TEN YEAR RECAP
2021 – KOMMETDIEDING
It was a triumph for the small stable at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday as Kommetdieding ran the race of his life to win the Vodacom Durban July. An emotional Harold Crawford has been part of the supporting cast in the Western Cape for over four decades, never quite in the spotlight, but it was firmly focussed on him and his daughter Michelle Rix yesterday. Gavin Lerena rode a masterful race to get the colt home ahead of the two favourites Linebacker and Got The Greenlight with Do It Again a tad unlucky in fourth.
It was also a triumph for the small owner as Ashwin Reynolds, confined to barracks on the Cape Flats in Cape Town under the level four lockdown. "I just see Kommetdieding on the outside and I just said go, take it home," he said. It was a subdued Reynolds who had earlier lost a good friend to the dreaded Covid virus.
Reynolds, who reportedly turned down tempting telephone number offers early on, became the first person of colour to own a Vodacom Durban July winner and Kommetdieding is also the first horse with an Afrikaans name on the illustrious roll of honour.
A remarkably calm Michelle Rix said it, "still feels so surreal and wonderful. We came here and had one race in mind and you know with these horses it is stepping stones all the way. Obviously were a little disappointed with his two runs in KZN and we knew he was better than that and we had tough times ahead of us to prove it to everybody. Ashwin is truly one in a million. I'm at a loss for words for the time and the free reign he gives us to do our job."
Lerena also thanked Billy Jacobson who rode Kommetdieding work in the mornings with Lerena riding in Gauteng.
In the race, "I was very happy where I was. I was three deep. I just wanted him to find his rhythm. He's a young horse, and immature horse and I didn't want him to get knocked around.
He was settled that I was able to make a move at the 800 and keep Do It Again in there and when I asked him for an effort in the straight inside the 300 he game me a real good kick this horse and ran all the way to the line."
Lerena, had to shed 4kg to make the 53kg allotted Kommetdieding. "It's been a tough four weeks but I took on the challenge and I came here today feeling strong and looking forward to today's ride and it's just beautiful when a plan comes together."
Asked whether he had now got the monkey of a July winner off his back, he quipped, "I might eat a monkey tonight."
THE FIRST SIX PAST THE POST IN THE 2021 VODACOM DURBAN JULY WERE:-
1.KOMMETDIEDING
2.LINEBACKER
3.GOT THE GREENLIGHT
4.DO IT AGAIN
5.RASCALLION
6.SOVEREIGN SPIRIT
2020 – BELGARION – SNAITH No. 5
Saturday 25 July 2020 (Covid enforced "Behind Closed Doors") – It was a plan that came together in spectacular fashion as favourite Belgarion gave trainer Justin Snaith his fifth winner of the Vodacom Durban July in front of an empty grandstand at Hollywoodbets Greyville. It was also a third win for jockey Richard Fourie as the Alec and Gillian Foster home-bred sailed home ahead of Got The Greenlight and Do It Again who came within a length of pulling off a record third straight win in the race.
"He was a horse with problems last year so we took our time and planned to go into this race with a light weight," said Snaith. "It was thanks to the Foster's patience, they are staunch supporters of South African racin g, and they will be enjoying a glass of wine in England."
"We planned this from six months back," echoed Fourie who gave his mount the perfect ride to record his seventh win from nine starts. Snaith planned the gelding's campaign to perfection to get him into the July with bottom weight for his age group and was always bullish of his chances. "He won't be carrying 53kg in next year's July," he promised during the week.
It was also a smart tactical race from the stable as Silvano's Pride took July rookie Serino Moodley on a merry tour of the track as she set a blistering pace which earned him a reprimand from the Stipendiary Stewards. At one stage she was almost 10 lengths clear of her nearest rival but the red light was flashing as the field swung for home. In fairness the strapping filly set out after early leader Padre Pio and once in front took a hold of the bit and set off for home.
Muzi Yeni, on second-placed Got The Greenlight, said his colt had every chance but had been a little quiet in the preliminaries which had been concerning but he had no excuses.
Warren Kennedy who rode second favourite Rainbow Bridge said the 2200m had been too far for his mount. "At the 300 we were cruising and I thought it would be a matter of how far, but he suddenly emptied out. He just didn't stay."
Donovan Dillon shed over 3.5kg to make the weight on Golden Ducat. "I made it just," he said before the race. He felt that the Cape Derby winner had run a tremendous race. "He will be a big runner next year," said Dillon.
