Kommetdieding wins the 2021 Durban July

Kommetdieding won the 2021 Vodacom Durban July over 2,200m at Greyville racecourse in Durban on Saturday afternoon.

Due to the coronavirus the Durban July was hosted behind closed doors for the second year in succession. But what Africa’s premier horse race lacked in atmosphere at the racecourse, it made up for in heaps of excitement with the field loaded with quality horses.

Linebacker came second, Got The Greenlight third and Do It Again finished fourth in the 125^th running of the Durban July.

Jockey Gavin Lerena guided Kommetdieding, out the gates from the worst draw of 18, to the win. The horse is trained by Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix. Lerena had to shed plenty of weight before the race to make the grade.

Cape-based trainer Justin Snaith was chasing a fourth straight win of the Durban July, following victories with Do It Again (2018 and 2019) and Belgarion (last year).

The 3/1 favourite Got The Greenlight, runner-up last year, was hoping to give Johannesburg-based trainer Joey Soma his first Durban July victory after a 63-day break since his last run.

Soma said before the race: “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

He added: “Our preparations have gone well. But, in the end, it’s enough that he does his best.”

Leading three-year-old Linebacker was the second favourite at 4/1, following victories at the Cape Derby, KwaZulu-Natal Guineas and Daily News 2000 over the last few months.

Earlier, Supreme Quest won the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup, Bard of Avon won race two, and Shango – a reserve for the Durban July – won race three. Nebraas surprised many with a win of the DStv Gold Vase, Desert Miracle – Mike de Kock’s sole horse on the day – romped home to win the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, and Waterberry Lane claimed the Durban Golden Horseshoe.