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Six July jockey bookings as race weights announced.
Gavin Lerena has found his ride for this year’s Durban July. Picture: Peter Heeger/Gallo Images
There’s going to be some serious weight watching in the Lerena and Murray households over the next few weeks.
Jockey Gavin Lerena is booked to ride Madison Valley in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and will have to lose 3kg before the 5th of next month if he is to make the 54kg allocated to the Frank Robinson-trained four-year-old. This week, the former champion is riding at a minimum of 57kg – so a lot of salads and saunas are in his near future.
Callan Murray has landed the July ride on Immediate Edge for the Mike and Mathew de Kock stable. The ex-champion apprentice presently rides at 55kg minimum so must shed a couple of kilos to meet the three-year-old’s 53kg.
These two top riders are among six jockeys thus far confirmed for 18 runners in the 2025 edition of South Africa’s biggest race.
Lerena and Murray
The other four – easily hitting their assigned weights – are: Muzi Yeni on Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory, whom he steered to third place in last year’s July; Calvin Habib on Alec Laird’s Atticus Finch, on whom he won the Summer Cup in November; Craig Zackey on lightly raced The Real Prince for his retainer Dean Kannemeyer; and ex-pat, now Kiwi champ, Warren Kennedy, on SA Classic victor Confederate for Fabian Habib.
Lerena has been here before, famously slimming down from 55kg (at the time) to 53kg to ride Kommetdieding to glory in 2022. Last year he dropped from 57kg to 53.5kg for Barbaresco – who wasn’t so obliging, result-wise.
On his recent return from a lengthy stint in Australia, Murray – looking taller, stronger and more mature than when he left – declared he would be prepared to waste for “the right horse”. Clearly Immediate Edge fits the bill.
Given tight handicapping rules for the Durban July, there were no surprises when weights for the Grade 1, R5-million, 2200m showpiece were unveiled this week.
The top permissible weight of 60kg will be shared by three horses on a merit rating of 127: Gladatorian, See It Again and defending champion Oriental Charm.
At the other end of the handicap of 30 hopefuls are a number in the 54kg-53kg bracket – but, of course, some of these will not make the cut when final field is announced by a selection panel on Tuesday 24 June.
Still, top lightweight jockeys will have their phones ring-toning like crazy as connections of handily weighted runners seek to give their charges the best possible chances of immortality.
Reigning champion Richard Fourie will surely be declared on ante-post favourite Eight On Eighteen if the colt’s prevaricating connections decide to run him. If the three-year-old drops out at final declarations next week, all serious punters’ eyes will be on Fourie to see which way he jumps. Will he opt for another of the platoon of Justin Snaith runners he knows well, or a Sean Tarry familiar, or even Alan Greeff’s left-field aspirant My Best Shot?
Sean Veale, currently in the form of his life, is the regular partner of Gladatorian so is probably not touting for business. Similarly, JP van der Merwe looks certain to try for a repeat on Oriental Charm.
Ray Danielson has taken over as first choice on warhorse See It Again.
In-form lightweight Serino Moodley has been a regular on Andre Nel-trained Selukwe, but he’ll possibly get a few other offers before next Tuesday.
JULY WEIGHTS
[name, weight, MR, trainer (jockey)]
Gladatorian 60 127 Stuart Ferrie
Oriental Charm 60 127 James Crawford
See It Again 60 127 Michael Roberts
Royal Victory 59 125 Nathan Kotzen (Muzi Yeni)
Purple Pitcher 57.5 122 Robyn Klaasen
Atticus Finch 57 121 Alec Laird (Calvin Habib)
Eight On Eighteen 57 129 Justin Snaith
The Real Prince 56.5 120 Dean Kannemeyer (Craig Zackey)
Son Of Raj 56 119 Tony Peter
Pomodoro’s Jet 55.5 118 James Crawford
Future Swing 55 117 Justin Snaith
Okavango 54.5 120 Justin Snaith
Holding Thumbs 54 108 Glen Kotzen
Litigation 54 113 Sean Tarry
Madison Valley 54 115 Frank Robinson (Gavin Lerena)
Magic Verse 54 113 Justin Snaith
Mucho Dinero 54 115 Justin Snaith
Native Ruler 54 119 Justin Snaith
Selukwe 54 111 Andre Nel
The Equator 54 110 Tony Peter
Thunee Playa 54 104 Mano Pandaram
Underworld 54 109 Justin Snaith
Confederate 53.5 118 Fabian Habib (Warren Kennedy)
Beating Wings 53 113 Stuart Pettigrew
Immediate Edge 53 108 Mike/Mathew de Kock (Callan Murray)
Joy And Peace 53 110 Alan Greeff
Legend Of Arthur 53 117 Sean Tarry
My Best Shot 53 116 Alan Greeff
On My Honour 53 116 Glen Kotzen
Rainbow Lorikeet 53 111 Candice Bass-Robinson