Belgarion was the only favourite to oblige in the Pick 6 with the pool reaching the expected R15 million and paying out R13.6 million to 1.09 tickets.
BELGARION
GOT THE GREENLIGHT
GOLDEN DUCAT
2019 – DO IT AGAIN – DOES IT AGAIN!
Do It Again wrote himself into the record books as he became only the fourth horse in the 126-year history of the Vodacom Durban July to win back-to-back races, emulating El Picha 1999/2000, Milesia Pride 1949/50 and Campanajo who won the first two running's way back in 1897/98.
It was a superb performance from a super racehorse who stamped himself as head and shoulders above his peers.
Justin Snaith declared his hand early and would not hear of defeat for his champion in the build-up.
"He's the best horse in the country at weight for age and now he's shown that he's the best horse in the country whichever way you look at it."
Earlier in the week he declared, "I think 4/1 is a crazy price (about Do It Again). There is no ways he is a 4/1 shot in any race in South Africa you put him into. You can give him 65kg and he should be 2/1."
Prophetic words as Richard Fourie gave him the perfect ride, staying out of trouble and giving his mount a clear run to the line to hold off the challenge of Rainbow Bridge with Twist Of Fate third and Eyes Wide Open fourth.
Mike Rattray, one of the doyens of South African racing, will have to wait another year to have another go in the race he has most wanted to win. Rainbow Bridge was game in defeat but found one too good. "When I pressed the button I thought I had the race," said jockey Gavin Lerena. "He ran all the way to the line but we just couldn't get there."
The race was not without drama. Favourite Hawwaam's hot temperament is well documented and all seemed to be on track as he paraded without fuss. However, the last to be loaded into the starting stalls, he rushed the front gate and was released from his stall.
Anton Marcus was quick to jump off and Hawwaam was backed out. It was evident to all that Hawwaam was feeling the effects of his antics and the course vet had no choice but to withdraw him from the race. He said "We are here to put on a show and entertain, but I had no choice."
"It was the right decision," said a sporting Mike de Kock post-race. "The best horse won and I hope this doesn't make all the headlines."
It was poignant win for owners Bernard Kantor and Nic Jonsson and Helga Mitchell, whose husband Jack had passed away a month or two before raceday.
TWIST OF FATE
MIYABI GOLD
CAMPHORATUS
2018 – DO IT AGAIN – DOES IT IN STYLE
Staying true to its long established status as Africa's Greatest Horseracing Event in attracting the country's best horses and the biggest single day crowd at a sporting event, the 122nd running of the R4.25-million Vodacom Durban July was another outstanding success.
The horses, trainers, jockeys and the general public came from all corners of the country and many others travelled to Greyville from various overseas centres for the 2 200m event that is rated among the top iconic races in the world.
And from the Western Cape came a racing team that has grown in stature to become one of the leading yards with trainer Justin Snaith being installed as the champion conditioner for the season.
From that team came five of the 18 runners that faced the starter for the famous Grade 1 event and after the dust had settled and the result was posted, Snaith runners filled the first three places and another finished fifth. It was one of the most outstanding performances by a racing stable since the legendary trainer Terrance Millard dominated the racing scene in South Africa in the 1980s.
The Snaith runners headed the betting for the Vodacom Durban July with the Dynasty gelding African Night Sky topping the boards after his impressive victory in the Cup Trial. With top former South African jockey Jeff Lloyd – now riding very successfully in Australia – aboard the other Dynasty gelding from the Snaith team, Made To Conquer, and on a mission to finally win the big race that had eluded him, the four-year-old as well as another Snaith runner, Do It Again, were also among the shorter priced runners in the race.
Overall, it looked a very open race with a number of runners having performed admirably in their build-up feature events around the country displaying talent putting them in the picture as having the ability to feature prominently in the finish.
For "the Guv", with the race moving into its final stage, his bid for victory on Made To Conquer was looking pretty good as the field stormed down the home straight with stable companions African Night Sky, Elusive Silva and Do It Again looking dangerous along with Majestic Mambo and Rocket Countdown.
Aboard the Twice Over gelding Do It Again jockey Anton Marcus had his eye on favourite African Night Sky at the head of the field who he assessed was over racing as well as Made To Conquer that was staying on strongly. He made his bid on Do It Again down the centre of the track, swooping through to snatch the victory. Made To Conquer kept on to take second place ahead of Elusive Silva and Majestic Mambo with favourite African Night Sky in fifth place.
