Grant van Niekerk now believes that Marinaresco’s 19 draw holds no fears for either him or the horse. He initially considered it to be the worst draw of the lot - and indeed so did punters and bookmakers, and the three-year-old’s price went out from 6-1 to 9-1.

But Van Niekerk said: “The draw doesn’t really bother me that much because I now think the best going is probably three or four horses off the rails as there are patches on the track.

“In any case I was always going to give him a chance. It will be his first time racing at Greyville and I don’t want to make it hard for him. But I think he will suit the course and I know he will make up the ground. He is a very good horse, probably up there with the best I’ve ridden.”

Mike Bass’s final July runner hasn’t always been easy to handle. “He used to be very naughty in a race, fighting other horses, and if he worked alongside something he would have his ears flat back as he tried to have a go at the horse and it’s rider.”

Gelding and blinkers have channelled this in the required direction – “He is now all heart in a race and he fights to the line. I just have to find luck in running.”

This will be the fourth Vodacom Durban July ride for Van Niekerk who will be 25 on Thursday and who is hoping to gain compensation for being robbed on 55-1 shot Smanjemanje four years ago.


He recalled: “It was my first ride in the race and I can remember every single bit of it. I went into it with no pressure. I knew the horse had ability but maybe not up to that class.

“However he surprised me. I got bumped twice (by the Jeff Lloyd-ridden Chesalon) in the straight and I still believe today that this cost me the race. I was pushed from the outside to the middle and I was only beaten a short head.”

Joey Ramsden, whose St Tropez (Anton Marcus) is sixth in the betting at 12-1, also runs 20-1 shot The Conglomerate (Piere Strydom).

He said: “I think it’s a very open race. It is going to take a nice horse to win but you are going to have to have a fair bit of fortune – I don’t see a lot of pace. However I’m spoilt in that I have two of the best riders in the country, if not the world.”

Justin Snaith, bidding for a third July win, also believes luck in running will be important – “Any one of my four can win, it’s a question of how the race pans out for them. At the moment I think I won’t even want to watch – I will go there and close my eyes !”