Trust is led in after winning the Dingaans (JC Photos)
The Dingaans winner is invariably viewed as a July prospect and this year there looks to be a fine chance of that coming to fruition.
The Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained Heavenly Blue colt Trust was the Jackpot City Dingaans winner this year and on Saturday he faces an important stepping stone race into the Hollywoodbets Durban July, the Gr 3 WSB 1900.
Trust looks to be taking a merit rating protecting route and will likely avoid the traditional Champion Season event for the best three-year-old middle distance horses, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000.
Running close up in the latter race will see his merit rating potentially leaping many points, whereas the WSB 1900 is a merit rated band event.
His gross 110 merit rating become a nett of 105 over this distance in the month of May and that puts him in the 102 to 106 band, who all carry 54kg.
He is officially 1,5kg under sufferance with the best weight runner Son Of Raj, but looks to be a progressive sort and the way he was running on when runner up in the Gr 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m suggests he will relish this trip.
However, against him is a draw of ten.
Serino Moodley knows him well and will have a plan.
Trust looks to be the class act of the field and is the one to beat.
Trust’s high profile owners are Larry Nestadt, Gary Player and Lindsay Ralphs and family. None of them have won the July before, although Nestadt has gone close on a number of occasions and the memory of those near misses will make victory this year all the more sweet .
Regulation will be a horse who will be going all out to win this race as he has a merit rating of 105 and has a bit to do to qualify for the July. He ran an eyecatching race in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day. He had nowhere to go towards the inside in the straight, but after finally being able to switch outward into space he produced a low flying finish for an unlucky 2,75 length third. If he manages to reproduce that run after a four month layoff he will be a big runner in the WSB 1900, although JP van der Merwe will have to negotiate a tricky draw of eight in the ten horse field.
The Ultimate King is a borderline July horse too, because although he is rated 117 and has good form he does not have top form and a Gr 3 is his biggest win. It might take more to qualify this year with a R10 million stake up for grabs, so look for a bold bid from him from draw six.
Imilenzeyokududuma is a talented sort and from pole position could put his recent uninspiring form behind him. He is capable of a strong finish and gets his first plum draw since finishing second in an A Stakes race over 1400m last August.
Isivivane, drawn two, will also be out to run a big race, as he will need to improve on his 104 merit rating to be considered for the July final field. He has quite a tough task at the weights on Saturday being 2kg under sufferance with Son Of Raj.
Ahead Of The Facts is a useful stayer and is likely using this race as a preparation for races like the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, Gold Vase and Gold Cup.
Holding Thumbs is also a good stayer, but trainer Glen Kotzen also views him as classy enough to qualify for the July. He is rated high enough on 119 to get into the July, but is his middle distance form good enough? He will likely be going all out to win it and is not without a chance considering he finished just a shorthead behind My Best Shot in the Algoa Cup over 2000m at Fairview when receiving just half-a-kilogram.
Master Redoute was the Gold Cup winner two years ago and was not disgraced in the July that year either. He ran an encouraging race on WSB Met day in the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m, as if followed a string of disappointing runs. He will be out to impress in the 1900 on Saturday.
Son Of Raj has run twice in the July, but has never threatened to be a serious factor. He will need to improve on his recent form.
Native Ruler ran a cracker in the July last year and should be a big runner here, although he has to overcome a wide draw and carries topweight of 62kg. However, Andrew Fortune is aboard and should be able to get the best out of him.
It is going to be an intriguing race and as always will have an impact on the Hollywodbets Durban July betting market.
