Dean Kannemeyer has won three Durban Julys, two of them with three-year-olds, and his three-year-old Green With Envy is this year’s favourite. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Gr 2 WSB Guineas winner Green With Envy has been raised to a merit rating of 123, which might have a significant impact on the Hollywoodbets Durban July weights depending on how the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 pans out.

The handicappers made Snow Pilot the line horse, so mathematically Green With Envy could have just been given a 121.

However, they had to take into account a number of mitigating factors with two of them being:

1) Green With Envy won extremely well despite the runner up Sandringham Summit getting first run on him and there being a tailwind. So they wanted to put him up to at least a mark equal to the 123-rated Sandringham Summit, which they have done.

2) the race was run about a second slower than the fillies race and there was a tailwind too, so it flattered some of the runners. Therefore they did not want them to be rated off Sandringham Summit which could, for example, have led to Snow Pilot being rated higher than the like of Purple Pitcher and some of the placed horses copping big raises.

As things stand Green With Envy will carry 53,5kg in the July, presumimg See It Again is still merit rated 132 at the time of the weights being published.

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer now might as well have a crack at the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 with the Khaya Stables homebred Gimmthegreenlight colt, because he is likely to be the highest rated runner in the race, presuming Sandringham Summit and Main Defender will not take part.

Where it could get interesting for the three-year-olds in the July is if Green With Envy is beaten by one or more horses in the Daily News 2000 and is then deemed to be the line horse.

Otherwise, it looks like the three-year-old males are going to go in to the big race well weighted, presuming of course See It Again stands his ground and remains on a 132.

As things stand the top three-year-old male in the July will carry just half-a-kilogram more than the three-year-old colt minimum of 53kg i.e. Green With Envy will carry 53,5kg.

This will make the three-year-old males better weighted than ever before in recent times, considering the minimum weight for four-year-old males in the July has been raised 1kg this year to 54kg.

Green With Envy might not be the top rated three-year-old in the July though as the unbeaten filly Gimme A Nother is rated 125.

However, even if Mike de Kock runs her in the Daily News 2000, her high rating will not have a serious impact on the ratings of the three-year-old males going forward, because she will receive a 2,5kg gender allowance in that race, so will effectively only be running off a 120.

It seems more likely she will go for the easier pickings of the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 anyway.

The handicappers outline their reasons for the various merit rating changes in the below press release.

Handicapping Ratings Update

Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes (Grade 2)

ROYAL AUSSIE remains unchanged on a rating of 124 after winning the Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m on the turf course at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday 8 May.  The Handicappers were of the view that 3rd placed GLADATORIAN made for the most suitable line horse in this event and his rating remains unchanged on 120.

The only horse to receive a rating’s increase here was GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE who was adjusted to 115 from 111.

Only 1 horse received a drop in the ratings for this event, AL MUTHANA was dropped to 123 from 125.

World Sports Betting Guineas (Grade 2)

GREEN WITH ENVY was increased from 119 to 123 after he got-up to impressively win the Grade 2 WSB Guineas over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday.  His win was eye catching as the runner-up SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT was given every chance and in fact had first run on GREEN WITH ENVY who quickened up smartly.

3rd placed SNOW PILOT was used as the line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 120.

4th placed HLUHLUWE was increased from 111 to 117 for finishing 1.4 lengths or 3 points behind the 120 rated line horse at level weights.  MID-WINTER WIND was increased to 116 from 114 for finishing a short head behind the now 117 rated HLUHLUWE at level weights. NAVAJO NATION, who was beaten only 2.45 lengths by the winner, was given a marginal increase from 103 to 110 despite achieving a higher performance figure. The Handicappers felt that NAVAJO NATION was suited to the slow run tempo of this race and may be flattered by his margin behind the winner and opted not to take his performance figure literally.

No horses from this race were given a rating’s drop.

World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas (Grade 2)

RASCOVA has had her rating raised from 115 to 119 after she won the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday.  The Handicappers felt that DOUBLE GRAND SLAM made for the most suitable line horse here and her rating remained unchanged on 118.

