Vodacom Durban July. Photo: John Lewis
Glyn Schofield has been booked to ride E-Jet in the Vodacom Durban July, which will be held at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban on July 6, while the country’s champion elect jockey Piere Strydom will attempt a double in the big race aboard Pomodoro.
Sean Tarry, who trains that pair, said also that Bernard Fayd’herbe would ride Whiteline Fever, while the riders for both Heavy Metal and his borderline horse Gold Onyx were yet to be confirmed.
E-Jet, a four-year-old Jet Master gelding, was in 21st spot on the last Vodacom Durban July log and should get into the final field as some of those above him have been scratched and he does fulfil the criteria of good recent Graded race form as the winner of the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes in April.
This free-striding galloper did not have things go his way in his last two outings and looks to be good value for the July at 40-1 with Betting World.
In the Grade 1 President’s Champions Challenge he raced one wide just behind the leader in a very slowly run race, the opposite sort of race to the testing gallop that would best suit him.
In the Betting World 1900 he didn’t break well and was caught too far out of his ground.
If he can get handy in the July in a strongly paced race, he has a shout, especially considering Schofield returned from his Hong Kong days as an outstanding judge of pace.
Meanwhile, Pomodoro has enjoyed an excellent July preparation and will attempt to be the first horse since Pocket Power, who dead-heated in 2008, to win with top-weight.
Pomodoro, a four-year-old Jet Master colt, will also be attempting to be the first horse to retain his July crown since the 2000 win of El Picha, who also carried top-weight.
Little went right for the Pomodoro in his Cape Town campaign and we haven’t seen the best of this top class sort yet.
The bookmakers agree that he is going to be a huge runner as they have him joint-favourite at 5-1.
Whiteline Fever has also enjoyed a good preparation and finished 0,5 lengths behind Pomodoro in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m last time out at level weights.
Some doubt the four-year-old Right Approach gelding’s stamina reserves, but he baulked late in the big race last year when staying on strongly and on that performance should get the trip.
However, that doubt coupled with him only receiving 0,5kg from Pomodoro has allowed the bookmakers to quote him at 33-1.
Heavy Metal was given a 112 merit rating after winning the Grade 1 Champions Challenge from off the pace by a comfortable 1,75 lengths, meaning he will also be receiving only 0,5 kg from Pomodoro.
The four-year-old Silvano gelding looks to be suited to Greyville as he has a good turn of foot and won the Listed Darley Arabian over 1900m on Super Saturday last year.
However, he appears a bit harshly handicapped and this has put punters off as he is available at 33-1 with Betting World.
Gold Onyx finished third in the Betting World 1900 to stake a claim for a position in the final field, but he will have to leapfrog a few horses considering he was only in 28th position on the last July log.
However, Tarry believes all of his horses have done enough to get into the race and is happy with all of their preparations.
Meanwhile, he looks likely to run The King And I in the Betting World Derby over 2400m at Clairwood this Sunday, as the field looks likely to cut up with the likes of July entries Capetown Noir, Gothic and Wild One avoiding the race.
Tarry was leading the Trainer’s Championship recently, but incumbent champion Mike de Kock has since kicked into gear and is now almost R2 million clear.
Tarry believes De Kock will be hard to catch and is putting all of his current focus on the Vodacom Durban July.
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