Former Aiden O’Brien-trained Irish colt 25-1 for the July

The Equator has been priced up at 25-1 by Hollywoodbets for the 2025 Durban July, which might turn out to be excellent value for an adventurous punter. Or not.

The surprise entry for South Africa’s premier horse race blindsided most July watchers. And an explanation that the Irish-bred colt had been imported primarily with stud duties in mind seemed to lull many observers into overlooking his racing credentials.

Top pedigree

The facts are: The Equator won once in six starts in Ireland and England and finished second twice. He was considered good enough to run at Royal Ascot. Yet it seems he was deemed surplus to requirements by trainer Aiden O’Brien.

However, scratch the surface and a more promising picture emerges.

O’Brien, it should be remembered, is the world’s most successful trainer, so even a cast-off from his Balldoyle stable might be a long way off a dud.

Most significantly, The Equator’s pedigree is quite fabulous.

He is a son of Galileo, one of the greatest racehorses of his time and certainly one of the greatest stallions of all time – being champion sire of Ireland and Great Britain a remarkable 12 times.

The mother, Quiet Reflection, a granddaughter of two standout stallions in Oasis Dream and Haafd, was Britain’s Cartier Champion Sprinter in 2016.

With that blood in his veins, and being from Galileo’s final crop, it’s no wonder the proprietors of breeding powerhouse Coolmore decided to keep The Equator for their own racing enjoyment. He was a fine specimen – a big bay like his dad, with a sassy walk – who O’Brien was quite excited about.

Outing at Royal Ascot

In the famous blue and orange colours of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Sue Magnier, The Equator made his debut as a juvenile at Leopardstown racecourse in July 2023 – as 2-1 favourite with star jockey Ryan Moore in the irons. He finished fourth, but trainer and rider praised the way he ran to the line.

An eight-month break followed, which didn’t seem to bother the colt as he won easily by 3.25 lengths next time out at the same venue, ridden by Wayne Lordan.

The connections were encouraged enough to take The Equator to Royal Ascot in June 2024, where he finished fifth in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase – with stable-elect Illinois winning the race under Moore.

The Equator was runner-up in his next two races, at Navan and York.

In November 2024, his three-parts sister Lake Victoria stretched her unbeaten record to five from five when taking out the Breeders’ Cup Fillies Juvenile Sprint at Del Mar in California.

Just days before that spectacular action, South African horse owner Willem Ackerman bought The Equator on the UK’s Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale, along with three other notable thoroughbreds. At Ackerman’s side giving advice was former South African champion trainer Paul Peter, whose son Tony now has The Equator in training at his Turffontein yard and might be saddling the big fellow at Greyville on 5 July.

More than stud duties

It’s been reported that The Equator will, at some date, retire to Nigel Riley’s Heversham Farm stud outside Joburg, where the likes of Jackson, MK’s Pride and Pomodoro already stand. The latter, of course, is a Durban July winner.

Thoughts about impending stud duties were, unusually, to the fore when the 61 first entries for the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July were unveiled at the weekend.

Cape Town Met champion Eight On Eighteen was among the names, despite his connections speculating publicly that he might not be in the final line-up for the R5-million showpiece – with the Daily News 2000 and Champions Cup potentially offering better value in terms of stud fees.

Also nominated was last year’s July winner Oriental Charm, who is already being featured in stallion adverts for the coming covering season at Drakenstein Stud.

If breeding shed notions are putting punters and bookmakers off The Equator, they’re certainly not distracting them from the other two entires. Eight On Eighteen and Oriental Charm share the top rungs of the odds boards at 5-1 and 6-1.

Notable absentees from the first draft of 61 July hopefuls were Cosmic Speed, Garrix and All Out For Six, all of whom had attracted ante-post betting money.