South Africa’s Champion Season starts officially at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday with the running of the Gr2 IOS On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes and the Gr2 Guineas and Fillies Guineas. The day also marks the march towards the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July with trainers plotting their way into Africa’s greatest horserace with their lowest possible weight.
With the July just two months away, this year on Saturday 5 July, it is always intriguing to watch how trainers navigate the pitfalls for their charges but it is also an opportunity for punters to try and second-guess them and possibly land a lucrative ante-post bet on the race which always adds to heightened excitement on the big day.
That said, the Gr2 IOS On Saturday is a cracking contest as it has attracted one of the strongest fields in many a year in spite of many of the runners having a pipe-opener for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Those that are seemingly best suited to the 1400m trip and not July entries are Café Culture and Questioning both over their preferred trip. The two last met with Lucinda Woodruff’s charge a length clear of his rival and also a winner over the distance so that from looks solid. Stuart Ferrie is sure that the 2200m of the July is within Gladatorian’s compass although never being tested over the trip. Recently he has been giving away lumps of weight and although he takes a jump in class he is fully effective over this trip. Royal Aussie looks held by these two given his last showing but has had been trying further in his previous starts and may now be back over a more suitable trip. Piet Botha’s gelding Montien is hardly ever out of the money and was a close-up third in the Gr1 Cape Met at lengthy odds. He is no slouch over this trip while Dean Kannemeyer’s charge The Real Prince is lightly raced but classy.
Mike and Mathew de Kock could hold the key to the Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas field with their combination of Oxalis Gold and Spumante Dolce. The former put a useful field of males to bed in the Gr3 Byerly Turk at Hollywoodbets Scottsville at her last start. Cat’s Pajamas is a high-class winner and third-placed O’Tenikwa franked that form last Sunday. Spumante Dolce has a big reputation and with a tongue-tie fitted last time out, showed her better form in the Gr1 Empress Club behind Cape Fillies Guineas winner Fatal Flaw. Mon Petit Cherie boasts smart Cape form for Brett and James Crawford and has a favourable draw while Give Me Anything has pulled the widest gate as she goes for five on the bounce. A wide draw has been the downfall of many a champion on this course but Dean Kannemeyer likes his horses to come on late so maybe the draw may not be too much of a factor. Green Sapphire and VJ’S Angel are both in with chances.
The WSB Guineas could best be described as a north vs south contest with a supporting cast. Eight On Eighteen, winner of the Gr1 Cape Met and the Gr1 Cape Derby with close-up finishes to One Stripe over a mile is the ‘boom’ horse and likely favourite. However, Fire Attack ran a cracker to win the Gr1 Champions Cup beating Cup and Gr1 Betway Summer Cup winner Royal Victory. Both appear best over 10 furlongs so this is not a nailed-down contest that could leave the way for Cosmic Speed who went down narrowly to champion Main Defender in the Hawaii Stakes and is more than at home over this trip. Peter Muscutt took out the lightly raced Isivivane from his intended race and although way out of contention on handicap ratings, he could be the surprise in the race.
