Does Eight On Eighteen have the edge at Durban July?

It’s time for him to go from the teenager to the man.

That was trainer Justin Snaith’s comment about Durban July favourite Eight On Eighteen ahead of the R5-million Grade 1 race over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

The Durban July has the history and glamour behind it and remains the race everybody talks about and everybody in South African racing hopes to win.

The meeting comprises 12 races, almost all of them feature events, and offers numerous betting opportunities for punters. The Durban July itself is a Hong Kong World Pool event so there will be massive pools, and big money on TAB will hardly make a dent in the multimillion-rand pools on offer.

There will be three Jackpots (Race 1 to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12), two BiPots Races 2 to 7 and 7 to 12), as well as a number of massive carryovers. There is R2-million kicking off the Pick 6 with a prospective R15 million total while R1-million will be added to the Quartet on the Durban July with the pool likely to reach R10 million.

The final carryover comes up in Jackpot Three, which will start off with R500 000 and is expected to climb to R3 million.

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Back to the Durban July. The shortest-priced favourite to win this race was Sea Cottage in 1967. He went off at 11-10 and dead-heated with Jollify. But it is possible three-year-old Eight On Eighteen could rewrite the record books should he prove successful on Saturday. He is quoted around 16-10 at the moment but could start even shorter.

This colt is an exciting prospect who has already shown his mettle by winning three Grade 1 races so far this year – the WSB Cape Town Met in January, the Cape Derby and the Daily News 2000. Speaking on television, Snaith said: “He brings a lot to the table. He brings his sire Lancaster Bomber, who is a standout stallion, his mother is a full sister to Snowdance, impeccably bred. He brings the temperament and the class.

“I decided this was time to press him for the first time in his career. It’s time for him to go from the teenager to the man. I hope I’ve made the right decision but I do think the right occasion is upon us. There is a different horse arriving on Saturday where I think I’ve taken about 9kg off him.

“He strips fit and he’s ready for what this race can throw at a horse.”

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Eight On Eighteen is the horse to beat. He has done everything asked of him and as long as he has the luck, something every Durban July winner needs, it is hard to see any of the horses he has run against so far, turning the table on him, especially with Richard Fourie in the irons.

So, that brings in another three-year-old as the No 1 threat, and that is Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Immediate Edge. He also has done nothing wrong and has improved markedly since having been gelded. While he will be taking a jump in class his win in the Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes could not have been more impressive.

Speaking in the same show, De Kock said: “What worries me about this horse is the experience, he’s only having his seventh start. He has a tremendous amount of ability, he’s got a very good acceleration and he’s having his third run after a rest.

“Is he up to it now? I’m in two minds. I really rate this horse and would have loved him to have had the Classic prep which Eight On Eighteen has had, the Guineas and the Daily News, but off his rating I just couldn’t bring myself to do it because he probably would have been punished (by the handicapper) for it.

“He’s a decent sort, but he’s going to up his game.”

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However, Kabelo Matsunyane, who rode the three-year-old son of Vercingetorix to victory in the Jubilee, disagreed.

“I don’t think his lack of experience will be a problem.

“When you sit on him, he feels like a proper professional. He knows what to do in a race.

“He’s got heart, he’s got everything to win a race like the July. He’s got a light weight and he’s had a smooth prep and I think he’s going to come into the July fresh and ready for action.”

Callan Murray will ride him in the big race and he is getting down to 53kg to ride him. So, is Eight On Eighteen, who has 57kg on his back, 4kg better than Immediate Edge?

Tune in to Hollywoodbets Greyville at 4pm on Saturday to find out!

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