It’s not often you start a big race day with a high quality field like this, it’s almost an insult to call this a Pinnacle Stakes race. This runs on the polytrack instead of the grass, and features a mixture of Grade 1 winners, unbeaten surface specialists and some serious 3 year olds worth considering.
Tip: VAN HALEN – Despite coming off a rest, I can’t ignore the value on offer here. Corne Spies is master trainer of sprinters and this raider from Joburg gets my money. The big question is whether the polytrack will have an impact on the race. The answer will determine whether the favourite, Chimichuri Run, has this in the bag. He’s weighted to win, but I think he’s better over 1200m and with Bet.co.za’s First Race Insurance, I’d rather take the value about VAN HALEN than settle for the favourite.
BET: Race 1

This race features 2 year olds bought at the KZN Yearling Sale, fighting out for a sponsored R1 000 000 first prize, which is second only in size to the main race. With the limited scope of entrants, the spread of ability here is wide. Interestingly the top 2 in the betting had copped hideously bad draws that will be a factor in their chances of winning.
Tip: WINTER STORIES – These are tricky races to judge, so I’m opting for a small each way bet on some value. I wouldn’t be chasing a huge payday here, but the 9/1 or so on offer for this Weiho Marwing speedster looks an entertaining play. Muzi Yeni has notched up two impressive runs with this gelding, and considering the work the favoured horses need to do to overcome their draws, a repeat of its maiden win on 4 June should test the field’s stamina in the latter stages.
BET: Race 2

This Grade 3 over 2200m is always a superb race on July Day. Most runners have missed out on a place in the main race, and are out to prove their doubters wrong in this consolation event over the same course and distance. It’s handicapped too, so the field features a heap of class all out to capture Grade 3 glory.
Tip: PACK LEADER – This 5 year old has so much Graded race experience, that you feel he’s deserving of landing one around this distance. He ran 4th in this race in 2018 and after a long time off the track post gelding, has been working his way back to his best. The betting is likely to be spread out in this race, and unless market moves dictate a stand out favourite, it’s worth looking to back some value in this one. PACK LEADER represents a real chance at this, and would not be an undeserving winner.
BET: Race 3

Another wide open Grade 3, this time over the marathon 3000m trip. This is a notoriously tough one and mostly racing regulars will tell you to keep your options open. With some unexposed runners up against tested stayers we could see some upsets in this one.
Tip: FACTOR FIFTY – Gavin Lerena picks up the ride here after it’s gallant short head 2nd in the Gold Bowl Grade 3 at Turffontein in late June. The winner that day, Imperial Ruby, lines up in this race too, but our selection is now 5.5kgs better off at the weights. There are some lurkers that could prove our undoing, but on recent form this looks like a solid selection. If you’re able to secure more than even money a place, an each way bet is definitely the way to go.
BET: Race 4

This 1400m Grade 2 features a runner likely to go off at the shortest odds of any on the day. 2 year olds understandably have very little form to judge progression on, so naturally there are a few contenders able to pull off a win here.
Tip: CARALLUMA – Most of the runners in this have yet to go 1400m, whilst this firm favourite romped home by 4 lengths over this course and distance in the Devon Air Stakes late last month. On this it looks cut and dry, which is not often possible to say in 2 year old races. I wouldn’t consider this a wise single bet, but rather include in multiples on the day.
BET: Race 5

This Grade 2 is a carbon copy of the previous race, albeit packed with colts and geldings, and just one filly in the race. Again, there seems to be a standout selection on paper, with a handful on roughies looking to cause an upset on the day. Another leg where caution is advised, unless there is clear betting support for a particular runner.
Tip: ERIK THE RED – If you’ve been following our big race day previews for a while, you’ll recall us successfully tipping him on Met Day at decent odds, and he’s only progressed from there. Last time out at Scottsville he struggled however, but was not completely disgraced in finishing 5 lengths of the winner that day. He breeding suggests further is better, so I think the step up to 1400m will suit him and stable jockey to a tee.
BET: Race 6

This year’s field is a spectacular one. It features a wealth of experienced runners from previous years, including back-to-back reigning champ Do It Again. Then there are a string of debutants who all have something to brag about in the build up to this, including the highly fancied Belgarion. Being a handicap, there are other contenders in the prime of their careers who are worthy dark horse inclusions in this year’s race. To say the Bet Central team are excited for this one is an understatement.

Top Tip: RAINBOW BRIDGE – Not only is this the current bookies favourite, but it would be safe to say a firm fans favourite too, along with Do It Again. He fell short of winning this last year by less than half a length with world renowned jockey, Ryan Moore, in the irons. This year he gets the services of soon-to-be SA Jockey Champion Warren Kennedy, who has been head and shoulder above his colleagues this season. Eric Sands has made a fairytale career comeback from tragic circumstances to pick up the Met, Champions Cup and Gold Challenge wins with this unbelievable horse. He would complete a deserved winning trio should everything go to plan.
Value Tip: BUNKER HUNT – If a fairytale ending is not to be, then let’s have a little interest elsewhere. Assuming the hyped up debutants like Belgarion and Got The Greenlight go missing, this Grade 1 lurker could show up. No stranger to the big stage, if in maturing its breeding can bring out a little more stamina, then Bunker Hunt has upset written all over it. At the moment it looks likely to go off at double digit odds, so definitely an entertaining each way fancy to follow in the race.
BET: Durban July

This 1600m Grade 1 brings the best fillies and mares in the country together. Previous legendary winners like Beach Beauty have paved the way for present day runners to write their names in history. This field oozes class and will throw up a race to remember. It’s likely going to be a ding dong battle between Clouds Unfold and defending champ Celtic Sea.
Tip: CLOUDS UNFOLD – We’ve opted for the second favourite, but ultimately the choice between the two is more a gamble than anything. Celtic Sea deserves to be top of the betting boards as reigning champ, but for CLOUDS UNFOLD, this trip seems to be her ideal. If there’s ever a time for her to beat her rival, this race could be it. There are noteworthy roughies like Empress Club Stakes winner Ronnie’s Candy in the mix, but the top 2 are better weighted on ratings and thus need to take preference.
BET: Race 8

Race 9 sees a step back in trip and class, but nonetheless competitive in its make up. A lot of these have graded race experience, and there are multiple form lines from around the country to weigh up. This makes things tough but could ultimately bring value to fore, especially because this is being run on the polytrack which will be a new experience for almost all of the runners.
Tip: BATTLEOFTRAFALGAR – As a 3 year old this selection is not well weighted here against some more fancied runners like Cartel Captain and Golden Belle. He has however shown exceptional progression this season and will be looking to complete a hat trick of wins. Despite having previously failed against the likes of Cartel Captain, he’ll come at good odds unless betting support foils that. You may get even money a place, in which case he becomes a top each way bet.
BET: Race 9

If the day has gone well this could be the time for a speculative bet to put the cherry on a successful day’s punting. If you’re behind then this get out of jail race is your last chance to catch up. As with Race 1, they’ve not bookended the race day with rubbish. This field’s average career earnings validate that. Fortunately for anyone looking to chase, there seems enough contenders to find some late afternoon value.
Tip: INFAMOUS FOX – This 5 year old gelding boasts an impressive distance record and even more so at this course, winning 2 from 2 over on the Greyville 1600m turf track. At top weight, it certainly won’t be an easy race for Warren Kennedy, but from a draw of 2 he’ll start with a slight advantage being amongst some more fancied runners. He knows this track well and will get the best out of his mount. This selection will likely go off at huge odds, so take advantage of what will be a generous place price to put together an each way bet to close off the day.
BET: Race 10