The Handicappers noted the time of this race was significantly faster than the World Sports Betting Guineas and the margins were more stretched out which is indicative of a faster run race.  Accordingly, both 3rd placed CELTIC BEAUTY and 4th placed SOVEREIGN GRANT were adjusted to their actual performance figures of 104 and 103 respectively.

There were no other changes to ratings in this race.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

Nordic Rebel refused to be intimidated and the ten-year-old recorded his 13th career win at the Vaal today. (JC Photos)

Wins on the flat by ten-year-olds are few and far betweeen around the world, especially in South Africa which does not have forgiving going, yet the Erico Verdonese-trained Nordic Rebel has now won two races in his ten-year-old season.

He won over 1500m at Turffontein Inside in February off a 75 merit rating and today recorded the 13th win of his career over 1600m down the Vaal straight off a 77.

Gavin Lerena has been aboard in both wins this season and today was the 8th time the twice SA Champion jockey had won on the long-striding Rebel King gelding.

Rebel King won the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship as well as the Gr 2 SA Nursery, the Gr 2 Diadem and the Gr 2 Senor Santa.

Nordic Rebel is one of a handful of horses still running for Rebel King, although two of his horses in training are actually three-year-olds.

Gavin Lerena dropped Nordic Rebel out from draw six in the eight horse field today and sat on the outside train behind Majestic Palace and Officer In Command.

He produced him with a late run on the outside rail and looked the likely winner entering the last 100m.

It was a courageous win from both jockey and horse because Officer In Commmand, who had assumed command earlier, came across him in the closing stages. A lesser partnership would have seen the horse throwing his head up and stopping, but Lerena and Nordic Rebel refused to give an inch and barged their way through the tightening gap.

Lerena said afterwards, “It’s just a phenomenal story, there is such a sweet place in my heart for this horse, we’ve gotten on so well. He has been a soldier throughout hlis career and all accolades must go to my trainer (Erico Verdonese) and his team. It’s just phenomenal.”

Erico said about the fight the horse put up, “Unbelievable! It was lovely to watch. Sometimes this horse can get you little bit going, but today I was very calm. He was traveling well and when Gavin produced him I said ‘Here we go, race on again.’ They did get a little bit tight, but for once it’s gone my way. The way Gavin handles him … if you let him go too soon he does it all and then he won’t get there. So him and Gavin have got this rapport and while it is going… You know you have to see this guy in the mornings, he looks like he is a youngster out there. He puts a spring in my stride.”

Both Gavin and Erico congratulated the owners “Eric and GeeGee”

The registered owners are Mr & Mrs E R Grace & Mr D D Savadier & Mr E Verdonese.

Nordic Rebel’s groom Jose Sithole is appropriately nicknamed “Life”.

He has done a fine job keeping Nordic Rebel’s zest for life going and there could be more racing to follow judging by today’s performance.

Gavin Lerena winning a maiden on Count Du Bois gelding Flintstone at Borrowdale Park back in December 2014

Gavin Lerena will be riding the useful Bridget Stidolph-trained Time Thief gelding Raffles in Zimbabwe’s biggest race, the Castle Tankard, at Borrowdale on Saturday.

Lerena has ridden at the Herare course before and is looking forward to the event.

Many other South African jockeys are involved, as the field at the bottom of the article attests too.

Raffles is capable of a strong finish and looks the one to beat.

Last year’s winner Ideal View is in the field, but Nathan Klink is not aboard and looks to have opted to ride Citrusdal.

Race-7 (Turf) $50 000 2000m 15:00 Ref-92
1st $25000, 2nd $12000, 3rd $7000, 4th $4500, 5th $1500
CASTLE TANKARD GRADE 1
Open/5th leg Open Series
WFA: 2yrs-12.5kgs 3yrs-2.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance

Fairy Knight and doting connections (Pauline Herman Photography)

Jack Milner (tab4Racing)

There is a well-founded belief that Derby winners do not always have to stay 2400m, they just have to be substantially better than their rivals.

We have seen this over the years with horses such as Legal Eagle, who won the Grade 1 SA Derby easily in the wet, but later overall was at his best over 1600m, a distance over which he won 10 successive starts, while he only managed one win up to 2000m later in his career.

