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2023 Durban July Tips & Selections - Two each-way bets to win at Greyville

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Last updated: 01 Jul 2023
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Jon Vine 01 Jul 2023
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  • Complete guide to the 2023 Durban July [Updated 12:00pm 1.7.23]
  • This famous horse race will be run today at Greyville at 4:00pm SAST
  • Pacaya and Son Of Raaj feature in our final Durban July selections
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Durban July Odds Draw Final Tips 2023
Durban July. (Getty)

The eyes of the horse racing world will be fixed on Greyville racecourse on Saturday, as 18 of the continent's finest flat racers battle it out in the 2023 Durban July.

South Africa's most famous horse race will take place today at 4:00pm (SAST). Here's our complete guide to this year's Durban July, including the latest odds, weights, riders, the full draw and our best betting tips.

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2023 Durban July Guide


2023 Durban July Final Field


Name
Age
Weight
MR
Jockey
Trainer
Trip Of Fortune460.0127Aldo DomeyerCandice Bass-Robinson
Pomp And Power458.0123Bernard Fayd’HerbeJustin Snaith
Puerto Manzano558.0123Keagan de MeloJ A Janse van Vuuren
Safe Passage458.0123Christophe SoumillonMike De Kock
Rascallion557.5122Corne OrfferVaughn Marshall
Do It Again857.0121Gavin LerenaJustin Snaith
See It Again356.5124Piere StrydomMike Roberts
Rain In Holland456.5120S'manga KumaloSean Tarry
Second Base556.5120Chase MaujeanRobyn Klaasen
Dave The King355.5122Craig ZackeyMike De Kock
Silver Darling455.0117Juan Paul van der MerweJustin Snaith
Time Flies455.0117Luyolo MxothwaBrett Crawford
Without Question354.5120Richard FourieJustin Snaith
Billy Bowlegs353.5118Sean VealeAlex Laird
Son Of Raj353.0115Muzi YeniWeichong Marwing
Winchester Mansion453.0112Kabelo MatsunyaneBrett Crawford
Pacaya453.0110Grant van NiekerkJustin Snaith
Bless My Stars352.0109Athandiwe MgudlwaSean Tarry
R1. Nebraas655.0117ReserveSean Tarry
R2. Jimmy Don353.0115ReserveErico Verdonese

Having gone a number of years without a victory, three-year-olds have started to come to the fore in recent runnings of the Durban July. Five of the past 13 renewals have been won by the youngest age group and it's this year's champion three-year-old, See It Again who heads the betting.

Personally, I think that this year's crop of three-year-olds have been treated rather harshly by the handicapper. See It Again (124) has been rated two pounds better than last year's top three-year-old Safe Passage, who was also a dual Group One winner. Dave The King and Without Question have won just one Group Three between them, yet they've been judged 122 and 120-rated horses.

As this is a handicap, weight is all important. Only seven of the past 20 winners have carried more than 55kg to victory, so it certainly pays to side with those listed in the bottom half of the weights.

2023 Durban July Odds


Name
Odds
See It Again3.25
Winchester Mansion5.5
Without Question7.0
Pacaya8.33
Safe Passage10.0
Dave The King12.0
Bar15.0

Updated at 12:00pm 1.7.23

Take a look through the full betting and entries for the 2023 Durban July here on our website.

2023 Durban July Draw


Stall
Name
1Bless My Stars
2Without Question
3Time Flies
4Winchester Mansion
5Billy Bowlegs
6Do It Again
7See It Again
8Silver Darling
9Son Of Raj
10Dave The King
11Puerto Manzano
12Pacaya
13Second Base
14Safe Passage
15Rascallion
16Trip Of Fortune
17Rain In Holland
18Pomp And Power
R1Nebraas
R2Jimmy Don

History tells you that a wide draw can be difficult to navigate in the Durban July. There's only a short run into the turn over 2200m at Greyville and a low draw can certainly help runners grab a favourable position early in the race.

That being said, recent history shows us that a wide draw is by no means unmanageable. In fact, 11 of the last 15 winners have burst from a double-figure stall. The last three winners have been drawn in stalls 12, 18 and 17 respectively. We even saw Pomodoro score from stall 20 in 2012, so don't let the draw overcloud your judgment.

2023 Durban July Tip 1 - Pacaya


Pacaya E/W2023 Durban July Tip 1 GET 10.0 HERE
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Winchester Mansion has been all the rage in the Durban July betting since his trial victory in the Dolphin Cup. However, if you fancy Winchester Mansion at 9/2, then PACAYA has to represent tremendous value at 9/1.

Justin Snaith has clearly been keen to protect Pacaya's handicap mark this term, presumably with the Durban July in mind. Grant van Niekerk's mount has been seen on just three occasions, following a third-place finish on his reappearance with back-to-back victories in good-quality contests.

Pacaya carried bottom-weight to victory in the Listed Jet Master Stakes in February. On his first start at Greyville, Snaith's four-year-old came from off the pace to claim a fairly cosy victory in the World Sports Betting 1900.

Winchester Mansion finished a close second that day when getting two kilos from the winner. The two reoppose on level terms this Saturday and Snaith's decision to keep Pacaya fresh for the Durban July could pay dividends.

2023 Durban July Tip 2 - Son Of Raaj


Gift Of Raaj E/W2023 Durban July Tip 2GET 16.0 HERE
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I mentioned earlier in the article that the three-year-olds had been harshly treated this season. Yet, it's been very hard to keep the younger generation out of the frame in recent seasons.

Considering neither Dave The King nor and Without Question have claimed any high-profile victories, it's strange to see a Classic winner in SON OF RAAJ rated vastly inferior to both and Muzi Yeni's mount represents plenty of each-way value.

Weichong Marwing - who spoke about Son Of Raaj in our Durban July quotes from connections article - watched his star win a maiden here at Greyville in October and went into the SA Derby on the back of an impressive victory in the Derby Trial at Turffontein. Son Of Raaj cruised to victory in that Classic, thrashing another of Saturday's runners, the consistent Billy Bowlegs by over two lengths.

Muzi Yeni rode Son Of Raaj very negatively in the Daily News 2000. Yeni dragged his mount over to the rail from stall eight and held Son Of Raaj up well off the pace. Warwing's three-year-old then didn't have the turn of foot to get involved in the closing stages, crossing the line a well-beaten eighth.

That Group One was run off level weights and to see just seven lengths seperating the whole field shows you that the three-year-olds are fairly tightly matched. Son Of Raaj will be getting plenty of weight from See It Again, Dave The King and Without Question - the top three in the Daily News - and this extended trip will certainly suit the SA Derby winner. 

2023 Durban July Live Stream


If you're in South Africa or aboard and want to watch this famous handicap on a mobile device, then check out our Durban July Live Stream guide.

Verdict

Pacaya and Son Of Raaj are our two against the field in the 2023 Durban July.

1: Pacaya (e/w) 2023 Durban July Tip 1 @9/1 at Hollywood bets - 15 Units
2: Son Of Raaj (e/w) 2023 Durban July Tip 2 @15/1 at Sportingbet - 10 Units
Pacaya (e/w)
2023 Durban July Tip 1
@9/1 - 15 Units
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Son Of Raaj (e/w)
2023 Durban July Tip 2
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2023 Durban July Final Tips