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When the gong sounds for the start of the main event at Greyville next Saturday, 25 May, no quarter will be given. The Grade 1 Daily News 2000 represents make-or-break for most of the field in the quest for a place on the grid of the Hollywoodbets Durban July six weeks down the line.
Only a dozen entries were received for the Daily News – and a similar number for the day’s accompanying feature, the Tabgold Woolavington 2000 – probably is due to the quality, intensity and desperation expected in Grade 1 combat.
All 12 Daily News nominees are July hopefuls, but only three of them are guaranteed a spot in the line-up on 6 July – based on the first top 20 July Log of “likelies” published this week. Four of the Daily News candidates sit near the bottom of the July top 20 log and could be displaced by form thrusters in coming weeks. And as many as five of those potential thrusters might be in opposition next weekend.
Green With Envy, authoritative winner of the recent WSB Guineas at Greyville, is a warm favourite for both the Daily News (8-10) and the July 3-1) and trainer Dean Kannemeyer will be using this as the three-year old’s springboard into the big one. Green With Envy sits pretty at No 5 on the July Log.
Others in comfortable Log positions are Pure Predator and Snow Pilot, at No 7 and 11 respectively.
Daily News entries Hluhluwe, Hotarubi, Oriental Charm and William Iron Arm are in the upper teens of July contention and will be under pressure from Barbaresco, Flag Man, Jordan, Mid Winter Wind and The Grey King. None in the latter group cracked the top 20 nod or the “next six” – on the bench – list.
In the Woolavington – which was changed to an all-ages female, weight-for-age, race last year – only Brett Crawford-trained Frances Ethel is in the July top 20. Indeed, she is the only female in that elite company.
She opened as the Woolavington favourite at 7-2 when first entries were unveiled this week.
On the July “next six” is the filly Saartjie – who won last weekend’s East Coast Cup over course and distance but who the handicappers kept at a merit rating of 110.
Two other Woolavington entries on the July Log’s next six are My Soul Mate and Silver Sanctuary, both of whom have higher MRs than some males that made the top 20 and who will surely be promoted if they shine in this prep of preps.
Declarations for both features close at 11am on Tuesday 22 May.
1 William Iron Arm 60 117 Tony Peter
2 Flag Man 60 92 Gareth van Zyl
3 Jordan 60 97 Sean Tarry
4 Pure Predator 60 119 Fanie Bronkhorst
5 Oriental Charm 60 118 Brett Crawford
6 Mid Winter Wind 60 116 Sean Tarry
7 Green With Envy 60 123 Dean Kannemeyer
8 Hluhluwe 60 117 Justin Snaith
9 Barbaresco 60 109 J A Janse van Vuuren
10 The Grey King 60 96 Justin Snaith
11 Hotarubi 60 116 Sean Tarry
12 Snow Pilot 60 120 Justin Snaith
1 Silver Sanctuary 57.5 116 Mike de Kock
2 Frances Ethel 57.5 118 Brett Crawford
3 Perfect Witness 60 105 Candice Dawson
4 Future Girl 60 97 Brett Crawford
5 Saartjie 60 110 Andre Nel
6 Gilded Butterfly 60 108 Stuart Pettigrew
7 None Other 60 110 Lucky Houdalakis
8 My Soul Mate 57.5 115 Candice Dawson
9 Beating Wings 57.5 114 Stuart Pettigrew
10 Hold My Hand 60 108 Glen Kotzen
11 Bellevarde 60 110 Joe Soma
12 Minogue 57.5 102 Wendy Whitehead
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