After a few days trackwork and chatting to owners trainers jockeys et al Saturday morning was race day and we all got up bright and early to head off booted and suited for race day, where bright sunshine followed some overnight rain.
The first part of the day was taken up with the fashion show which I mention because it has to be seen to be believed. A cosmopolitan mixture of high fashion, new fashion, and frankly outrageous “would be” fashion attracts huge crowds who really lap it up with the earlier races seen as a secondary attraction.
Me, well I am here to cover the whole day fashion, food, and horses included and after I had my fill of over (and under) dressed men and women, I went off to grab a little something to eat. I am fully aware the cost of living is very different throughout the World, but they do make a pretty obvious effort at making sure those outside the (many) hospitality tents are catered for at an affordable level. I managed to grab a beer (purely for work purposes of course) for less than £2, a foot long hotdog for less than £3, but better still (for those who like spicy food) there was much more of an Indian influence this teat with samosas, puris, and local favourite bunny chow (curry IN a small loaf of bread), and nothing I saw cost more the £4, my point being out prices in the UK may need to be higher, but at least the courses could make a better effort at catering for the average racegoer than they do at present.
On to the racing and although I was not involved in the first few races, we had a battle royal in the opener before Betula won it in the tightest of photo finishes, officially one hundredth of a second in front of Oriental Bouquet at odds of 7/1 with the crowd already as loud as any I have ever heard – even with the favourite back in third.
Having mentioned the Gold Cup (race 4) it is only fair to mention how the race unfolded with my selection (Arumugam) cruising away in third as I began to count out my winnings. Someone must have told jockey Muzi Yeni my money was down as the horse weakened faster than me in a drinking contest to finish a frankly disappointing tenth at the line. We did have the mightily impressive Miss Geriatrix who quickened up in the style of a seriously impressive filly to win the Golden Slipper and (dare I say this), I have to wonder why British owners don’t risk buying a horse like her to see how she would get on in Europe.
Next up was the Golden Horseshoe, the colts equivalent of the Slipper and I was on the Mike de Kock trained Gimmeanotherchance here as he looked to give the punters another winning favourite. With a furlong or less to go he was sent to the front, looking all set to pull away but for reasons unknown (to me at least), he stopped close home and was eventually passed by Sandringham Summit, the 6/1 chance, to finish a no good to me second.
The big race deserves that little bit more attention and as the crowds assembled to get the best viewing spot for the 2023 renewal of the Hollywoodbets Durban July, no-one seemed overly confident in a race that has seen more than its fair share of shocks over the years. In front of a lively field I was tracking my suggestions (See It Again and Do It Again respectively) in a pretty rough race where I felt they went off a little too fast from the front considering the trip of 2200mtrs but as mentioned in the preview, Michael Roberts’ See It Again hugged the rail before being launched into the lead when it looked as if he had stolen the race from what looked like struggling rivals. Sadly, Michael was also spot on when he suggested his colt may be a couple of kilos too high in the weights as he was collared close home to go under by a neck or so to Winchester Mansion who was receiving three and a half kilos from the runner-up. Kabelo Matsunyane became only the second black jockey to win the race, and as the sport gains in popularity, he and S’manga Khumalo are leading the way in actively encouraging the inclusive sport it needs to be to survive. Having watched the race in real time I expected an enquiry of some sorts after a couple of “coming togethers” up the home straight, hoping they would turn the result in my favour, but as it was in all honesty six of one and half a dozen of the other, the result was allowed to stand, while Do It Again came home fourth at odds of 16/1, leaving him with a Durban July record of first, first, third, fourth, fourth, and fourth, and we all now expect him to head off into a well-deserved retirement.
Funnily enough, the July was “only” race seven so we had five more to go and by the end of the day, we could easily decide those who had the best day at work. Richard Fourier reamed up with trainer Sean Tarry for a treble on board Future Pearl (4/1), Miss Geriatrix (87/100) and Princess Calla (5/4) for a 20/1 payout for those with more foresight than me, and they took meeting centre stage to me, though obviously Kabelo Matsunyane will rightly garner the main headlines after an inspired ride in the big race – even if he did cost me the winner.
And so, with darkness upon us it became time wind up my article, shut down the laptop, and wander back to the hotel – another year over, another exiting Durban July, and another great trip – thank you Gold Circle, thank you Hollywoodbets, and thank you Liesl King for the invitation – same time next year if my luck holds out!
Photo credit Liesl King
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