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South Africa: Trainer Snaith Chasing Fourth Straight Win In Historic Durban July Handicap

With Independence Day right around the corner, start your holiday weekend off right with some International horse racing on Saturday Morning, starting with the first post at 5:15am ET. Sky Racing World, the Louisville, Ky.-based distributor of International Thoroughbred racing content, is excited to announce coverage of the historic 125th Durban July Handicap at Greyville Racecourse in South Africa, The race will also be broadcast on TVG and be available on our new Sky Racing World App, which you can find here.

Justin Snaith is going all out with four entries among the 18 runners carded for Greyville on Saturday. He is coming off a hat-trick of wins, having saddled Belgarion to win last year and prior to that Do It Again to back-to-back victories. Both horses are in the line-up again this weekend and will spearhead Snaith's attempt to win Africa's greatest horse race for a fifth time, chasing the seven successes of the legendary Syd Laird and the six of Terrance Millard.

Raced on turf, the Durban July Handicap is open to horses of all ages, but all of them will be chasing after Rainbow Bridge from the off, as the gelding and rider Luke Ferraris have changed their running tactics, won their last three races, and claimed pole position for the upcoming race. Top weight Rainbow Bridge will be looking to win this one for owner Mike Rattray, who been competing in this prestigious race for over four decades.

Despite Rainbow Bridge's pole position, he isn't currently trading as the favorite with 5-1 odds, as it's Got The Greenlight who leads the way with 5-2 odds. The 4-year old was runner-up to Belgarion last year where he was beaten by just shy of one length. Trainer Joey Soma has had the Vodacom Durban July in his sights since Got The Greenlight's loss last year and the colt does appear to have had the ideal preparation. On the other hand, weight could be an issue and Ferraris will need to avoid traffic in a notoriously rough race from his pole position draw.

Even with the number 14 draw, Got The Greenlight's jockey, Muzi Yeni, said, “I was extremely happy with Got The Greenlight's gallop, which was outstanding. He gave me the feel that he has strengthened up even further and he is really in a good space, so it's all positive from my side. I am not too concerned about his No 14 draw as I would prefer not to be caught up in the scrimmage for position in the early stages. All the major players seem to have put up good gallops and all looked very well within themselves so it's going to be a great spectacle.”

Speaking of Belgarion, last year's winner is back again looking for the double, but this time with a different rider. This year he will be going for the win with S'Manga Khumalo, who won the race with steed Heavy Metal back in 2013. Belgarion is a 9-1 favorite to win and fans will be hoping he can go back-to-back.

Make sure not to forget about Do It Again, as he'll be in the race as well, with stable rider Richard Fourie. He'll be looking to make history as the only horse to have won the race three times, after winning in back-to-back years before losing to Belgarion last year. Currently at 8-1 odds, Do It Again last won the race two years ago, but can he follow his name and get it done again?

Also in the field is the three-year-old Linebacker, winner of the Grade 2 KZN Guineas and Grade 1 Daily News 2000, who is the clear second favorite at 7-2. Three-year old horses have an outstanding record in this race over the recent years, so maybe Linebacker can make his mark on the proceedings. Another factor going in the favor of three-year old horses is that they will all carry the minimum weight for their age group going into the race.

Who will win this historic event in 2021? Will it be favorite Got The Greenlight or another one of the horses in the field? Find out on July 3rd on Sky Racing World, our app and on TVG!

The Greyville card will be broadcast live on TVG this Saturday morning (First Post: 5:15 AM ET / 2:15 AM PT). All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.

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Belgarion Favored in South Africa’s Cape Town Met

Belgarion, victor last year of the famous Vodacom Durban July, is the bookies' favourite at 22-10 to win the race that is so deeply lodged in the South African public's consciousness, the iconic “Met.” This 1 ¼ mile event with a proud history will be staged at Kenilworth on Saturday morning at 10:10 a.m. EST, together with other prestigious Group 1 contests. The five furlong Cape Flying Championships (WFA) for specialist speed merchants, and the Majorca Stakes (WFA) which has attracted a cast of fine fillies and mares over one mile.

Live stream all the action on the new Sky Racing World App or watch and wager with your preferred ADW.

