Durban July is open for business at Hollywoodbets

Ante-post betting on South Africa’s biggest horse race, the Durban July, has been officially opened by the race’s sponsor Hollywoodbets.

Sharing favouritism at 5-1 are See It Again and Mucho Dinero – both of whom race in the colours of prolific owner Nic Jonsson. Michael Roberts-trained See It Again was runner-up in the 2023 July, while Mucho Dinero has recently won four races in a row in Cape Town and is talked about as Snaith Racing’s “July horse”.

Winners of the weekend’s Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein, Gimme A Nother (11-2) and Sandringham Summit (13-2) respectively, are next in the odds.

Recent Cape Town Met winner Double Superlative – another Jonsson charge – is quoted at 12-1, while 2023 July champion Winchester Mansion is at 16-1.

This is probably the earliest anyone has opened a public book on a race in this country in recent years – a full five months before the July starter’s bell is due to clang at Greyville racecourse on 6 July.

Long-range interest

And it’s about 10 weeks before the deadline for first entries in mid-April.

Hollywoodbets, a phenomenally successful bookmaking firm – that grew from small beginnings in Durban and has lately come to the financial rescue of swathes of the country’s racing industry – is intent on stirring up long-range interest in the Grade 1, R5-million, race that now bears its name.

It has posted the names of 33 top-ranked horses on its initial betting board. Many of these horses will not be in the eventual 18-horse lineup, while others might well be.

In 2023, there were 73 first entries.

It is important to note that bets placed on non-runners are not refundable (see the ante-post rules below).

The attraction of ante-post betting is that punters can get longer odds on early fancies than might be the case closer to race time. Punters can, of course, ask for odds on horses not yet quoted.

In 2023, Hollywoodbets’ opening ante-post price (in April) on eventual winner Winchester Mansion was 50-1.

A quick perusal of this year’s odds throws up tempting longshots like Zeus (20-1), who also won at Turffontein on Saturday; 2023 Summer Cup victor Royal Victory (33-1) and joint 50-1 offerings Royal Aussie and William Iron Arm.

Given her facile Fillies Guineas win and the sky-high praise of her trainer Mike de Kock, Gimme A Nother’s 11-2 might end up the best value we’ll get on her.

Here are the Hollywoodbets terms and conditions for ante-post bets:

An ante-post bet is a bet on a medium to long term feature race or event.

In the case of weather or outside influences that cause an event to be postponed or rescheduled to another day, then all ante-post bets shall stand.

Ante-post bets may include runners that do not ultimately participate in the race or event and bets wagered on such will be considered losers. These races/events may be referred to as “all-in” events.

No deduction shall be taken on scratching from ante-post all-in races or events.

A multiple bet that includes an ante-post leg will be a losing bet in the event the ante-post selection does not participate or run.

An ante-post bet will be void where the race on which the ante-post bet has been placed is officially abandoned, the conditions of the race altered or if the venue of the race has been changed. In these circumstances any multiple bet, which includes this selection, will be paid out on the remaining selections.

2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July betting:

5-1 See It Again, Mucho Dinero
11-2 Gimme A Nother
13-2 Sandringham Summit
12-1 Double Superlative
16-1 Winchester Mansion, Rascallion, Sugar Mountain
20-1 At My Command, Cousin Casey, Main Defender, Safe Passage, Zeus
25-1 Dave The King
33-1 Without Question, Silver Sanctuary, Green With Envy, Unzen, Royal Victory
40-1 Puerto Manzano, Snow Pilot, Hluhluwe, Purple Pitcher, Atticus Finch, Pacaya, Champagne Cocktail
50-1 Royal Aussie, William Iron Arm
66-1 Montien, Son Of Raj, Litigation, Make It Snappy
100-1 Anfields Rocket