Rainbow Bridge, South Africa’s top-rated racehorse, has been allotted top weight of 60kg for the 2021 Vodacom Durban July to be run at Greyville racecourse on 3 July. Picture: Supplied
The Eric Sands-trained six-year-old has slipped from his spot at the top of the betting boards last week to be 5-1 third favourite – below Got The Greenlight and Linebacker.
Four-year-old Got The Greenlight, runner-up in the 2020 July, is the new favourite at 3-1 after being assigned 55kg. Three-year-old Linebacker, who has slipped half a point to 9-2, got the minimum impost of 53kg.
Thirty-one horses were weighted for the country’s biggest race at the final supplementary stage on Tuesday – most of the males under sufferance at 53kg and three of the females at their minimum of 52kg – including Triple Tiara champ and 12-1 July shot War Of Athena.
The latter is also entered for the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes on July day, for which she has been given 59kg and, significantly, has drawn the extreme inside starting stall – giving trainer Paul Matchett plenty to think about.
The July barrier draw takes place next week, on 22 June, when the final field of 18 runners and two reserves will be announced. Final declarations – including final jockey bookings – will be made the previous day at 11am.
Meanwhile, trainers Eric Sands and Justin Snaith have already declared some riders.
Luke Ferraris, who steered Rainbow Bridge to recent triumphs in the Cape Town Met, Drill Hall Stakes and Gold Challenge, predictably stays aboard the superstar for Sands.
Snaith’s stable jockey Richard Fourie has opted for dual July winner (2018 and 2019) Do It Again over Belgarion, who he steered to victory in 2020. Former national champion S’Manga Khumalo gets the nod on 9-1 shot Belgarion, who must shoulder second-top weight of 58kg.
Craig Zackey rides another Snaith entry, Nexus (53kg, 66-1), while rising star Luyolo Mxothwa partners stable mate Crown Towers (53kg, 40-1).
Snaith has a further three entries among the 31 left in the race – who might or might not crack the golden invitation for 3 July.
3-1 Got The Greenlight
9-2 Linebacker
5-1 Rainbow Bridge
8-1 Kommetdieding
9-1 Belgarion, Rascallion
12-1 Do It Again, War Of Athena
25-1 She’s A Keeper
40-1 and upwards the others
Rainbow Bridge (6G) 60 134 A Eric Sands
Belgarion (5G) 58 130 A Justin Snaith
Do It Again (6G) 57,5 129 A Justin Snaith
Got The Greenlight (4C) 55 124 AT Joe Soma
ExpressFromTheUS (4G) 54 122 A Stuart Pettigrew
Sovereign Spirit (5G) 54 122 BA Candice Bass-Robinson
Linebacker (3G) 53 124 A Vaughan Marshal
Rascallion (3G) 53 123 A Vaughan Marshal
Kommetdieding (3C) 53 122 A HWJ Crawford/M Rix
Cirillo (5H) 53 120 A Sean Tarry
Shah Akbar (3C) 53 119 AT Sean Tarry
Doublemint (6G) 53 118 A Justin Snaith
Crown Towers (AUS) (5G) 53 117 A M Justin Snaith
Nexus (5G) 53 117 A Justin Snaith
Atyaab (AUS) (5G) 53 114 A Zietsman Oosthuizen
Tristful (5G) 53 113 A Tony Rivalland
Shango (4G) 53 111 BAT Sean Tarry
Flying Carpet (3C) 53 110 AT Sean Tarry
Silver Host (4G) 53 110 A Justin Snaith
Divine Odyssey (6G) 53 109 BA J A Janse van Vuuren
Tree Tumbo (4G) 53 109 A Sean Tarry
Johnny Hero (4G) 53 106 BA Tyrone Zackey
African Night Sky (7G) 53 105 A Justin Snaith
Pack Leader (6G) 53 105 AT Alec Laird
Azores (4G) 53 104 A Dean Kannemeyer
Super Silvano (4G) 53 104 A Brett Crawford
Matterhorn (4G) 53 101 A Alyson Wright
Running Brave (5M) 52,5 119 A Fanie Bronkhorst
War Of Athena (3F) 52 122 A Paul Matchett
Seeham (4F) 52 107 A Sean Tarry
She’s A Keeper (4F) 52 96 A Gareth Van Zyl
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
