The 2021 Durban July is shaping up into a cracker with confirmed champion older horses pitted against extremely talented and progressive youngsters. On Saturday, one of the main fancies from the former group, Rainbow Bridge (speed score 110 +) justified short odds on under Luke Ferraris to beat off a classy representative of the three year old crop, Catch Twentytwo (s/s 109) in the G1 Gold Challenge @ Greyville.
Catch Twentytwo was only defeated by a neck in receipt of 1.5kg’s in this 1600m race which gives us a clue as to how the three year olds stack up versus the best elders. It will be fascinating to see how his contemporaries Linebacker, Rascallion, Kommetdieding and War of Athena cope in the July against Rainbow Bridge, Got the Greenlight and Do It Again.
Rainbow Bridge (by Ideal World) has twice won the Met and is formidable over a mile but there is a tiny query over him lasting home in a true run 2200m contest. He’s just so good (114 is his top ability rating) and dependable (his “worst” runs have seen him only two to three lengths back in G1’s) that he deserves his place near the top of the July ante-post market.
Last year’s July victor Belgarion put in a very encouraging prep run, finishing really well and scoring 105 +. He is proven over the July distance and owns a career best of 115 so is another to be taken seriously.
Caya Coco (s/s 100) used optimal stalk and pounce tactics from a low draw to win the G2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m. The daughter of Querari was well handled by Muzi Yeni to record her biggest success to date. Wisteria Walk (s/s 97) was game in second after racing handy from gate 5 but could not match the winner’s acceleration down the straight.
1400m races at Greyville are especially draw sensitive – the first four home all had low numbers. Punters who did no intricate handicapping whatsoever, simply tossed all those drawn in the outer half and instead focused on inner stalls gave themselves a chance to collect the 28K quartet dividend!
Crown Towers rallied from the front to stave off the cavalry in the G3 Cup Trial. Richard Fourie is very strong in these situations on powerful front runners – left with an uncontested lead he rousted the determined Camelot gelding to narrowly deny Tristful, Nexus, Capoeira and Tree Tumbo in a close finish to the 1800m event.
Cosmic Highway (s/s 93+) and Twice the Trip came out tops in the Listed juvenile features. Cosmic Highway (by Gimmethegreenlight) was life and death to reel in Party Time who had seemingly opened up an insurmountable lead. Twice the Trip (Twice Over) was also hard pressed to notch her victory in the Devon Air Stakes as Kailene tried in vain to complete her personal hat-trick.
Finally, the performance of Ziva La Winter (by What a Winter) is worthy of mention. He’d completely duffed his last start in soft going at Scottsville so was largely ignored as a 25/1 longshot. But he is a much better horse when sprinting at Greyville on firm ground and blasted away from rivals in the Durban Dash to score 96 + with a notably fast come- home sectional.