GENETICS, preparation and a good smattering of luck - those are the ingredients most thoroughbred trainers will agree are the magic buttons that determine the winner of the most prestigious horse race in the country, the Vodacom July.
But an event the size of this, attracting more than 50000 spectators, millions of TV viewers the world over and generating a betting frenzy that skyrockets to record levels every year, is bound to be surrounded by robust debate, even controversy.
“It goes with the territory,” says Moses Thembi, vice-chairman of Gold Circle, who greeted guests at the glittering final field event and place draw at Greyville Race Course on Wednesday.
“We all want the perfect July. That’s why it is so important to pull together and respect each others’ points of view.”
With 18 of the country’s thoroughbred jewels on display, it’s not surprising that the state of the turf track at Greyville is, as always, a major talking point because of the possible risks to horse and rider.
Marketing executive Graeme Hawkins believes that the course is in a better condition than it was last year, when the drought was at its worst.
“We have done our preparation a little differently. Instead of watering the surface during September and October, which we have always done in the past, we moved that to January and February. Although it meant no turf racing at Greyville for a few weeks it was definitely the best decision.”
Hawkins accepts that maintaining the quality of the turf during the dry winter months in KwaZulu-Natal is always a challenge, drought or no drought.
“If we had the July in January it would be a lot less challenging,” he smiles. “But then it wouldn’t be the July, would it?”
He explains that at Greyville in winter the cynoden grass takes over from the kikuyu, which results in a mixture of green-and-brown turf.
“To look at, it’s not so pleasing, but it makes the underlying surface stable and certainly fit for racing.”
While trainers like Mike de Kock have been critical of the surface Hawkins believes that endorsements by the National Horseracing Authority and top trainers like Dennis Drier should put the critics to rest.
Another big talking point this year was the impact of the toxic fumes emanating from the EnviroServe hazardous waste site at Shongweni, which many believed was affecting thoroughbreds stabled at the nearby Summerveld equestrian centre. Trainer Tony Rivalland, in charge of the training facility, reported that the increase in the number of horses experiencing nosebleeds at the beginning of the year was a huge concern.
“We cannot prove that it was due to pollutants but since the closure of EnviroServe the fumes have not been so noticeable. So we are just holding thumbs.”
The weight the horse must carry for the big race is a topic that bubbles to the surface particularly when it comes to a prestige event like the July.
While this is said to be one of the fairest weighted Julys for three-year-olds, some of the country’s top horses have been withdrawn because of what are thought to be unfair weight penalties. One such withdrawal is South Africa’s leading three-year-old filly, Bela Bela.
“Don’t get me wrong, there are some brilliant horses in this year’s July, some of the very best in the country,” said Geoff Woodruff, trainer of July runner Pagoda. “But I think the public would have loved to have seen other champions also doing their thing.”
Woodruff, a winning July trainer, five-time South African champion trainer and son-in-law of legendary trainer Terrance Millard, believes that the way weights are allocated to horses should be re- examined. “Top weights are given to horses according to their merit rating. But unfortunately the merit rating is based on a short ‘snapshot’ of the horse’s ability rather than calculating the horse’s performance over a year and comparing it to other horses racing over the same distance.”
Cape-based trainer Justin Snaith - with five runners hoping to take top honours - said that to ensure his runners were not penalised with extra weight he had kept them “under wraps” for a large part of the season.