When the second log for the Hollywoodbets Durban July was released on Tuesday, Justin Snaith-trained Future Swing was placed in 18th spot. Should he stay there, he is guaranteed his position in the final field.
It is a precarious place to be, but the son of Futura could cement his place in the Grade 1 race over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 5 July with a victory in the Grade 3 Tote Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
Future Swing had no luck in last year’s Durban July and since that rough race the five-year-old gelding has battled to maintain the attention he received prior to that event.
However, in his second run after a rest, he came on nicely and was beaten by only 1.40 lengths carrying 63.5kg into second by handily weighted Field Marshal (52.5kg) in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m last time.
He now finds himself the best weighted runner in the Derby and in his third start after rest, racing at just about peak fitness, he should be hard to beat, especially with Richard Fourie up.
Field Marshal is now 5.5kg worse with him on their Lonsdale run, so they should easily turn the tables.
Candice Dawson-trained My Soul Mate looks the runner to beat in the Oaks. The Master Of My Fate four-year-old is as versatile as they come. Her earlier back-to-back wins were over 1600m, but she won the 2850m Caradoc Gold Cup this year and last time out finished second to Justin Snaith’s blossoming filly Little Suzie, beating some of the top fillies around in the Woolavington 2000.
Perhaps only Sean Tarry-trained World Of Alice can block her path. The bay filly was well beaten by Indian Ocean when fourth in the Grade 2 Igugu Stakes, but it was her previous run, where she flew up to finish second behind Fiery Pegasus in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein, that gives her a say, and she may be best over this distance.
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