T he first Durban July is recorded to have been run in 1897 over one mile (1,600m). This annual competition of such long-

standing tradition is on par with the world’s top races, including the Kentucky Derby, the English Derby and the Melbourne Cup.

It is undoubtedly South Africa’s most prestigious race and the one that every owner, trainer and jockey has on their bucket list to win. A win in the Vodacom Durban July places a horse in an elite group of equine champions and paves the way for a potential stud career.

LONGER RACE The race distance has been increased over the years from that original 1,600m to 1,800m in 1913, to the current 2,200m. The ‘July’ is traditionally run on the first Saturday of July at its original home at Greyville Racecourse. It is run on turf, which generally provides a good galloping surface, especially in the drier winter months in temperate Durban, as the grass should retain a thick surface cushion.

The track is a 2,900m triangular-shaped circuit. All races are run clockwise round the turn with

a 400m run-in or straight, which in racing terms is fairly short. It is at this point, once the horses straighten out from the turn, where they need to put on the speed in the run to the finish.

QUALIFICATIONHorses have to qualify to be accepted into the race and initial entries can be upwards of 60 horses, which means that you really should be convinced of your horse’s eligibility to get into the top 18. (The field size has just been increased from 16 to 18, with two reserves.)

Durban JulyKNOW THE HISTORY OF THE VODACOM

Wanna bet?

TEXT: CATHERINE HARTLEY, IMAGINE RACINGPHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF GAMEPLAN MEDIA 

Outsider Pomodoro won the 2012 Vodacom Durban July

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COMPETITIONVODACOM DURBAN JULY

Qualification criteria include previous wins and top placings in graded races, as well as the horse’s merit rating, which is a rating based on his previous performance. Since the July is a handicap race, horses are ‘handicapped’ by weight, sex and age. The objective of the Handicapper is to weight the horses according to their ability, so that they would theoretically all finish in a line or dead-heat. In other words, your better horses are likely to carry heavier weight.

Horses are allocated weight according to the rules of the race and at the Handicapper’s discretion, subject to the following:• The weight to be carried shall not exceed 60kg

and shall not be less than 52kg.• Minimum weight for four-year-olds and older:

colts and geldings 53kg, fillies and mares 52kg. Maximum weight for four-year-olds and older at publication of weights: colts and geldings 60kg, fillies and mares 59kg.

• Minimum weight for three-year-olds: colts and geldings 53kg, fillies 52kg. Maximum weight for three-year-olds at publication of weights: colts and geldings 57kg, fillies 56kg.

GOING THE DISTANCEThe July is considered a ‘classic’ race and horses need to be able to compete over that distance, generally considered 2,000 to 2,400m. A horse who prefers 1,000 to 1,600m races is highly unlikely to be capable of running the distance at a competitive rate. Some horses also excel at much greater distances – around 3,000m (for example the Gold Bowl) – and would find the July a touch short.

These criteria are largely governed by pedigree (as certain lines are more suited to certain distances than others), ability, conformation and appropriate training for the correct distance. There are always exceptions in racing and the legendary Jet Master produced sprinters (JJ the Jet Plane) as well as many classic horses, including Champion Horse of the Year and July winner Pocket Power, and the 2012 winner Pomodoro. Interestingly, both JJ the Jet Plane and Pomodoro are out of Northern Guest mares – a potent cross highlighted by their many successes.

CONFORMATION Generally a sprinter differs in conformation from a classic or longer-distance horse, being more short-coupled and well built through the hindquarter and shoulder. A classic horse tends to stand over ground, with a more refined, classically athletic conformation. A good easy walk in the parade ring and canter down to the start are often indicative of an easy galloper and a horse who is moving well with a good ground-covering action. However, horses will always surprise us and there may be many anomalies from the expected.

Durban July

A TASTE OF HISTORY

Anthony Delpech and Mike de Kock-trained

filly Igugu claimed victory in the 2011 July

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PICKING A WINNERAll these factors play a role in the possible outcome of a race and are pointers if you are going to have a ‘flutter’! Pre-race betting and hype start months before, but on the day, if you are looking to have some fun, study the previous form in your race card, look at the horses in the ring and watch them canter down to the start. Pre-race odds indicate the popularity of certain horses as race favourites and a 2 to 1 horse, while being obviously popular to come in the top finishers, will pay back less than a 10 to 1 horse.

ODDS ONThe shortest-priced winning favourite in the 107-year history of the Vodacom Durban July is the legendary Sea Cottage. He started at odds of 11 to 10 in 1967, when getting up on the line to dead-heat with Jollify. The finish unquestionably rates as one of the most exciting ever, with the crowd going mad as the two horses flashed across the line locked together. The extra 2lb (approximately 1kg) which Jollify carried, however, may just have made the difference between winning and dead-heating. This was quite a feat by Sea Cottage considering that he had been shot the year before, only a few weeks before running fourth in that year’s race.

The honour of being the longest-priced favourite to win the Vodacom Durban July is now shared by the 2006 winner Eyeofthetiger and the 1985 winner Gondolier, who both started at 6 to 1.

