Zackey, Bass for second July success

Jack Milner

Jockey Craig Zackey has had the greatest season of his career and had the title for the jockey championship wrapped up a few months ago.

Like a great novel, movie or piece of music, one always is looking for a crescendo to close off the narrative and what would be a better denouement than for Zackey to win Saturday’s R10-million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

In fact, should he win, it will be a big race double, as Zackey won this Grade 1 race over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville last year aboard The Real Prince.

There is an interesting comparison between the two as trainer Dean Kannemeyer plotted the path of his charge to win the race and a light weight was the key. The same applies to this year’s race as Zackey’s mount, Viva’s Liberte, is on form probably the best-weighted three-year-old in the field.

One just needs to look at his runs in his own age group. Let’s start with the Grade 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m. Wish List won the race from Note To Self with Viva’s Liberte beaten three lengths. Wish List is down 3kg, Note To Self is down 5kg and Viva’s Liberte is 7kg better off.

Then looking at the Daily News 2000. Note To Self finished third, one length ahead of Viva’s Liberte who is now 2kg better off.

Candice Bass trains this three-year-old who will be at his absolute peak and with Zackey prepared to ride him at 53kg, he looks the runner to beat. Bass has won this race with Marinaresco and knows what it takes to get the job done

Their tactics will be interesting, and they might prefer to settle him this time but I’m sure if there is no willing pacemaker, Zackey might be quite happy to set the tempo.

Interestingly, Viva’s Liberte is owned by Lady Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables as was The Real Prince and should her colours lead the field home it will be her third victory in Durban July, having also won the race in 2015 with Power King.

I am in the camp of the three-year-olds, and I make Justin Snaith-trained Wish List and Note To Self the main dangers.

Wish List has now won her last three starts and displayed great courage in winning the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas and the Grade 2 Woolavington 2000.

It is worth noting how Andrew Fortune, who has also had a remarkable season, wasted no time in grabbing her as his mount for this race, preparing to get down to 54.5kg to take the ride on this filly.

He was also a great fan of Note To Self and rode him in the Daily News but was not exactly champing at the bit to take the July ride. This Futura gelding does take a while to get going but he is very talented and is expected to be right there, especially with Richard Fourie in the irons.

Of the older horses, one has to respect Gladatorian, despite having to carry 61.5kg and questionable over the distance. Last year he did not have the best of passages when unplaced but of the older horses, he is the lone Grade 1 winner.

I’m not convinced he can win it, but he has the class to make the Quartet.

This meeting at HWB Greyville comprises 12 races and there are a number of betting options for punters, including three Jackpots and two BiPots.

There are also two carryovers, the first an amount of R2-million kicking off the Pick 6 with the pool likely to reach R15 million, as well as R10-million kicking off the Quartet pool on the Durban July (Race 7) with a forecasted pool of R10 million.

There will also be Hong Kong World Pool betting on the Durban July itself which means all Win, Place, Quinella and Swinger bets will go into massive pools which are commingled with bets from all over the world.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 10 Sommerstern, 8 Song To The Moon, 9 United Front, 5 Act Of Grace

Race 2: 3 Please Be True, 6 Green Glow, 8 Royal Sword, 1 Open Highway

Race 3: 2 Tintin, 3 Magic Verse, 4 Tenpenny, 5 Imilenzeyokududuma

Race 4: 8 Shoot The Rapids, 10 Ahead Of The Facts, 3 Master Redoute, 4 Holding Thumbs

Race 5: 3 Royal Tiara, 7 Alice B Toklas, 13 Palace Of Arvernia, 2 Tudor Rose

Race 6: 11 St Harry, 1 Vibe Check, 7 Red Spice, 2 The Cullinan

Race 7: 9 Viva’s Liberte, 7 Wish List, 11 Note To Self, 8 Gladatorian

Race 8: 10 Double Grand Slam, 7 Quickstepgal, 6 Mon Petit Cherie, 8 Keukenhof

Race 9: 9 Buffalo Storm Cody, 8 Speedman, 3 Princess Of Gaul, 11 One Eye On Vegas

Race 10: 8 Money Heist, 9 Winter Games, 3 Better Man, 2 Mohave Prince

Race 11: 1 Anchorage, 7 Warm Reception, 4 Captain Selvie, 9 Sohot Sowhat

Race 12: 6 Clair De Lune, 4 Whatastar, 13 Wedding Vow, 2 Scarlet Starlet

BEST BET

Race 8: 10 Double Grand Slam

VALUE BET

Race 10: 8 Money Heist

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 3×7

BIPOT 1 (Races 2 to 7)

R108

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 8, 10

Leg 4: 3, 7

Leg 5: 1, 7, 11

Leg 6: 7, 9, 11

BIPOT 2 (Races 7 to 12)

R216

Leg 1: 7, 9, 11

Leg 2: 10

Leg 3: 3, 8, 9

Leg 4: 2, 3, 8, 9

Leg 5: 1, 6, 7

Leg 6: 4, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 8, 10

Leg 3: 3, 7

Leg 4: 1, 7, 11

Leg 5: 7, 9, 11

Leg 6: 10

Leg 7: 8, 9

PICK 6

R1400

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 8, 10

Leg 2: 3, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 11, 12

Leg 4: 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 18

Leg 5: 10

Leg 6: 3, 8, 9, 11

JACKPOT 1 (Races 1 to 4)

R75

Leg 1: 5, 8, 9, 10, 11

Leg 2: 3, 7

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 8, 10

JACKPOT 2 (Races 5 to 8)

R70

Leg 1: 3, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 7, 11, 12

Leg 3: 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 18

Leg 4: 10

JACKPOT 3 (Races 9 to 12)

Leg 1: 3, 8, 9, 11

Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8

Leg 4: 4, 6, 13