That could well have been in Alan Greeff’s mind when he decided to run Fairy Knight in the Listed TAB East Coast Derby over 2400m on the turf at Fairview on Friday.

The son of Global View, although having won six of his 12 start, has not raced further than 1600m and on breeding it is questionable if he will see out the trip.

But he is the class horse of the race, he is unbeaten since having been gelded and he will have Richard Fourie in the irons.

This race has been won by some decent horses, probably none better than Lizard’s Desire who Mike de Kock took to Dubai and came literally, within a hair’s breadth of winning the then world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup.

This year, sadly, only eight runners are carded to go to post and there are no visiting horses.

Nevertheless, if one looks beyond Fairy Knight, it is highly competitive. Half the field is made up of fillies and Greeff also has Joy And Peace in the field who is proven over 2000m and could well enjoy the move up to 2400m. Kendall Minnie has picked up the ride.

Also run on the day is the Listed Dahlia Plate for Juveniles over 1200m and trainer Gavin Smith could have the upper hand in this particular event as he saddles four decent runners.

Kingdundee, with Craig Zackey up, could be the best of the trio. This son of The United States impressed when beating winners on debut and showed signs of inexperience when defeated by unbeaten Splicethemainbrace last time out.

Third time out he should be ready for his best performance.

Stable companions Family Law, Silvonian and Happy Holly will all have their supporters too.

Interestingly, Greef has opted for Havana Grey to represent the yard so one has to take notice.

This Heavenly Blue filly was touched off on debut and won her second start. Both runs were on the Polytrack and she is open to improvement with Fourie retaining the ride.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 10 Five Star Magic, 2 Consigliere, 1 Resurgence, 5 Connection

Race 2: 5 Fantasy Girl, 8 Project Runway, 7 Miss Predator, 10 Thread Of Life

Race 3: 7 Anuschka’s World, 1 Holly’s View, 6 Raptor Island, 8 Joyous Jubilee

Race 4: 9 Soft Touch, 4 On The Guest List, 6 Lady Zultanite, 7 Maiden’s Cove

Race 5: 1 Grazinginthegrass, 2 Cherry Ano, 11 Kingdom Of Heaven, 3 Bush Tracker

Race 6: 3 Kingdundee, 11 Havana Grey, 10 Happy Holly, 4 Play Act

Race 7: 1 Fairy Knight, 5 Joy And Peace, 6 Amazing Colours, 7 Public Benefit

Race 8: 5 Central City, 1 Official Secret, 4 Dowser, 3 Say Yes

Race 9: 4 Body Electric, 3 Princess Deb’s, 1 Chere For Me, 6 Cabaret

BEST BET

Race 7 No 1 Fairy Knight

VALUE BET

Race 4 No 9 Soft Touch

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 5×8

BIPOT

R96

Leg 1: 5, 8

Leg 2: 1, 7

Leg 3: 4, 6, 7, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 3, 10, 11

Leg 6: 1

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 7

Leg 2: 4, 6, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2

Leg 4: 3, 11

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 1, 4, 5

Leg 7: 1, 3, 4

PICK 6

R960

Leg 1: 4, 6, 7, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2

Leg 3: 3, 4, 10, 11

Leg 4: 1

Leg 5: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 6, 10

JACKPOT 1

R48

Leg 1: 1, 2

Leg 2: 3, 4, 10, 11

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

JACKPOT 2

R120

Leg 1: 3, 4, 10, 11

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6, 10

The Dee Stakes, named after the river that runs alongside the racecourse, was first run in 1813.

The last horse to win both the Dee Stakes, run today over a mile and two-and-a-half furlongs, and the Epsom Derby was the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Kris Kin (Kris S.) in 2003, although he is regarded as one of the Derby’s worst winners.

The Dee Stakes’ most famous winner was probably Touchstone (Camel), an 1831-born late maturer who won the St. Leger as well as two Ascot Gold Cups and two Doncaster Cups before going on to sire three Epsom Derby winners and be a leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland on four occasions.