Hollywoodbets Durban July: Final 18-horse field confirmed!

South Africa’s richest graded stakes race, the R5 million Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, has attracted a high quality capacity field of 18 plus two reserves for the 126th renewal which will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, 2 July.

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The final field announcement and all-important barrier gate draw was hosted by the sponsors at their head offices in Umhlanga Rocks at a function hosted by Hollywoodbets ambassador Carol Tshabalala and veteran Graeme Hawkins on Tuesday morning.

According to the Sporting Post website, the final field includes no real surprises after the race’s panel had to convene to filter out eight of the 28 final entries.

Those horses to miss out were Russian Rock (Dean Kannemeyer), Bingwa (JA Janse van Vuuren), Marina and FireAlley (Candice Bass-Robinson), Zillzaal (Sean Tarry), Crown Towers (Justin Snaith), Sovereign Spirit (Ashley Fortune) and Super Silvano (Brett Crawford).

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The line up features a nationally representative field of thoroughbreds from the yards of champion trainers and past Durban July winners.

Reigning SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith saddles five runners in his bid to win the Durban July for the sixth time.

The Snaith attack includes topweight and dual Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Jet Dark, as well as two past winners in the ‘old man’ Do It Again (2018,2019) and Belgarion (2020).

Snaith’s other two runners are Hoedspruit and Pomp And Power.

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Multiple SA Champion and international ambassador Mike de Kock saddles a quartet of July runners, and will be keen to get back on to the illustrious honour roll having last saddled the brilliant filly Igugu to win in 2011.

Coincidentally, De Kock saddles the only member of the fairer sex in the 2022 renewal in the Silvano daughter Sparkling Water who races in the famous Wilgerbosdrift silks.

De Kock’s other three runners are Aragosta, Safe Passage and Al Muthana.

Defending champion Kommetdieding will again be ridden by Gavin Lerena and ‘lucky’ owner Ashwin Reynolds drew gate 13 for his star.

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SA Champion apprentice elect Rachel Venniker will get the chance to show her mettle at her first Durban July engagement as she partners Grade 1 SA Classic winner Red Saxon for veteran Turffontein conditioner, Joey Soma.

Meanwhile, on Thursday morning the Hollywoodbets Greyville gates open at 06:30 as the Hollywoodbets Durban July class of 2022 will be put through their paces in the official public gallops.

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HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY FINAL FIELD

1	Aragosta		53	118	Warren Kennedy	Mike de Kock
2	Do It Again		58.5	126	Aldo Domeyer	Justin Snaith
3	Hoedspruit		53.5	116	Craig Zackey	Justin Snaith
4	Linebacker		58.5	126	Grant van Niekerk	Vaughan Marshall
5	Puerto Manzano (ARG)		55.5	120	Raymond Danielson	J A Janse van Vuuren
6	Zapatillas		53	118	Luyolo Mxothwa	Brett Crawford
7	Waterberry Lane		53	117	Keagan de Melo	Dean Kannemeyer
8	Pomp And Power		53	118	Richard Fourie	Justin Snaith
9	Jet Dark		60	129	Bernard Fayd’Herbe	Justin Snaith
10	Safe Passage		54.5	122	Muzi Yeni	Mike de Kock
11	Belgarion		59.5	128	Piere Strydom	Justin Snaith
12	Sparkling Water		53.5	116	S’manga Khumalo	Mike de Kock
13	Kommetdieding		60	129	Gavin Lerena	HWJ Crawford/M Rix
14	Red Saxon		53	118	*Rachel Venniker	Joe Soma
15	Second Base		54.5	118	Kabelo Matsunyane	J A Janse van Vuuren
16	Al Muthana (AUS)		58	125	Callan Murray	Mike de Kock
17	Astrix		56.5	122	Juan Paul v’d Merwe	Paul Peter
18	Flying Carpet		53.5	116	Calvin Habib	Sean Tarry
19	Airways Law		53	108	Reserve 1	Andre Nel
20	Nebraas		54.5	118	Reserve 2	Sean Tarry

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