Top three-year-olds to clash in Daily News
Jack Milner
Current favourite for the Hollywoodbets Durban July See It Again heads up the field for the R1.25-million Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
This Grade 1 race over 2000m pits the best three-year-olds from all over the country against one another and is often viewed as a guide as to which of the younger set will be the main contenders in the Durban July.
Michael Roberts-trained See It Again, winner of the Grade 1 Splashout Cape Derby, is reunited with jockey Piere Strydom and has been priced up as the 22-10 favourite to win the Daily News.
He showed his wellbeing with a solid two-length second behind Charles Dickens in the World Sports Betting Guineas over 1600m on 6 May.
Charles Dickens is missing from this field as trainer Candice Bass-Robinson indicated they would restrict him to races over 1600m at this stage of his career.
But the line-up is potent and the 10-runner field includes other Grade 1 winners in Cousin Casey, Son Of Raj and Anfields Rocket.
The Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 is now open to fillies and mares and is run on a weight-for-age basis.
Interestingly, last year’s Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara winner, Rain In Holland, who had to miss the race as a three-year-old last year because of an injury, will now get a second bite of the cherry and together with last year’s winner, Justin Snaith-trained Silver Darling, is the best weighted runner in the 14-runner field.
Also in the line-up is Marina, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over the same course and distance, along with three-year-olds Lady Of Power, Peach Daiquiri and None Other.
Early betting on the Grade 1 Daily News 2000
22-10 See It Again
28-10 Without Question
9-2 Cousin Casey
6-1 Dave The King
10-1 Son Of Raj
14-1 East Coast, Anfields Rocket, Shoemaker
50-1 Street Art
55-1 River Romeo
Final field for the R1.5-million Daily News (Grade 1) 2000m
1 – 1 COUSIN CASEY (G S Kotzen) G van Niekerk 60.0 – 122
2 – 2 STREET ART (A P Peter) D Schwarz 60.0 – 88
3 – 3 WITHOUT QUESTION (J S Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 – 119
4 – 4 EAST COAST (M F De Kock) K de Melo 60.0 – 112
5 – 5 ANFIELDS ROCKET (G J Maroun) L Mxothwa 60.0 – 120
6 – 6 DAVE THE KING (M F De Kock) C Zackey 60.0 – 122
7 – 7 SEE IT AGAIN (M L Roberts) P Strydom 60.0 – 124
8 – 8 SON OF RAJ (W H Marwing) M Yeni 60.0 – 115
9 – 9 RIVER ROMEO (P F Matchett) S Moodley 60.0 – 84
10 – 10 SHOEMAKER (M F De Kock) A Domeyer 60.0 – 114
Same Trainer: (4,6,10)
Final fields for the R1-million Woolavington (Grade 1) 2000m
1 – 1 RAIN IN HOLLAND (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 120
2 – 2 LADY OF POWER (M/A Azzie) M Yeni 57.5 – 109
3 – 3 VIRGINIA SWEET (G S Kotzen) C Zackey 57.5 – 97
4 – 4 ICE SUNSATION (W A Nel) R A Venniker 60.0 – 87
5 – 5 TIME FLIES (B Crawford) L Mxothwa 60.0 – 96
6 – 6 IPSO FACTO (A B Fortune) R Danielson 57.5 – 95
7 – 7 LIGHT OF THE MOON (B/Y Botes / Vosloo) P Strydom 60.0 – 105
8 – 8 MARINA (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 60.0 – 117
9 – 9 GILDED BUTTERFLY (S T Pettigrew) K de Melo 60.0 – 114
10 – 10 PEACH DAIQUIRI (A G Laird) D Schwarz 57.5 – 106
11 – 11 HOLD MY HAND (G S Kotzen) G Lerena 57.5 – 104
12 – 12 NONE OTHER (M N Houdalakis) J P v’d Merwe 57.5 – 110
13 – 13 SAARTJIE (W A Nel) R Khathi 57.5 – 105
14 – 14 SILVER DARLING (J S Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 – 120
Same Trainer: (3,11) (4,13)
Final field for the R200,000 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup (Grade 3) 2400m
1 – 1 CRIMSON KING (B Crawford) K Matsunyane 52.0 – 93
2 – 2 GOOD COUNCIL (A B Fortune) J Penny 52.5 – 105
3 – 3 SHANGO (S G Tarry) G Lerena 57.5 – 108
4 – 4 FUTURE PEARL (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 53.0 – 106
5 – 5 RAISEAHALLELUJAH (C Dawson) J P v’d Merwe 53.0 – 99
6 – 6 OTTO LUYKEN (T Zackey) M Yeni 52.0 – 90
7 – 7 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) C Zackey 60.5 – 114
8 – 8 REX UNION (D Kannemeyer) K de Melo 52.0 – 97
9 – 9 SALVATOR MUNDI (J S Snaith) R Fourie 58.0 – 109
10 – 10 QUEUE WING (G B Puller) S Moodley 52.5 – 98
11 – 11 ONE WAY TRAFFIC (J S Snaith) G van Niekerk 58.5 – 110
12 – 12 SEA MASTER (G van Zyl (Jnr)) A Mgudlwa 52.0 – 94
13 – 13 SENSO UNICO (V H Marshall) S Veale 59.0 – 111
Same Trainer: (3,4) (9,11)