Rainbow Bridge gets top weight in July and slips in the betting

The Eric Sands-trained six-year-old has slipped from his spot at the top of the betting boards last week to be 5-1 third favourite – below Got The Greenlight and Linebacker.

Four-year-old Got The Greenlight, runner-up in the 2020 July, is the new favourite at 3-1 after being assigned 55kg. Three-year-old Linebacker, who has slipped half a point to 9-2, got the minimum impost of 53kg.

Thirty-one horses were weighted for the country’s biggest race at the final supplementary stage on Tuesday – most of the males under sufferance at 53kg and three of the females at their minimum of 52kg – including Triple Tiara champ and 12-1 July shot War Of Athena.

The latter is also entered for the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes on July day, for which she has been given 59kg and, significantly, has drawn the extreme inside starting stall – giving trainer Paul Matchett plenty to think about.

The July barrier draw takes place next week, on 22 June, when the final field of 18 runners and two reserves will be announced. Final declarations – including final jockey bookings – will be made the previous day at 11am.

Meanwhile, trainers Eric Sands and Justin Snaith have already declared some riders.

Luke Ferraris, who steered Rainbow Bridge to recent triumphs in the Cape Town Met, Drill Hall Stakes and Gold Challenge, predictably stays aboard the superstar for Sands.

Snaith’s stable jockey Richard Fourie has opted for dual July winner (2018 and 2019) Do It Again over Belgarion, who he steered to victory in 2020. Former national champion S’Manga Khumalo gets the nod on 9-1 shot Belgarion, who must shoulder second-top weight of 58kg.

Craig Zackey rides another Snaith entry, Nexus (53kg, 66-1), while rising star Luyolo Mxothwa partners stable mate Crown Towers (53kg, 40-1).

Snaith has a further three entries among the 31 left in the race – who might or might not crack the golden invitation for 3 July.

Latest July betting:

3-1 Got The Greenlight

9-2 Linebacker

5-1 Rainbow Bridge

8-1 Kommetdieding

9-1 Belgarion, Rascallion

12-1 Do It Again, War Of Athena

25-1 She’s A Keeper

40-1 and upwards the others

Weights for the Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July over 2200m:

Rainbow Bridge   (6G)   60      134     A         Eric Sands

Belgarion    (5G)   58       130    A         Justin Snaith

Do It Again (6G)   57,5    129     A         Justin Snaith

Got The Greenlight        (4C)   55       124     AT      Joe Soma

ExpressFromTheUS      (4G)   54       122     A         Stuart Pettigrew

Sovereign Spirit   (5G)   54       122     BA      Candice Bass-Robinson

Linebacker (3G)   53       124     A         Vaughan Marshal

Rascallion   (3G)   53       123     A         Vaughan Marshal

Kommetdieding   (3C)   53       122     A         HWJ Crawford/M Rix

Cirillo           (5H)   53       120    A         Sean Tarry

Shah Akbar (3C)   53       119     AT      Sean Tarry

Doublemint           (6G)   53       118     A         Justin Snaith

Crown Towers (AUS)    (5G)   53       117      A M    Justin Snaith

Nexus           (5G)   53       117      A         Justin Snaith

Atyaab (AUS)        (5G)   53       114     A         Zietsman Oosthuizen

Tristful        (5G)   53       113     A         Tony Rivalland

Shango         (4G)   53       111      BAT   Sean Tarry

Flying Carpet        (3C)   53       110     AT      Sean Tarry

Silver Host (4G)   53       110     A         Justin Snaith

Divine Odyssey     (6G)   53       109    BA      J A Janse van Vuuren

Tree Tumbo          (4G)   53       109    A         Sean Tarry

Johnny Hero         (4G)   53       106    BA      Tyrone Zackey

African Night Sky            (7G)   53       105     A         Justin Snaith

Pack Leader           (6G)   53       105     AT      Alec Laird

Azores          (4G)   53       104    A         Dean Kannemeyer

Super Silvano       (4G)   53       104    A         Brett Crawford

Matterhorn            (4G)   53       101     A         Alyson Wright

Running Brave     (5M)  52,5   119     A         Fanie Bronkhorst

War Of Athena     (3F)   52       122     A         Paul Matchett

Seeham        (4F)  52       107     A         Sean Tarry

She’s A Keeper     (4F)   52       96       A         Gareth Van Zyl