In 1996 the popular London News won at 14 to 10, the same price that Dynasty won at in 2003.

2008’s finish featured the favourite Pocket Power at 28 to 10 in a winning dead-heat with the second favourite, Dancer’s Daughter, at 8 to 1.

On the other end of the scale, the shortest-priced favourite ever was Yard-Arm in 2004 at 8 to 10. Unfortunately the confidence in Yard-Arm was not to be realised as the weight that he had to carry proved to be his undoing and he finished out of the placings.

GIRL POWERFillies and mares have won the race on only 13 occasions. Peerless, a three-year-old, was the first to take the honours in 1903. Margin won in 1916, Collet in 1922, Eunomea in 1923 and Moosme in 1926. It was not until 1951 that a filly was to win again and this was Gay Jane. Migraine scored for the ladies in 1957, Diza in 1962, and then more than 20 years elapsed before Tecla Bluff won in

1983. The very next year trainer Terrance Millard pulled off the race with a filly again, with Devon Air for the Scott brothers.

Trainer Mike de Kock took the honours in 2002 when the three-year-old Ipi Tombe became the first filly of her age to win since Migraine 45 years earlier in 1957. The next of the fairer sex to win was Dancer’s Daughter in 2008, in the memorable dead-heat with Pocket Power, and the most recent was Igugu, again for Mike de Kock, in 2011.

LUCK OF THE DRAWThe draw plays an important role in the race and the lower draws closer to the inside rail are better

than being drawn to the outside. However, if the jockey can get his horse well placed and avoid racing wide for most of the race, the draw can be overcome.

Only seven runners drawn on the extreme outside have managed to win since 1917. In 1991 the imported Flaming Rock started from stall gate 20 and unwound a devastating finish to win by a long head. Then, in 1998, Classic Flag won from stall gate 18. He came from well off the pace then galloped away from his rivals to an emphatic win.

In 2003 Dynasty broke from the extreme outside draw at 20, fighting for his head and racing wide in the early stages. His task for a three-

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COMPETITIONVODACOM DURBAN JULY

year-old carrying 53kg was a tough one. After finally settling down, he produced an incredible finishing burst in the straight to get up and beat Yard-Arm by nearly a length. In 2012 Pomodoro won a fighting finish from draw 20.

WANT TO BET?There is generally 35 to 40 minutes between races, which gives you an ideal opportunity and enough time to study your race card, the horses’ previous form and general information, and then watch the horses in the parade ring and cantering to the start. This will all give you some insight into which horses you like best as potential winners.

Thereafter it is just a case of deciding how to place your bets. For those who battle to translate the terminology, here’s a brief overview:Win: Bet a horse to win.Place: Bet a horse to finish in the placings. The number of horses qualifying for place payouts depends on the number of runners:Six to seven runners: First, second Eight to 15 runners: First, second, third Sixteen or more runners: First, second, third, fourth Eachway (I call this hedging your bets!): Combine a win and place bet. You collect the win and place payouts if the horse you bet on finishes first. You get the place payout if the horse finishes second or third (the number of place payouts varies according to the number of runners, see above). The same amount is always bet for the win and the place. For example: an eachway bet taken three times is a R3 win and R3 place = R6.Swinger: Pick two horses in a race and couple

them in a swinger. You win if the two horses chosen fill two of the first three places. There are three winning combinations: first and second (or second and first), first and third (or third and first), and second and third (or third and second).Exacta: Bet on the horses to finish first and second in the exact order. Bet four different ways:Single: Choose one horse for first and one horse for second.Box: Choose two or more horses. You collect if the horses chosen include the first and second finishers.Trifecta: Bet on the horses to finish first, second and third in the exact order. If you box, they don’t have to finish in the specified order.Quartet: Bet on the horses to finish first, second, third and fourth in the exact order. Box and they can finish in the first four in any order.

Of course the cherry on top is owning a horse

in the race and while the July may be the

pinnacle of all our aspirations, simply owning

a winning racehorse is a thrill like no other.

Racing consultants such as Imagine

Racing specialise in buying and managing

racehorses for individuals and syndicates

of shared ownership. These companies act

as your personal racing manager, offering

a personalised and inclusive service. The

number of shareholders in a syndicate is

kept to a maximum of 10, but can be tailored

to suit a group’s requirements. The team

at Imagine Racing encourages groups of

friends to join together, or alternatively place

likeminded individuals in a syndicate. This

enables owners to enjoy racing as a group of

friends and it also provides a great networking

opportunity.

Shared ownership allows owners to get

involved at a level that suits them while all

administration and horse management are

taken care of. Experts guide the new owners’

experience and look after the share owners’

interests. This allows new owners to get

involved easily and simply and to share in the

costs, the fun and any winnings.

For more information visit

www.imagineracing.co.za.

CHERRY ON TOP

Celebrations for trainer Mike de Kock and the connections of Bold Silvano after their win in the 144th running of the Vodacom Durban July in 2010

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