MADE TO CONQUER
ELUSIVE SILVA
MAJESTIC MAMBO
AFRICAN NIGHT SKY
ROCKET COUNTDOWN
2017 – MARINARESCO – WITH WIND IN HIS SAILS
Last year's runner up Marinaresco defied carrying the heaviest weight to race to a spectacular win under Bernard Fayd'Herbe to win the R4,25 million Vodacom Durban July at Greyville Racecourse, giving trainer Candice Bass-Robinson her maiden win in Africa's Greatest Horseracing Event.
Fayd'Herbe engineered a spectacular charge through the middle of the field in the closing two hundred metres to win from a resurgent Al Sahem and another pre-race favourite Edict Of Nantes edging ahead of outsider Krambambuli and the filly Nightingale.
There were joyous scenes on the track as Fayd'Herbe was congratulated by his brother Robert, who had overseen much of Marinaresco's training at the Bass yard at the Summerveld Training Centre.
The capacity crowd revelled in the fever pitch excitement as the thoroughbreds turned into the home straight, and needed replays to confirm that Marinaresco was indeed the 2017 champion.
The massive crowd then returned to the lavishly appointed s
uites and the vibrant Marquee Village to celebrate the occasion that will be remembered for its mild weather, and a distinct fashion leaning towards bling, glitz and glamour and away from the bizarre.
The totes did a brisk business throughout the day, and it was clear that, despite the reality of economic recession, racegoers were not going to curtail their extravagance on the day.
MARINARESCO
AL SAHEM
EDICT OF NANTES
KRAMBAMBULI
2016 – THE CONGLOMERATE – SURPRISES MANY
Thousands of punters and party-seekers braved the chilly July weather at Greyville Racecourse to enjoy the 120th instalment of Africa's Greatest Horseracing Event with the fabled seventh race enthralling all as unfancied The Conglomerate gave trainer Joey Ramsden his first Vodacom Durban July winner.
The seventh race lived up to the expectation with the final furlong producing all the action as the pre-race favourites all fell by the wayside which left The Conglomerate, starting from the extreme outside draw of eighteen and ridden by Vodacom Durban July veteran Piere Strydom, and Marinaresco to fight it out over the final lengths with the former winning and claiming the R4.25 Million prize with Mac de Lago finishing in third position.
A thrilled Strydom heaped praise on the four year old, saying he had more than enough to hold off the challenge from Marinaresco, with the fancied Bela-Bela failing to mount a challenge in the finish straight after straightening on the inside.
THE CONGLOMERATE
MAC DE LAGO (AUS)
SARATOGA DANCER
2015 – POWER KING– CROWNING GLORY
Winning trainer Dean Kannemeyer compared his victory on Saturday with his previous two July wins, "The first time I won it with Dynasty (2003) I was over the moon. When I won it with Eyeofthetiger (2006) it was just as exciting and today was even more exciting.
Owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, everybody wants to win the Vodacom Durban July. When you win the July you walk off the grandstand and it is like putting on your Springbok jersey and saying you have arrived. Gary Player says it's like winning The Masters.
Kannemeyer spoke of the continual improvement Power King had shown since being gelded last November and said he had also enjoyed an excellent preparation. He was well drawn and receiving weight from some of the three-year-olds.
Kannemeyer said, "On all of that we just needed a bit of luck. In the race I was very happy with where he was sitting. I was actually surprised. I thought he would be further back. So Stuey (Stuart Randolph) got him into a nice position, he came into the straight and had to look for room and then he quickened up well."
Regarding the objection he said, "You're always going to worry but the way I read the race was that the second horse was causing interference and my horse was staying in a straight line. But the decision was the right decision by the board so I was pleased about that."
THE FIRST SIX HORSES PAST THE POST IN THE 2015 VODACOM DURBAN JULY WERE:-
POWER KING
TELLINA
LEGAL EAGLE
2014 – LEGISLATE – WINS AFTER OBJECTION
There was high drama and a dramatic twist to the outcome of the 2014 Vodacom Durban July, with the final result resting with the stipendiary stewards.
An objection is not the scenario anyone would have wished for prior to the race and the result of this one will be debated ad nauseam for years to come.
Outsider Wylie Hall (33-1) and second favourite Legislate (5-1) fought a desperate duel over the final 600m with the pair coming together on at least four occasions. The official winning margin was a head with Futura third and Tellina in fourth.
