The only filly in the race, Sparkling Water (speed score 105 +) won the Durban July in emphatic style at Greyville on Saturday. It was great to have big crowds back and a party atmosphere on course to give the sport of horse racing a boost of popularity. Fans could cheer her home as, quite brilliantly handled by S’Manga Khumalo who miraculously put her on the rail from draw 12 to use optimal stalk and pounce tactics, she put a clear three length margin between herself and a posse of pursuers.
Jet Dark closed best from a long way back for second just ahead of Safe Passage, with Do It Again, who made an early dash for glory before weakening, holding fourth place over Kommetdieding.
Sparkling Water is by Silvano ex Espumanti, representing a powerful female line. This adaptable and classy four-year-old was bred by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein and has won races in Joburg, Cape Town and now Durban from distances between 1450m and 2800m. Mike de Kock is her conditioner.
The other Grade 1 on the card saw the demise of heavy odds-on favourite, Captain’s Ransom who got caught too far back from a wide draw in a slow-early Garden Province Stakes over 1600m. She’s a Keeper (s/s 104 +) took advantage under an impeccably judged ride by Warren Kennedy to swoop through and win on the Gimmethegreenlight mare for trainer Gareth van Zyl.
Marina (s/s 100 +), who has responded to well to physical treatment after letting the side down with a couple of flops when barely raising a gallop, regained her familiar zest bounding into second place just ahead of Silver Darling. Marina looks neatly teed up for a strong showing in the upcoming Gold Bracelet on Gold Cup Day.
Val D’’Orcia (s/s 108) rewarded raiding Highveld trainer Paul Peter when scooting through and staving off Good Traveller (s/s 107) in the G2 Post Merchants over 1200m. The victor is a three-year-old gelded son of Vercingetorix, and he handled the step up in class with aplomb. Third placed went to super-quick filly Sheela (s/s 104) in a fine try after 31 weeks off track.
Whilst the early fractions were soft in the Durban July, that was not the case in the G3 Vodacom 2200 run earlier over the same distance. The hard, contested gallop between Crown Towers and Flying Bull set things up ideally for a deep closer.
The beneficiary of this true run contest was One Way Traffic (s/s 109) He was extremely impressive blasting past the opposition in a runaway. Super Silvano (s/s 107) Shango (s/s 106) and Chollima (s/s 104) recorded neat numbers but proved no match for Justin Snaith’s Dynasty gelding who is a genuinely high-quality stayer. If One Way Traffic goes for the Gold Cup, he could prove hard to beat based on this powerhouse performance.
In a notable achievement, Paarl-based trainer Glen Kotzen won both G2 1400m Juvenile races – Ameena (s/s 94) took the Golden Slipper for fillies and Cousin Casey (s/s 97) the Golden Horseshoe for the boys. Richard Fourie and Grant van Niekerk respectively were the jocks to salute.