Durban July: Lerena’s birthday joy as Do It Again makes his final bow

On the eve of his 38th birthday, top jockey Gavin Lerena got the perfect gift. He received the call-up from Justin Snaith to partner veteran champion, Do It Again, in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

This was the first time Lerena had ridden the eight-year-old son of Twice Over. The gelding has had several partners including Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Anton Marcus, Richard Fourie, Grant van Niekerk and Aldo Domeyer.

While this column gave Do It Again a quartet chance on his final bow, some punters believed the old Snaith warrior could win his third July and he started at 16-1.

Lerena gave it his best shot and Do It Again kept on gamely to take fourth place for the third year running. He earned owner Nic Jonsson the fourth purse of R230,000, so little wonder he describes his veteran as “the best horse I have ever owned ... I will never own a horse as good again”.

Here are Do It Again’s Durban July finishing places:

2018..................1st

2019..................1st

2020..................3rd

2021..................4th

2022..................4th

2023..................4th

Lerena took Do It Again for a final farewell canter in front of the Greyville crowd and they gave the nine-time winner a great ovation.

While he would have been disappointed not to have ridden a winner on July day, Lerena was quickly on the scorecard at Turffontein on Tuesday and has a full book of rides at Thursday's meeting at the Vaal.

The pick of Lerena’s eight rides could be United Council who hinted a third win was close at hand when finishing a close-up fourth on her most recent start. Purchased for R270,000 as a yearling by Colin Bird, the three-year-old is well drawn and will appreciate the step up in distance.

Sean Tarry’s filly, Rock The Fox, so narrowly beaten on Gold Cup day at Greyville in 2022, rates the danger with S’manga Khumalo taking over from the three-year-old’s regular pilot, Calvin Habib.

Habib rides High Roller for Clinton Binda but this two-time winner looks unlikely to trouble the principals.

Lerena rode Midnight Stroll for Tarry on her recent debut and teams up again with this R500,000 daughter of Master Of My Fate in the fourth race. The youngster ran green on her first appearance and will be more experienced this time.

Whirlybird — a Canford Cliffs filly owned by the Hollywood Syndicate — stepped up on a poor debut to finish fifth on her next start and looks the right horse for the swinger with Midnight Stroll.

Several pundits (not this column) were in the corner of Safe Passage for the Durban July, but the 2022 July third was never a factor which would have been disappointing for visiting jockey, Christophe Soumillon.

Interestingly, Safe Passage’s sister, Silver Sanctuary, makes her debut in the famous Drakenstein silks in Thursday's first race. JP van der Merwe is entrusted with the ride on the Mike de Kock inmate.

Of those runners who have raced, Chris Jonker’s filly, Mocha Macaroon, boasts the best form and should go well with Marco van Rensburg in the saddle.

Fanie Bronkhorst has his team in top form and he has engaged Lerena to ride his juvenile filly, Little Miz Swagger, in the fifth race. The youngster ran well when finishing second behind Lady Elliot on her third outing.

Khumalo’s mount, Inevitable, boasts some decent form so the swinger with Little Miz Swagger could prove the best way to bet on the race.

Selections

1st race: No selection

2nd race: (4) Emporium (8) Pocket Watch (6) Hat Hot Hat (1) Americaninvenice

3rd race: (6) Vivacious Vicky (7) Andi’s Girl (5) Count Your Chances (1) Raptor Island

4th race: (10) Midnight Stroll (14) Whirlybird (9) Azaleas For All (2) Wilkies

5th race: (2) Inevitable (8) Little Miz Swagger (1) Countess Danza (7) Explosive Bond

6th race: (9) Jordan (6) George Handel (7) Holocene (2) King’s Express

7th race: (2) Mescal (5) Fort Lauderdale (3) Time For Charity (4) Samoa

8th race: (3) United Council (1) Rock The Fox (5) Bold Fortune (2) Escape Artist