The horses had barely cross the finishing line than jockey Richard Fourie raced back to lodge a protest. The general consensus on course was that the result would stand but after a lengthy deliberation the stipendiary stewards reversed the result, giving the race to Legislate.
As predicted, pace was always going to be a problem with no natural front-runner to set the gallop. As a result Richard Fourie took matters into his own hands and sent Legislate to the front.
"His instructions were to drop the horse in but he used his initiative," said assistant trainer Jonathan Snaith. "From his wide draw he went to the front and then moved onto the rail, forcing runners to go around him."
The first to go was Wylie Hall followed by Halve The Deficit with Legislate next best.
At the top of the straight Legislate moved in to challenge Wylie Hall and these two fought neck and neck to the line. However, after giving Wylie Hall an initial bump, Wylie Hall began shifting out and slowly carried Legislate across the track making contact on at least three occasions.
Bernard Fayd'Herbe, who was watching from behind on King Of Pain, said he thought the objection result was justified. "I watched "MJ" carrying Richard across and I said to him on the way back that I thought he was in trouble."
There were some other hard luck stories. In the early scrimmaging Louis The King clipped the heels of Captain America and nearly fell while Rake's Chestnut took a hefty bump and was forced very wide. Earlier, Captain America, who was pulling hard for his head, clipped the heels of In The Fast Lane and also pecked badly.
The victory cemented Justin Snaith's unassailable position at the top of the training log with less than a month of the season still to run.
WYLIE HALL (AUS)
IN THE FAST LANE
2013 – HEAVY METAL – SHINES BRIGHTLY
In true "July Day" tradition, Africa's greatest horseracing spectacle once again proved to be a magical experience with a capacity crowd of 55 000 cramming the Greyville course in Durban to witness another epic clash in Africa's most famous race, the R3.5-millio
n, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.
Not even a soggy and muddy outfield from overnight rain with the possibility of more to come could dampen the spirits of those stricken by July fever and the crowds streamed in from all parts of the country and from overseas.
As a precaution to protect the hallowed turf on which the "big one" would be run late in the afternoon, the first two races on the card were abandoned.
There was the customary deathly silence as the main race field was loaded and then the mighty roar as the gong sounded and the Vodacom Durban July 2013 was underway.
As the field came off the false rail Anthony Delpech kicked Jet Explorer into the lead. In the initial charge to the line the previous year's winner Pomodoro, along with Shogunner, Punta Arenas and Wylie Hall were all in contention along with Run For It, Do You Remember and Heavy Met
al. It looked wide open!!
Jet Explorer made a gallant bid to retain his lead but could not hold off the fast-finishing trio of Run For It, Heavy Metal and Do You Remember and they were left to fight the final battle to the line where it was Heavy Metal who prevailed by a neck from Run For It with the filly a long head back in third place.
It was an historical moment in South African racing history as S'Manga Khumalo became the first black jockey to win the Vodacom Durban July with Heavy Metal's owner Chris van Niekerk and trainer Sean Tarry scoring a July "double" having won the race the previous year with Pomodoro.
RUN FOR IT
JET EXPLORER
WHITELINE FEVER
2012 – POMODORO – SAUCY SENSATION
Pomodoro roared into the Vodacom Durban July record books at Greyville, getting up in the final stride to pip the outsider Smanjemanje, giving Piere 'Striker' Strydom his third victory in the big race and the first for both trainer Sean Tarry and owner and breeder Chris van Niekerk. Pomodoro joined the likes of the top horses Dynasty and Flaming Rock to have won the race from the widest draw of all. However, it was a very close call as the Tyrone Zackey-trained Smanjemanje, a rank outsider at 50-1 ridden by July debutant Grant van Niekerk, came from behind to get his nose in front, only for Pomodoro to fight back and win by a whisker.
The Mike Bass-trained Chesalon finished third, giving Jeff Lloyd an amazing ninth third place finish in the big race. Lloyd flew out from Australia hoping to bury his July hoodoo and when his mount quickened well from midfield to hit the front close to home, he felt he could win the race. But Chesalon tired late and Lloyd had to hold him on a straight line as the horse began hanging in.
The Gavin van Zyl-trained Eton Square cocked a snoot at a few people by staying on strongly from a handy position for fourth place in just his fifth career outing, as there were some who felt he hadn't done enough to justify his place in the final field. However, punters were left stunned when Jackson, who had been a hot favourite since the first nominations, found nothing in the straight having found a handy position from a wide draw. Jackson was slightly keen early on and that together with his weight of 57kg might have been his undoing.
