire lines, including Nasrullah, Royal Charger, Tudor Minstrel and Mahmoud. Nasrullah sired Bold Ruler, the sire of the Seattle Slew/A.P. Indy modern stallion lines.
Picture: The Tetrarch (Pininterest)