Belgarion forms part of a three-pronged attack trained by dominant local conditioner, Justin Snaith — dual Durban July winner Do It Again and 2017 Winter Series star, African Night Sky are stable companions — and seems teed up for a peak performance. He was hugely impressive when defeating re-opposing Rainbow Bridge and Cirillo in the Green Point Stakes in mid-December, then hardly shamed when clocking in third at odds on in a falsely paced, L'Ormarins Queen's Plate. The Cape Town Met distance suits this proven winner better, he has competed with distinction against top-class rivals already and as a lightly campaigned 5-year-old can move forward towards another peak showing at only his twelfth start.

Queen Supreme looms a threat as she has repeatedly dismissed the best of her female contemporaries whilst also badly scaring outstanding colts like overseas-bound stable mate, Hawwaam. Mike de Kock's runner was a stylish winner of the G1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth three weeks ago and with further improvement expected, this Irish bred mare potentially has the natural ability to menace Belgarion.

Eric Sands presents two principal contenders, Rainbow Bridge (close second to One World in the 2020 Met) and Golden Ducat, who share the same prolific producing dam, Halfway to Heaven. They fought out a humdinger in the Champions Stakes in August 2019 to showcase their merits, though both finished a couple of lengths off Belgarion in the July. Rainbow Bridge is now significantly better off at the weight turnaround with the favourite however, whilst Golden Ducat is a tough scrapper bound to have progressed since the Durban winter season, so they should be accorded proper respect.

The sole 3-year-old filly, Princess Calla is interesting. There was honour in defeat 2.3 lengths off Queen Supreme in the Paddock Stakes in only her fifth career try and she finished the same distance behind arguably the best of the 3-year-old crop, Captain's Ransom, in the Fillies Guineas. That is strong form to put on her CV. Adam Marcus saddles her, and she'll be carrying just 113 pounds. The mercurial services of excellent jock Grant van Niekerk are an added bonus.

Do It Again has drawn a blank since his July heroics in 2019, the same year he was only just run out of it in the Met by perennial rival, Rainbow Bridge. The 6-year-old may not have won for 574 days, yet cannot be written off as he usually runs big second up after a break and there was much to like about his brisk finish from the back in the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate. The occasionally grumpy veteran now gets cheek pieces to enhance his concentration.

Silver Operator is trained by Vaughan Marshall who has won this race three times in the past with La Fabulous, Hill Fifty Four and One World. He saddles long shot Silver Operator, who clashed with Belgarion earlier in their respective careers and was only beaten three quarters of a length, admittedly when receiving 13 pounds in weight. It might be that the market is mistakenly underestimating him as a seemingly forlorn 50-1 outsider, given that he's stepping up in trip for the first time, which should be fine based on his pedigree (by Silvano). Silver Operator also has scope to develop having only raced eight times.

Cirillo is another trying a longer route. Sean Tarry's entry was only lumbered in deep stretch in the Green Point over one mile and suffered a similarly narrow reverse to Golden Ducat and Rainbow Bridge in the Champions at Greyville in August over 1 1/16 mile. On that basis it would be foolish to dismiss this 33-1 long shot as a no-hoper, especially if the early fractions are not too testing and he can employ optimal stalk and pounce tactics on a dry surface.

African Night Sky suffered an excruciating beat when stopped dead in his tracks on the rail in the Premiers. But for that traffic melee, he probably would have swept past Golden Ducat. Dedicated horseman Snaith is trying to work miracles in bringing this 7-year-old back from serious injury, towards the tremendous form he displayed when winning the Winter Series of 2017. The ante post market is somewhat leery of his prospects however and pegs African Night Sky as a 20-1 chance which translates into a mere 5% chance of winning.

Running Brave is a front running invader from Joburg that will be a significant pace factor. A bargain R30,000 buy who has earned close to R2 million in stakes, she will again run her heart out but could be found wanting when it counts. 100-1 rank outsider Sovereign Spirit makes up the 11 runner field – he's finished well adrift of Belgarion and Golden Ducat without obvious excuses, and seems unlikely to trouble the judge.

