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Trainer Mike de Kock and jockey Anthony Delpech are waiting anxiously to hear how Saturday’s G1 Daily News 2000 winner Vercingetorix has been interpreted by the handicappers heading into the Vodacom Durban July.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Vercingetorix, who is now the ruling July favourite with Betting World, will be the first three-year-old colt since Bush Telegraph in 1987 to go into the big race unbeaten.
The latter went on to win the Durban showpiece that is the richest race in South Africa.
Delpech and De Kock will both be attempting their fifth July win.
Delpech wil set a July riding record if successful while a win for De Kock will leave him two shy of Syd Laird’s record of seven July wins.
The handicapper will have a tough task analysing the Daily News as a horse with Highveld form No Worries, who is merit rated 97, split the 107 rater Vercingetorix and the 110 rated Capetown Noir.
Another Highveld-based runner, the SA Derby winner Wylie Hall, merit rated only 98, was a neck further back.
A further 0,75 lengths back in fifth was Rock Cocktail, who had a capped merit rating of 90 having not been raised for finishing second in the Betting World 1900, which is now a conditions event.
Wild One, who finished third in the SA Derby, ran a cracker in sixth considering he had to be rushed around runners up the hill after being caught at the back from a wide draw.
The SA Derby form now appears to be stronger than initially assessed by handicappers.
No Worries will not be supplemented into the July as trainer Gavin Van Zyl said he would be put away for the rest of the season and aimed at next season’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and J&B Met.
Both Wild One and Daily News seventh-placed Silvano’s Jet are entered in this Saturday’s G3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Clairwood.
Wild One was in 19th place on the last July log but might need to do more to ensure his place as many runners that were just outside the top 20 will be running this weekend.
Silvano’s Jet was not in the top 30 on that log and neither was Daily News fourteenth-placed War Horse, who is entered in the last chance July qualifier, the G3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein on Sunday.
Gothic, the SA Derby runner up who was 18th on the July log, is also entered in the Jubilee.
King Of Pain’s chances of getting into the final field were dented when racing was cancelled at Kenilworth on Monday as he was fancied for the G3 Winter Classic. He was in 27th place on the last log.
Other horses just outside the top 20 Seal, E-Jet, Punta Arenas, Master Plan, Run For It, Gold Onyx, Ice Machine and Zambucca are all involved this weekend in either the Cup Trial or the Jubilee.
Beach Beauty was scratched from the July last week and comes out of the top 20 but Thunder Dance, who was initially thought to be a likely Garden Province runner is entered in both the Cup Trial and the Jubilee and could still be a possibility.
She was in sixth place on the last log.
Her Brett Crawford-trained stablemate Jackson, fifth on the log, has been labelled a doubtful July starter by the stable.
The next Vodacom Durban July log is due for release by Wednesday.