Underworld plots a Durban July heist
Bowlers take great delight in hurling surprise bouncers at batters who appear settled at the crease. Jolt them out of a comfort zone is the idea.
Racehorse trainer Justin Snaith did something of the sort this week when he made four-year-old Underworld a supplementary entry for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, to be run at Greyville next month.
Underworld wasn't among the 61 first nominations, or a late addition at the first supplementary stage of South Africa's premier horse race. Indeed, Snaith watchers had more than enough to keep them busy with a dozen or so of his July aspirants, including a clutch of them near the top of the betting boards.
Then Underworld ran in the Grade 3 1800m Dolphins Cup Trial at Greyville this past weekend and did fairly well – as he should have as a 3-1 favourite. He finished a close runner up to 40-1 roughie Madison Valley, with 14-1 chance On My Honour just behind in third place.
Here's the thing: Madison Valley and On My Honour were both Durban July entrants and the surprise Cup Trial result, along with a slew of scratchings at second declaration stage, saw them catapulted into the final July log announced on Tuesday. Neither had featured among the 20 'most favoured' entries of a few weeks earlier.
Underworld gave 2kg and 1.5kg respectively to his adversaries in the Cup Trial, but the distance and venue were a good pre-July test and indicated that Snaith's charge might not be wildly outclassed in the big race.
Shaking things up
The bottom rungs of the Durban July ladder are always hotly contested spaces but connections of horses that make it into 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th on the final log can generally start planning their outfits for the parade ring at Greyville on the first Saturday of the seventh month. Comfort zone; but here comes the bouncer.
Based on his merit rating of 108, Underworld has no chance of trumping Madison Valley (115) and On My Honour (116) in the minds of the July selection panel. But Snaith is fond of a mischievous argument and a dig at the official handicappers.
One of the horses on those lower rungs of the new July log is My Best Shot in 17th spot. No-one can remember when last there was an Eastern Cape-based runner in the July and many would be delighted to see Alan Greeff saddle up his star three-year-old for the big race – and Snaith wouldn't be a popular chap if his Underworld nixed the country cousin.
Merit rating adjustments following the weekend's hectic pre-July action saw Oriental Charm and Gladatorian both hiked to 127, which means they will share the July's top burden of 60kg with See It Again – when weights are concluded next week.
Cape Town Met champion Eight On Eighteen – who wasn't in action at the weekend – still tops the final log with his MR of 129. The race conditions stipulate that, as a three-year-old, he cannot carry more than 57kg.
The log indicates that there is unlikely to be a female horse in the 2025 July. Three fillies are on the 'next best' list, but they will only come into contention for a place in the field if there are scratchings aplenty in the coming week.
Hollywoodbets Durban July Log of 10 June
1. EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN (3C) Justin Snaith 129
2. ORIENTAL CHARM (4C) James Crawford 127
3. SEE IT AGAIN (5G) Michael Roberts 127
4. ROYAL VICTORY (5G) Nathan Kotzen 125
5. CONFEDERATE (3G) Fabian Habib 118
6. GLADATORIAN (5G) Stuart Ferrie 127
7. PURPLE PITCHER (4C) Robyn Klaasen 122
8. ATTICUS FINCH (5G) Alec Laird 121
9. SELUKWE (5G) Andre Nel 111
10. THE REAL PRINCE (4G) Dean Kannemeyer 120
11. OKAVANGO (3G) Justin Snaith 120
12. NATIVE RULER (3G) Justin Snaith 119
13. LEGEND OF ARTHUR (3C) Sean Tarry 117
14. IMMEDIATE EDGE (3G) Mike / Mathew de Kock 108
15. MADISON VALLEY (4G) Frank Robinson 115
16. ON MY HONOUR (3G) Glen Kotzen 116
17. MY BEST SHOT (3G) Alan Greeff 116
18. FUTURE SWING (5G) Justin Snaith 117
19. MUCHO DINERO (5G) Justin Snaith 115
20. POMODORO'S JET (6G) James Crawford 118
Next 9 in alphabetical order
BEATING WINGS (4F) Stuart Pettigrew 113
HOLDING THUMBS (4G) Glen Kotzen 107
JOY AND PEACE (4F) Alan Greeff 110
LITIGATION (6G) Sean Tarry 113
MAGIC VERSE (4G) Justin Snaith 113
RAINBOW LORIKEET (4F) Candice Bass-Robinson 111
SON OF RAJ (5G) Tony Peter 119
THE EQUATOR (IRE) (4C) Tony Peter 110
THUNEE PLAYA (4C) Mano Pandaram 104
Final supplementary entries close on Tuesday 17 June after which the weights will be published by the National Horseracing Authority.
Final declarations are due on Monday 23 June and the field of 18 runners, with two reserves, will be revealed on Tuesday 24 June when the draw for barrier positions will also take place.
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