2019 VODACOM DURBAN JULY FIRST ENTRIES

The first entries for the R4.25 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday, July 6 are in.

Five of entries are #kznbred, including two Gr1 winners – Hero’s Honour (Summerhill Stud) and Camphoratus (Middlefield Stud).

Sire Mogok is represented with two entries, The Dazzler and Top Classman, both bred by Scott Bros.

The first entries:

Gary Alexander

HERO’S HONOUR                 107    

Brett Crawford

CHARLES                               104

Mike de Kock

HAWWAAM                          121

BARAHIN                               108

ALYAASAAT (AUS)  105

ATYAAB (AUS)                     105

NOBLE SECRET                    105

THE DAZZLER                       99    

PROTEA PARADISE 92

Dennis Drier

LADY IN BLACK                  117

St  Gray

DAWN ASSAULT                  106   

R A / S R Hill

CAMPHORATUS                   105    

RED CHESNUT ROAD          101

Duncan Howells

FIORELLA                              100

THANKSGIVING                  97

J A Janse van Vuuren

DIVINE ODYSSEY                105

DOOSRA                                104

Dean Kannemeyer

SILVA’S BULLET                   91

Glen Kotzen

EYES WIDE OPEN                111

HERODOTUS             101

Paul Lafferty

DARK MOON RISING          105

Weiho Marwing

SAMURAI WARRIOR           105

Andre Nel

HEAD HONCHO                   122

RUN RED                               94

Joey Ramsden

TWIST OF FATE                    115

FRESNAYE                            108

Frank Robinson

ROY HAD ENOUGH             109

ROY’S RIVIERA (AUS           95

ARIANOS SHADOW            93

TOP CLASSMAN                  85    

Eric Sands

RAINBOW BRIDGE              124

Justin Snaith

DO IT AGAIN                        125

OH SUSANNA (AUS)           118

MADE TO CONQUER          108

MIYABI GOLD                      105

DOUBLEMINT                       104

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN        104

ELUSIVE SILVA                    103

BUNKER HUNT                    100

PLATINUM PRINCE             97

Sean Tarry

LEGAL EAGLE                       118

TILBURY FORT                     110

RETURN FLIGHT                  106

ZILLZAAL                              105

SHENANIGANS                    89

SILVER GOD                         87

Geoff Woodruff

SECRET POTION                  102

BANNER HILL                       99

Alyson Wright

FLICHITY BY FARR 94

The first entries for the Vodacom Durban July are in and several KZN-breds are amongst them – including half-siblings, dual Gr1 winner Rabada (from the stable of Brett Crawford) and his grey AP Arrow half-brother, Glider Pilot.

Another interesing entry, which is the third from Champion breeders Summerhill Stud, is the filly that South Africa’s eyes are on for this weekend – Takingthepeace, who is attempting to become the first KZN-bred to win the Triple Tiara.

Bush Hill Stud are represented with 2-time winning son of Visionaire – Throng – entered by Champion trainer Sean Tarry along with Matador Man.

Matador Man by Toreador may also try his hand again at the KZN Breeders Million Mile the week before to make it a double and match No Worries record.

Matador Man, who placed third in the Gr1 Champions Cup and won the Secretariat Stakes Listed, won again recently for his connections, interestingly Glider Pilot was just behind him.

Rabada is back in training with Brett Crawford after injury and it will be fantastic to see the twice Gr1 winning son of Brave Tin Soldier back in action again.

The five year old entire last raced in November 2016 and looks a picture in Summerveld.

His year younger brother Glider Pilot, who has half an ear missing from an accident as a youngster, is Merit Rated at 106 and has showed signs of brilliance.

In his last win over 2000m in February this year, he defeated amongst the field Brazuca and Bankable Teddy.

Amongst his four places with two wins from only seven starts, Glider Pilot finished fourth in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 behind Edict Of Nantes (a race his half-brother won previously) and left in his wake the likes of Copper Force, Zodiac Ruler, Africa Rising and Pagoda amongst others.

An exciting entry to see is St John Gray’s Dawn Assault. The only Stakes Winning son of Call To Combat, born and raised at Hadlow Stud for St John Gray, Dawn Assault has won six and placed 14 times.

He recently took the Drum Star Listed from Gr2 winner Secret Captain, with Kilrain and The Elmo Effect amongst the field.

The Vodacom Durban July will be taking place on 7 July this year – with the KZN Breeders Race Day taking place the week before at Greyville, and the Golf Day on 1 June leading up to Africa’s Greatest Horse Race.

Contact us if you would like to join us for the KZN Breeders Golf Day and KZN Breeders Race Day – vouchers towards the purchase of a KZN-bred yearling are up for grabs, for the KZN Yearling Sale taking place at Sibaya just the week after the KZN Breeders Race Day, and before the Vodacom Durban July.

See you there!

Months of suspense and speculation has ended with the eagerly anticipated announcement of the theme for the 2018 Vodacom Durban July, and the “It Is Time” concept has been warmly received in racing, fashion and social circles.

“Every element of the raceday has the aspect of time attached to it,” explained Gold Circle’s Event Marketing Manager Ken Tweddell, “from the time used to select the right stallion for the perfect mare, to the preparation of the perfect yearling for the sales.

“From the time of the two-year-old’s first race, to competing as a seasoned contender in the “ultimate” race – the Vodacom Durban July, it is years of time focused on a race that lasts just over two minutes,” he added.

