Meet the Hollywoodbets Durban July race favourite

It's all systems go for the R5m Hollywoodbets Durban July at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday.

Silver Darling on course. Young Designer finalist Hlonela Danisa's creation modelled by Eden Radebe; DFF Rising Star Sandile Mngadi's design modelled by Lungelo Mthimkhulu; Martin John's ensemble modelled by Nomfundo Khumalo (back) at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops which took place at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse last week. Photo: Ant Grote, Gameplan Media.

OUT OF 18 equine stars in the field for this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ), the favourite for the race is the KZN-based See It Again.

Owned by Nick Jonsson of Jonssons’ Workwear fame and trained by Michael Roberts, See It Again will be ridden by veteran star Piere Strydom, who, at 57, seeks to become the oldest jockey ever to win the ‘July’.

Having ridden more than 5 500 winners throughout his career, Strydom was set to retire about a year ago when See It Again came into his life as a jockey was needed to ride the horse in the Splashout Cape Derby earlier this year.

Strydom and See It Again produced a flying finish to defeat Champion Colt, Charles Dickens. See It Again wrapped up a perfect July preparation with a fluent win in the Daily News 2000 (Gr 1) at the end of May.

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Strydom has won the July four times previously, the most recent when steering The Conglomerate to a surprise win in 2016.

The Michael Roberts-trained See It Again. Photo: John Lewis, Gameplan Media.

See It Again was bred at the Gaynor Rupert-owned Drakenstein Stud. This high-quality breeding operation, based in Franschhoek in the Western Cape, is the breeder of seven of the 18 horses in the race, in itself a South African record. Five of these horses will race in the blue-and-white silks of the Drakenstein Stud, including the well-fancied Winchester Mansion who is trained by Brett Crawford.

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With so many records up for grabs at this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, pace and tactics will play a large role in the outcome. Dave The King, partly owned by golfing legend Gary Player, is one of the likely pacemakers and if allowed to control matters upfront, it is not inconceivable that he could go all the way.

But for See It Again, Piere Strydom, Michael Roberts and Nick Jonsson, July 1, 2023 is their date with destiny.

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