The countdown has begun to South Africa's premier race, the R3.5 million, G1 Vodacom Durban July. Saturday will see a full field 18 runners tackling the exacting 2200m of the Greyville Racecourse. The Durban July is a conditions race with a set top weight of 60kgs and with a capped weight of 57kgs for 3-year-old old colts and geldings and 56kgs for their female counterparts. Hence in recent years the 3-year-olds have dominated, winning five of the last six races. This year's field includes three 3-year-old colts and three fillies, with the Sean Tarry trained Legal Eagle (Saf) (Greys Inn) the short priced favorite at 28/10. Legal Eagle won the G1 SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein by a commanding three lengths and his jockey on that day, Anton Marcus is back in the saddle. His trainer has an unassailable lead in the SA Trainers' Championship and he has won the Durban July twice in the last three years. Legal Eagle is also extremely well in at the weights, carrying only 54kgs.
The Durban July however, is a race in which favorites seem to find more trouble than luck, with only five favorites saluting the judge in the last twenty years. Tarry however has another 3-year-old ready to accept the crown should Legal Eagle fluff his lines. Stable companion French Navy (Saf) (Count Dubois {GB}) is a dual G1 winner with victories in the G1 SA Classic and the G1 Daily News 2000 behind his name. He has 54.5kgs on his back and the services of his regular pilot Raymond Danielson. Of the fillies, Mike de Kock's Majmu (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) is the one they all have to beat. An easy winner of the Cape Fillies Guineas over 1600 meters, she produced another runaway victory against her own sex in the G1 Empress Club Stakes. Stepping out in open company for the first time in the G1 President's Champions Challenge however, she ran into the extremely talented Wylie Hall (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), who beat her comfortably to the line. Majmu has the services of De Kock's stable jockey Anthony Delpech, but she meets the 5-year-old Wylie Hall again and it is unlikely that she can reverse the finishing order in her favor. Last year's winner, Wylie Hall, who subsequently lost the race in the boardroom, has to be one of the favorites for this year's edition and his trackwork this week confirmed that he is in top condition. His trainer Weiho Marwing is out to exact revenge and he has engaged the services of previous July winning jockey, Bernard Fayd'Herbe. With 58kgs, Wylie Hall will carry only half a kilo more than in 2014 and at 5/1 in the betting, he is very good value for money.
Lastly one has to consider dual G1 Queen's Plate and G1 J & B Met winner Futura (Saf) (Dynasty{SAf}), partnered by Sean Cormack. With a merit rating of 120 to Wylie Hall's 116, he is by far the superior horse on paper. Yet races are not run on paper and Futura has several obstacles to overcome. As the highest rated horse in the race he carries the top weight of 60kgs and he has recently changed stables. Is he good enough to have his name added to the scroll of honor? We will know come Saturday.
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