July poser – can Do It Again live up to his name ?

Do It Again (s/s 105 +), sired by Twice Over won the Gold Challenge after a tussle with Cirillo (s/s 104) and is perfectly teed up for another Durban July win as he tends to peak at his second run after a freshening. The year younger runner up tried his utmost but could not contain Do It Again’s more powerful finish.

Rainbow Bridge was something of a let- down – not settling early then finding some traffic problems when trying in vain to close. He can certainly perform much better than what he showed on Saturday where things did not work out and is 5/1 on Interbet to redeem himself in the July.

Game front runner Kampala Campari (by Querari) won a false run G3 Cup Trial as he fought off the persistent attentions of Eyes Wide Open, who also raced handy. Doublemint stayed on belatedly to be third. All three are steady enough performers but will need to up their games significantly to menace the likes of Hawwaam, Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge in the July.

Oh Susanna (s/s 102) was all out to stave off the rapidly progressing In The Dance (s/s 101) when winning the G2 Tibouchina Stakes. She coped admirably with a wide draw to race upfront which were the right tactics given how the Greyville track was playing. However, Oh Susanna was running out of gas near the wire and just kept going to sneak the honours from In the Dance who was having only her fourth career start and looks well worth following.

Very smart three year-old Barahin (s/s 104, has run 107 previously) took the Jubilee Handicap at Turffontein with a powerful closing burst. He has won four of seven starts and is likely to have a tilt at the Durban July. The career bests of Hawwaam (s/s 116) Do It Again (s/s 115) and Rainbow Bridge (s/s 112) set higher standards but perhaps this lightly raced son of Gimmethegreenlight out of the Silvano mare, Mocha Special can contend for the places with further development.

Armando (by What a Winter) won the Cape of Good Hope Nursery with a very neat figure for a juvenile of 96. He is now a perfect three from three and has a very bright future here or if moving to the Far East. Cousin Liz (by Captain Al) (s/s 83 +) took the prize in the Fillies Nursery in fluent fashion, albeit with a much lower speed score.