Triple Tiara princess War Of Athena and twice Gr1 2nd placed Running Brave, both bred by Summerhill Stud, have been nominated for the Vodacom Durban July.
It is the first nomination for Summerhill Equestrian sire Act Of War, whose own sire Dynasty won the Vodacom Durban July in 2003.
The eight-time Gr2 winning daughter of Act Of War has now five in a row and won her last start, the Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks by two lengths over 2450m.
Running Brave – the daughter of Brave Tin Soldier – has been unlucky to have finished second on two occasions in the Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes – is also an 8-time winner, including the Gr2 Gold Bracelet twice and the KZN Breeders Mile.
Both fillies sold for R30 000 at Bloodstock South Africa sales – War Of Athena at the 2019 Ready To Run Sale, and Running Brave at the National 2YO Sale.
War Of Athena’s sire Act Of War’s stats are exemplary – with 39% winners to runners percentage, and Average Earnings Per Runner of an impressive R62 604 each.
Brave Tin Soldier resides at the farm of Jill Fox at The Fort Stud, is the sire of Running Brave and will be looking to get his 3rd Gr1 winner. His parternal grandsons sold at the Nationals recently for up to R150 000.
The country’s biggest race will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 2200m on Saturday, 3 July.
This years Vodacom Durban July field could stack up into one of the strongest in many a year.
First entries for the R 2,000,000 2200m (Turf)
VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)
0 AFRICAN NIGHT SKY Justin Snaith 107
0 ATYAAB (AUS) Zietsman Oosthu 115
0 AZORES Dean Kannemeyer 107
0 BABY SHOOZ Peter Muscutt 96
0 BARAHIN Mike de Kock 119
0 BELGARION Justin Snaith 130
0 BLACKBALL Gavin van Zyl 110
0 CAPTAIN’S RANSOM Justin Snaith 126
0 CIRILLO Sean Tarry 120
0 CROWN TOWERS (AUS) Justin Snaith 115
0 DIVINE ODYSSEY J A Janse van V 110
0 DO IT AGAIN Justin Snaith 129
0 DOUBLEMINT Justin Snaith 118
0 DR DOOLITTLE Paul Peter 105
0 EXPRESSFROMTHEUS Stuart Pettigrew 118
0 FLYING CARPET Sean Tarry 108
0 FULL BLAST Michael Miller 86
0 GOLDEN DUCAT Eric Sands 128
0 GOT THE GREENLIGHT Joe Soma 124
0 HOEDSPRUIT Justin Snaith 108
0 JET DARK Justin Snaith 130
0 KOMMETDIEDING HWJ Crawford/M 117
0 LEGITIMATE Dean Kannemeyer 101
0 LINEBACKER Vaughan Marshall 115
0 MALMOOS Mike de Kock 125
0 MARCHINGONTOGETHER Gavin van Zyl 106
0 MATTERHORN Alyson Wright 100
0 NETTA Paul Peter 102
0 PACK LEADER Alec Laird 109
0 PRINCESS CALLA Adam Marcus 118
0 PROMISEOFAMASTER Candice Dawson 101
0 PUERTO MANZANO (AR J A Janse van V 110
0 RAINBOW BRIDGE Eric Sands 134
0 RASCALLION Vaughan Marshall 111
0 RUNNING BRAVE Fanie Bronkhorst 119
0 RUSSIAN ROCK Dean Kannemeyer 114
0 SACHDEV Justin Snaith 108
0 SECOND BASE J A Janse van V 116
0 SEEHAAM Sean Tarry 107
0 SHAH AKBAR Sean Tarry 108
0 SHANGO Sean Tarry 116
0 SHE’S A KEEPER Gareth van Zyl 90
0 SILVER HOST Justin Snaith 110
0 SOVEREIGN SPIRIT Candice Bass-Ro 124
0 SUMMER PUDDING Paul Peter 129
0 SUPER SILVANO Brett Crawford 104
0 THE GATEKEEPER Justin Snaith 110
0 TIERRA DEL FUEGO Sean Tarry 116
0 TREE TUMBO Sean Tarry 109
0 TRIP TO AFRICA Duncan Howells 101
0 TRISTFUL Tony Rivalland 113
0 WAR OF ATHENA Paul Matchett 122
0 YOUCANTHURRYLOVE Fabian Habib 112
0 ZILLZAAL Sean Tarry 116