Mike de Kock will have two runners representing his team in next Saturday’s
HWB Durban July over 2200m, with a defence of his 2022 title and a sixth win in the flagship race the primary objectives.
Mike has the smart three-year-old Dave The King, a close-up second behind race favourite See It Again in the recent Daily News 2000, and Safe Passage, who has enjoyed a low-key prep into the race and will be ridden by ten-times French champion, Christophe Soumillon.
Dave The King (10) and Safe Passage (14) drew relatively wide when the barrier allocations were published on Wednesday, but Mike is not concerned. He commented: “In my mind I was hoping for draws 8 and 12, so 10 and 14 are fine. As it is, the July, weights carried are of more consequence than the draws. We’ve seen many a winner come from wide draws. So I am happy.”
Justin Snaith, who bids for his sixth July winner, has a powerful hand in terms of pure numbers, with 5 runners, including history making dual winner Do It Again, who becomes the most capped Durban July runner of all time.
Mike has only two runners at the weekend – a pair at Greyville on Sunday.
Smart Platina Princess will be joining the Summerveld string from Randjesfontein to have a tilt at the KZN Breeders Juvenile Plate over 1200m. She finished a good third behind her progressive stablemate White Pearl in a strong contest at Turffontein just recently and Mike said: “She probably just needed that run a bit more than we thought and this 1200m at Greyville is on the sharp side. But we entered her here because she is a decent sort of filly and it’s the race sponsored by KZN Breeders. We’ll take our chances, she is a runner with winning prospects.”
Image copyright: Getty Images
Four-year-old Bold Act is accustomed to running in the merit rating bracket of Race 3 over 1200m and whilst not the most consistent of fillies, is one you can’t ignore, especially with Richard Fourie in the irons. “She is honest and, looking at the replay of her last run, she ran on nicely over 1000m. I give her an eachway chance.”
A week ahead of the July, the KZN Breeders Mile tops the bill and all eyes will be on improving and lightly raced Noble City, who bids for a fourth win from six starts following his success in a Progress Plate over 1600m at Scottsville.
As promising as he is, Noble City takes on a field of hard-knocking older horses and for punters it will be a familiar conundrum – Banker or field?
Cape racing fans face an arguably easier task finding an exotic banker when racing returns to Kenilworth on Saturday for a quality nine-race programme. In the wake of three important card scratchings, Fourie’s mount Baltic Secret looks a proverbial penalty kick in the Listed Somerset 1200m.
The eye-catching October Morn has Summer Lily to beat in the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint – it’s hard to look beyond this speedy pair for a possible winner; Bereave, who just needed his last start, could take the Winter Sprint but this is the kind of race in which a blanket will probably cover the first four or five. It is best to cover with a few runners.
In the G3 Pocket Power Stakes over 1950m (Race 8), there is a good case to be made for hattrick-seeking Top Quality, though Richard Fourie has chosen to ride stable companion, Itsrainingwilliam. Include both for good measure.
Bet on Horse racing with Betway
Make sure you back the right silks and don’t get boxed in, Betway brings you the latest in Horse Race betting. Find competitive odds and markets when you bet on the horses at Betway.
Get in on horse racing today and place your bets on at Betway.
If you need any assistance, contact us on 0861 787 250 and if you need help placing your first bet, have a look at our How To Bet guide.