Though the Met is deeply contentious with plausible cases made for many in the field, the Majorca Stakes (G1) appears clear-cut. It pits up-and-coming star, Captains Ransom (firm even money favourite in early trade) vs defending champ, Clouds Unfold, quoted at 22-10.

They clashed in the Diana Stakes in October 2020 with Captains Ransom actually out-finishing the mare, which is a rare achievement in itself given that Clouds Unfold's swift turn of foot has propelled her to nine stirring victories against the best sprinter/milers in the business. There is unlikely to be much between them this time either, but the youngster, who can sit handy from a low draw then quicken up dramatically, is preferred.

Chat Ching is about four lengths inferior to the selection on exposed form, so is unlikely to win yet can clunk up for a place. Pace forcing, Silvano's Pride, and Brett Crawford's representatives, Pretty Young Thing and Sing Out Loud are others that might reasonably be used underneath in trifecta and quartet plays.

The Cape Flying Championship (G1) is dastardly difficult to decipher. It's a very powerful line-up of brilliant sprinters all rated within a few ticks of each other – whoever is in the sharpest physical condition on the day and gets the right split-second breaks will prevail.

Compiling a contender short list with any confidence is an awkward task given how clustered they are on ability ratings: Run Fox Run, Celtic Sea, Rio Querari, Kasimir, Russet Air, Erik the Red and Vernichey could, perhaps, be the ones to fight it out.

6-1 shot Run Fox Run and 5-2 ante post favourite Celtic Sea have engaged in spirited G1 sprint duels before and have proven credentials at the higher echelons over the short cuts; upwardly mobile, Rio Querari has been mighty impressive this Cape Summer; add fellow Snaith trained runners, Erik The Red (Merchants victor) and experienced champion sprinter, Kasimir as formidable foes with excellent winning records; Russet Air won the Flying Champs in 2020 with a surging closing sectional and is 7/1 to repeat, whilst well-travelled, Vernichey may be 20/1 yet is respected as a low weight representing the three year- old fillies crop. These seven thoroughbreds have between them won 48 races, including multiple G1 and G2 Stakes'. A fascinating, quality showdown!

You can live stream Cape Town Met Day at Kenilworth on your mobile device through the Sky Racing World Streaming App on iOS or Android. South African racing fans can also watch live via desktop at skyracingworld.com, and watch and wager with all major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager.

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Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Heads To South Africa This Saturday

A.N. & The Honorable Mrs. G. R. Foster's 5-year-old homebred Belgarion, a winner of his last six races, headlines a field of nine runners entered for Saturday's one-mile L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (G1) at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town, South Africa. The race winner will earn an automatic berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. One race prior to the Queen's Plate, Mauritzfontein Ltd.'s unbeaten 5-year-old mare Summer Pudding leads the 1 1/8-mile Cartier Paddock Stakes (G1) for a free starting position into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Now in its 14th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held this year at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the pre-entry and entry fees for the winners of Saturday's races, and also will provide a US$40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America, to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

Belgarion, a bay son of Dynasty, is trained by Justin Snaith, who has three starters in the race. Belgarion's biggest career score was on July 25, 2020 when he won South Africa's most prestigious race, the 1 3/8-mile Vodafone Durban July Stakes (G1) at Greyville by three-quarters of a length. He returned on Dec. 12 in the 7-furlong World Sports Betting Greenpoint Stakes (G2) at Kenilworth. Last of eight runners at the top of the stretch, Belgarion closed with a powerful rush to defeat the favored Rainbow Bridge by a neck. That victory improved Belgarion's record to eight wins in 10 starts, and was his seventh-straight triumph dating back to September 2019. Belgarion will be ridded by Richard Fourie from post six.

Mr. and Mrs. M.L.P. Rattray's 7-year-old gelding Rainbow Bridge, trained by Eric Sands, has had some hard luck in his last two starts. In addition to his close second-place finish in the Greenpoint Stakes, the bay son of Ideal World finished a short head behind Golden Ducat in the 1 1/8-mile World Sports Betting Champions Cup (G1) at Greyville on Aug. 29. His lone victory last year, however, came in the Group 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge at about 1 mile on June 28 at Greyville, defeating Vardy, last year's L'Ormarins Queen's Plate winner. Luke Ferrais will ride Rainbow Bridge out of gate five.