Tweddell said the theme explores the excitement of a thoroughbred winning the Vodacom Durban July and touches on the fashion element of raceday asking fashionistas and designers to create timeless fashion and to use the elements of a watch face to conceptualize their designs.

“I love this theme because time is so important for designers,” said Fashion Programme Director Tiffany Prior.

“Planning, preparation, fine tuning and last minute panic, that’s the journey designers go on each time they create something. Sometimes they give themselves time, but most times not.

“Looking at this theme in terms of fashion, I see three words that stand out – timeless, understated, and classic. Whatever the design, make sure it’s raceday appropriate and stands the test of time, as with some of the world’s greatest designers.”

Demand for the theme for the Vodacom Durban July has intensified since the turn of the new millennium, to the point where the theme has become an extremely important catalyst for stirring interest in the Vodacom Durban July raceday.

The theme is embraced by the thousands of people who attend the raceday at Greyville Racecourse and for the many hundreds throughout South Africa who hold raceday functions at home to celebrate what has become known as Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event.

Decades ago the theme was described in just a few words. At some stage this developed into a short description of what was expected. Nowadays it has grown into a rather elaborate poetic description for inspiration for fashionistas, fashion designers, hospitality providers and racegoers.

2018 Vodacom Durban July theme
IT IS TIME

Years of planning . . .

Months of preparation . . .

Weeks of sharpening . . .

Days of fine tuning . . .

Hours of tension . . .

Minutes of anguish . . .

Seconds of panic  . . .

. . . .  a race against time!

One hundred and twenty two years,

To this extraordinary day.

An occasion for celebration,

Camaraderie and play.

A national hero,

The winner will be.

A champion forever,

An equine V I P.

The fashion is timeless,

Explore a watch face.

Understated or classic,

Or detailed like lace.

The buzz of excitement,

You might ask why!

Twenty past four,

First Saturday of July.

Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event

The Vodacom Durban July.

There are a few hopefuls but barring Legal Eagle and overseas-bound Whisky Baron, most of the country’s top middle distance gallopers are among the first entries for the Gr1 R4,25 million Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Greyville on Saturday, 1 July 2017. Eight of the entries are either KZN-bred or by KZN resident stallions.

Entries closed at 11am yesterday and Gold Circle received 58 entries for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event.

Legal Eagle may not be an entry but Champion Trainer Sean Tarry has loaded his gun with 16 entries that include the promising Al Sahem, filly Smiling Blue Eyes and recent Gr3 Byerley Turk winner Africa Rising who put his field to bed in impressive fashion in spite of still wearing a brushing boot that had not been removed at the start.

Justin Snaith, not to be out-done, has entered nine horses including the smart filly Bela-Bela, Byerley Turk runner-up Copper Force and dark horse, Black Arthur.

Candice Bass-Robinson will be pinning her hopes on last year’s runner-up Marinaresco while Captain America, French Navy, Mac de Lago and Heavenly Blue are other notable entries.

Of the local contingent, Duncan Howells has entered two runners from last year, fifth-placed Saratoga Dancer and Ten Gun Salute together with the smart filly Dawn Calling who has yet to race beyond 1600m.

The full list of entries are as follows:

*Bold denotes KZN-bred horses or sired by KZN stallions

Entries:  58

Important Vodacom Durban July dates to diarise:

• First Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 8 May 2017
• First Supplementary Entries: Close 11:00 Tuesday, 9 May 2017
• Second Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 29 May 2017
• Final Supplementary Entries: Close 11:00 Monday, 12 June 2017
• Weights Published: Tuesday, 13 June 2017
• Final Declaration: Close 11:00 Monday, 19 June 2017
• Final Field and Draw: Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Tuesday, 20 June 2017
• Public Gallops:  7am at Greyville Racecourse, Thursday, 22 June 2017

In spite of inclement weather on the day, 31 four balls lined up and included a leading line up of breeders, owners and trainers.

With almost R100 000 in prizes up for grabs, 10 people walked away with R5000 vouchers each towards the purchase of a KZN-bred yearling at the upcoming Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale including Mike De Kock – a sale that seen a multitude of Gr1 winners yielded, including KZN-bred Wild One and Graded Stakes winners’ Virgo’s Babe, Colour Of Courage and Royal Pleasure.

Other Gr1 winners include French based Happy Valentine, Triple Crown winner Louis The King, overseas-bound Same Jurisdiction and more recently the talented Red Chesnut Road.

A big thank you to our sponsors who assisted to make the day possible, which included Gold Circle, Track And Ball, Equine Administration, New Turf Carriers, Hollywood Bets, Abloy Locks, Executrade, La Bella Café, Martin Auctioneers, The Crusade Syndicate and the Flying The Flag syndicate.

Gold Circle’s television presenters and personalities – Warren Lenferna and Kevin Shea – hosted an entertaining prizegiving and included interviews with the greats in their respective fields, such as Michael Roberts, Mike De Kock and Springbok cricketer, David Miller – all of whom participated in the golf on the day.

Congratulations to the four-ball of Seelen Chetty who won overall with a score of 96.

An additional R4380 was raised on the evening towards the Coastal Horse Care Unit, including R1000 from Pippa Mickleburgh of Avontuur via the phone through one of their sponsored jockeys, MJ Byleveld.

A big thank you to everyone for their contribution towards a very successful day and we look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming KZN Breeders Race Day on Sunday 26 June, and the Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale.

Images from the day below: