Greyville racecourse will host the annual Durban July on 6 July. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The scratching of superstar Gimme A Nother from the Hollywoodbets Durban July – along with the outcome of the WSB 1900, a traditional July pointer – has seen a shake-up in betting for the big race on 6 July.
Ruling favourite Green With Envy shortened to 3-1 from 15-4. Second favourite See It Again tightened, 11-2 to 5-1.
Future Swing, winner of the 1900 at Greyville on Saturday, was trimmed from 14-1 to 10s – having been a remote 33-1 at the opening call. Oriental Charm, runner-up in Saturday’s 1900, plummeted to 14-1, having once been available at 100-1.
Victims of the shake-up were Royal Victory (7-1 to 8-1) and July defending champion Winchester Mansion (10-1 to 12-1).
The decision made by master trainer Mike de Kock to withdraw unbeaten three-year-old Gimme A Nother at the July’s first declaration stage on Monday was not a complete shock – just mildly surprising as she was among the first entries unveiled three weeks ago and bookmakers had kept her near the top of their ante-post betting boards for months.
A decision not to subject the young and very valuable Gimme A Nother to the rough and tumble of the Durban July is probably wise in the broad scheme of things. The Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes for females on July day will be an easier target – with presumably the Grade 1 Woolavington later this month also on the agenda.
In terms of the July, there is always next year if owner Mauritzfontein decides to continue racing her. And there’s the Cape Town Met if “majors” are on the agenda.
De Kock also scratched Safe Passage from the July after a dismal showing in the 1900. The one-time stable star hasn’t won in nearly two years and seems to have lost his competitive edge.
This leaves De Kock with five potential runners as he bids for a sixth July victory, the shortest priced among them being Aragosta at 40-1.
A total of 13 horses were taken out by the 11am declaration deadline, with no other fancied candidates among them – leaving 46 hopefuls for the R5-million Grade 1 race over 2200m.
Main Defender – the horse that caused all the trouble at Greyville on what was supposed to be Guineas day, with an angry mob getting the meeting called off after the gelding registered an elevated pre-race alkalinity reading and had to be scratched – has stood his ground for the July.
Operator Gold Circle has handed 28 individuals five-year bans from its premises in the wake of that debacle.
3-1 Green With Envy
5-1 See It Again
8-1 Royal Victory
10-1 Future Swing
12-1 Winchester Mansion, Mucho Dinero
14-1 Oriental Charm
16-1 Hluhluwe
20-1 Purple Pitcher, Without Question, Pure Predator, Snow Pilot
25-1 William Iron Arm
33-1 Royal Aussie, Cousin Casey, Frances Ethel
40-1 Lucky Lad, Aragosta, Master Redoute, Ponte Pietre
50-1 Main Defender, Dave The King, Hotarubi, Mid Winter Wind
66-1 and upwards the others
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