The front-running Cirillo also should be a factor for owner C.J.H. Van Niekerk and trainer Sean Tarry. Hitting the board in his last four starts, Cirillo held the lead in deep stretch in the Greenpoint Stakes before being passed in the final yards by Belgarion and Rainbow Bridge. A 5-year-old bay by Pomodoro, Cirillo last won on March 7, taking the 7-furlong Betting World Hawaii Stakes (G2). Breaking from post four, Cirillo will be ridden by Gavin Larena.

Another starter trained by Snaith is the 2019 L'Oramins Queen's Plate winner Do It Again, owned by Nick Johnson and Bernard Kantor, who will be making his first start since Aug. 29. Ridden by Anton Marcus from post seven, the 6-year-old Twice Over gelding won two more Group 1 races in 2019, taking the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the Durban July. Do It Again, though, did not win a race last year in five starts. He was sixth in the 2020 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate, and third in both the Hollywood Bets Gold Cup and the Durban July.

Snaith's third starter is longshot Hurricane Harry, who won three races last year, but trailed seven runners last time out in the Cape Mile at Kenilworth on Nov. 7. He will be ridden by Robert Khathi, breaking from post one.

In the Cartier Paddock Stakes, Summer Pudding, trained by Paul Peter, looms large over 11 rivals, having never lost in nine starts. Saturday's race will be her first at Kenilworth as eight of her victories came at Turrfontein and one at Greyville. A 5-year-old bay daughter of Silvano out of Cherry on the Cake by Strike Smartly, Summer Pudding has three Group 1 wins, including her most recent triumph over male rivals by 2 ½ lengths in the 1 1/8-mile World Sports Betting Gauteng Summer Cup at Turffontein on Nov. 28. That was Summer Pudding's first start since July 7, when she captured the 1 1/8-mile Champion Stayer: Out of Your League Pinnacle Stakes over fillies and mares at Turffontein.

Summer Pudding's first Group 1 score came on March 7 in the 1-mile Wilgerbosdrift S A Fillies Classic. After winning the Group 2, 1 ½-mile Wilgerbosdrift S A Oaks at Turffontein on June 6, she got her second Group 1 of the season, defeating Driving Miss Daisy in the 1 1/8-mile Woolavington 2000 at Greyville on June 28. Summer Pudding will be ridden by Warren Kennedy from post 11.

The main danger to Summer Pudding could come from defending champion Queen Supreme. Also owned by Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd., Queen Supreme, trained by Mike de Kock, is a 5-year-old chestnut daughter of Exceed and Excel out of the Gone West mare Call Later. Queen Supreme captured last year's Paddock Stakes by 2 ½ lengths over Driving Miss Daisy for her first Group 1 win. Two starts later, she finished third against males in the Hsh Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (G1) on June 27 at Turrfontein. Off until Nov. 28, she faced open company again in the 1-mile World Sports Bet Ipi Tombe Challenge at Turffontein, finishing second by 1 ¾ lengths. She returned to the winner's circle in her last start, taking the 1-mile Computaform Online Pinnacle Stakes by 4 ½ lengths on Dec. 12. Queen Supreme will be ridden for the first time by Keagan De Melo, from post two.

A.C. Peter's Silvano's Pride, third in last year's race for trainer Justin Snaith, won two races in 2020, including her last start on Dec. 19 when she captured the 1-mile Cape Racing Victress Stakes (G2) at Kenilworth by a half-length. A 5-year-old chestnut daughter of Silvano, Silvano's Pride also won the 6-furlong Tibouchina Stakes (G2) at Greyville on June 28 by 2 ¼ lengths. Robert Khathi has the mount, breaking from post seven.

The Eric Sands-trained Driving Miss Daisy has been off the board since her runner-up finish in the Woolavalington 2000 behind Summer Pudding. A 5-year-old bay daughter of Master of My Fate, Driving Miss Daisy finished sixth last time out in the gavelhouse.com Conditions Plate at Kenilworth on Nov. 21. Driving Miss Daisy breaks from post eight under jockey Morne Winnaar.

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