Jackson started 18-10 favourite while Ilha Bela was supported into 11-2 with English Garden and Gorongosa being the only other two in single figures at 15-2. Pomodoro was a 20-1 shot.
Top Seller set the pace at a decent clip and there was a scramble for position with Jackson fighting the rider for a moment towards the outside. Strydom meanwhile chose to bide his time coming up the hill in the back straight on the outside of runners. Jackson managed to slot on to the rail as they came around the turn behind Top Seller and Vettel. Strydom then made his move and joined Jackson on his outside. Eton Square was also handy, Chesalon and Smanjemanje were in midfield positions, while the fancied Ilha Bela and Pierre Jourdan were both way back.
There was a cavalry charge off the false rail and Pomodoro quickened well but then Chesalon appeared on the outside running on strongly with Smanjemanje also going well just on his inside. Jackson had found daylight but didn't quicken in the fashion the public have become used to. Chesalon wobbled late and when Smanjemanje caught Pomodoro a massive upset looked on the cards, but the latter fought back and they went across the line as one. The replay showed that Pomodoro had got his head down at the right time to win by a nostril.
Tarry praised Strydom for the ride and said modestly that he couldn't take much of the credit. In reality he did an amazing job in preparing the horse, giving him one Durban run in the Daily News 2000, having come off a hard run when sharing the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2 450m at Turffontein just five weeks earlier. A shoulder niggle on Pomodoro was discovered and sorted out after his Daily News run and Tarry reckoned in the build up to the big race that the three-year-old Jet Master colt had never moved better. Van Niekerk, a loyal owner of Tarry's, was initially unsure whether he had won, but was thrilled when the result was displayed. Pomodoro was also bred by Van Niekerk.
SMANJEMANJE
CHESALON
EATON SQUARE
VETTEL (ARG)
2011 – IGUGU – A SPARKLING WIN
Igugu was the princess of Greyville yesterday when converting favouritism to win the Vodacom Durban July and stamp herself as one of the best three-year-old fillies ever seen in this country.
It was the second year in a row that the maestro trainer Mike de Kock and one of his chief stable jockeys Anthony Delpech had won the race and it was a fourth July win for both of them respectively.
Delpech joined Harold "Tiger" Wright and Anton Marcus as the only jockey to ever ride four July winners, while de Kock is fast on his way to matching the race's training greats, Syd Laird (seven winners) and Terrance Millard (six).
It was an especially wonderful day for Andre and Joyce Macdonald, who splashed out R1 million to buy Igugu. It was a double triumph for Mick Goss' Summerhill Stud and their brainchild the Emperor's Palace "Ready to Run" Sale. Igugu is by one of the world's top stallions, Galileo, and was purchased in Australia by Mick Goss' Summerhill Stud, who then put her on the Ready To Run Sale.
Sheik Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Mike de Kock's chief client, later came into Igugu as a partner with Macdonald and she now runs in his colours.
The de Kock yard delivered a sucker punch when the horse that everybody thought would set the pace, Safwan, missed the break and was dropped out to last. The race was very rough in the early stages and Black Wing appeared to be the chief sufferer. Igugu was soon prominent and sat in second place the whole way after Happy Landing had gone to the front. Emerald Cove, Bravura and the 2009 winner, Big City Life, were right there, while Piere Jourdan was in midfield. In the straight Igugu delivered her famous kick to claim the advantage.
Pierre Jourdan, known around the country as "the People's Horse", emerged as the danger and put up a gallant effort to catch Igugu, while all of the Glen Kotzen-trained Big City Life, the Mike Bass-trained English Garden and the Gavin van Zyl pair of The Apache and Bulsara were also putting up tremendous fights. However, the superstar filly kept going superbly with her giant stride and won by a length from Pierre Jourdan, with English Garden a length further back in third.
This was the tenth year of the Vodacom sponsorship and in its first year the race was also won by a Mike de Kock-trained three-year-old filly, the great Ipi Tombe.
Igugu means "jewel" in Zulu and she was thus an appropriate winner in the year of two Royal Weddings and with the big day's theme being "A Right Royal Affair".
IGUGU (AUS)
PIERRE JOURDAN
THE APACHE
BULSARA
BIG CITY LIFE