Clive Robinson
With the Hollywoodbets Durban July – South Africa’s greatest horse race – scheduled to be run on 2 July, the 18 jockeys who have been selected to line will undoubtedly try to get themselves in the perfect frame of mind for the big event.
Kabelo Matsunyane will have a wonderful opportunity for a confidence booster two days before the July when he has seven rides at Turffontein on Thursday 30 June – three of which could give him a treble.
Matsunyane’s first potential winner comes up in Race 2, a Juvenile Plate over 1200m, where Mercantour is the one to beat.
Trained by Stuart Pettigrew, this Var gelding is already a two-time winner from four starts. His record could have been even more impressive had he not been hampered last time out.
He does concede weight to all here, but looks classy enough to still get the job done.
In Race 5, a MR96 Handicap over 1450m and the headline event of the day, Matsunyane will be aboard Castletown, also for Pettigrew.
Horse and jockey know each other well, having paired up four times for a win and two place finishes.
In their one other outing together three runs back they did cross the line first, but were disqualified after Matsunyane weighed in light having lost his lead bag in running.
The pair did put that unfortunate incident behind them and won when combining next time out.
This Silvano gelding is the top-rated runner in the field at 99 and well-drawn in gate three.
Having contested four graded races, without ever being disgraced, this Class B event looks the right race for Castletown to record a fourth win from 11 runs.
Code Zero could complete a treble for Matsunyane in Race 6, a FM80 Handicap over 2000m.
Trained by Paul Matchett, this three-year-old filly has also tasted victory with Matsunyane in the irons over this distance.
Jumping from gate 10 will not be a problem for this three-year-old as she has proven to stay on at the business end of a race and doesn’t mind having to make up ground going for home.
Matsunyane will be riding Second Base in the Hollywoodbets Durban July for trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren.
