What sticks out on a sticky morning at Hollywoodbets Durban July public gallops?

The buns have always been “sticky” at the annual Hollywoodbets Durban July public gallops, as they are wolfed down with coffee early on a Greyville morning.

Intently watching thundering hooves in hopes of finding the winner of Africa’s biggest horse race, to be held next weekend, is another rather sticky business.

No horses are more closely scrutinised than these. Each year, the contest grabs the racing world’s imagination and a free exposition of the runners’ readiness, 10 days before the event, drawing a multitude of eyeballs – on track and on live TV.

So, what did we learn from the 2024 July gallops on Thursday?

Not much. As per usual. When well-bred, well-performed thoroughbreds get to this peak of fitness they are ravishing and the enthusiast’s eye struggles to grade them.

July winners generally don’t put up a lousy public gallops. This time, in terms of trimming down our lists of fancies, there wasn’t much joy, with no truly crummy performances – outside of reserve runner Hluhluwe, who looked like he’d seen the ghost of Sea Cottage.

Flag Man

Expert pundits reckon the most impressive gallop was that of Flag Man, the surprise package who leapt from nowhere to top contender in a flash with his amazing second-place effort in the Daily News 2000, the principal three-year-old preparatory race for the July.

The chestnut from local trainer Gareth van Zyl’s yard worked alone, accelerating smoothly down the final stretch to post one of the faster 400m-to-finish times.

The horse that hung on to beat Flag Man in the Daily News, Green With Envy, also galloped alone and also deeply impressed. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer’s colt is a deserving favourite for the big race.

The second favourite for the R5-million spectacle on 6 July is See It Again, runner-up in 2023, worked with two unnamed companions, loping along behind them for a couple of furlongs before slipping past, up the inside running on the turn, and streaking clear.

Big-race jockey Piere Strydom later reported his charge eased up halfway up the straight, as if he knew he had the beating of those stablemates and felt a tad lazy in Durban’s muggy morning air.

We do know, though, that this strapping chestnut is no shirker and will fight bravely when put to a real test.

Screened gallops

Eight of this year’s July field of 18 are completing their preparations on the Highveld – more than usual, and after Winchester Mansion’s last-minute victory raid last year – so plenty of pre-recorded gallops were screened.

The video footage from Randjesfontein and Turffontein has never been of the best quality – annoyingly – but, from what we could make out, the grey Barbaresco, dual Grade 1 winner Purple Pitcher and stamina horse Future Pearl appeared to move well.

The public gallops didn’t have much impact on the Durban July betting through Thursday, with only Barbaresco shortening slightly (from 30-1 to 25-1) and Future Swing (11-2 to 7-1), Oriental Charm (15-2 to 10-1) and Double Superlative (25-1 to 33-1) easing.