Independent on Saturday

SHE’S A KEEPER TO TAKE ON THE BOYS

Star filly She’s A Keeper, beaten only once in five starts, makes her bid for a place in the final 18-horse field for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July when she lines up in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday, May 16.

Gareth van Zyl’s filly does not have the best of draws but she only has the postage stamp of 50kg to shoulder and is probably still under the radar as far as the handicappers are concerned.

Van Zyl has done a masterful job of placing his charge where the handicapper’s hands have been tied due to the conditions of the races that she has contested. Given free rein, She’s A Keeper would be carrying a lot more weight.

She jumped from the widest draw in the recent Gr3 The Scarlet Lady over the Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1700m and made short work of her opposition. This will be her first run against males and just how she fares will be watched with great interest.

Belgarion

Last year’s winner Belgarion went on to victory in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July and is back to defend his title. Given his merit rating, he is relatively well handicapped in this field in spite of being set to carry 62kg. He finished third to stable companion Jet Dark in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and followed up with second in the Gr1 Cape Town Met behind Rainbow Bridge.

This will be his first run back and an interesting jockey engagement is S’Manga Khumalo with stable rider Richard Fourie aboard recent Gr3 Sledgehammer winner Crown Towers. Justin Snaith still has eight runners nominated for the Vodacom

Durban July and it will be no surprise to see Khumalo aboard Belgarion in the big one with Fourie possibly opting for the three-year-old The Gatekeeper who will possibly have his warm-up in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 where he is likely to again meet recent Gr2 WSB Guineas winner Linebacker.

Crown Towers

Snaith has three runners entered and Crown Towers has hit form at just the right time. He is a horse that will stretch Fourie’s arms a little so one can almost guarantee a decent pace in the race which should make for a genuine result. With Dean Kannemeyer scratching his entries, stable rider Keagan de Melo has picked up the ride on Snaith’s third runner, Doublemint, a winner over the Kenilworth 1600m last time out and also a VDJ entry.

Trip To Africa

Ashburton-based trainer Duncan Howells has kept faith with apprentice Thabiso

Gumede who recently scored his first feature win when steering the Howellstrained Trip To Africa to victory in the Listed Kings Cup. The pair followed up with a creditable fourth in the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes behind Rainbow Bridge but the gelding should be better suited to the 1900m of this race and he will need a forward showing if he is to make a start in the Vodacom Durban July.

Zillzaal

Sean Tarry has a knack of getting his horses to peak for big races and he will be looking for a big effort from Zillzaal. The gelding has been a little disappointing after showing huge promise early in his career but he did win with first time blinkers at his penultimate start. He ran well below ability when finishing 15 lengths behind star filly Summer Pudding in the Gr2 Colorado King Stakes and with Lyle Hewitson in the saddle he could be a surprise package.

Luke Ferraris is on a feature race roll and he partners Kings Cup runner-up Tristful for Tony Rivalland while MJ Odendaal has ‘imported’ Marco van Rensburg and he gets the leg up on Shavout, third behind Crown Towers in The Sledgehammer. Serino Moodley partners the lightly raced Matterhorn for Alyson Wright. The gelding has only once missed a place in eight outings and this race will be a test of his mettle.

SPORT

en-za

2021-05-15T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-05-15T07:00:00.0000000Z

http://independentonsaturday.pressreader.com/article/281762747144314

African News Agency