Durban July 2026 Build Up And All Race Day Bets

The final field for the Durban July will be announced at 11:00 today, you can watch on Ch 240 and Gallop TY. Justin Snaith's Happy Verse, who had been trading at 7.14/1 fourth favourite in the ante post betting picked up an injury in work and will not be running in the big race. Will have the details of field, draw, betting later today. 

thanks chris, about to watch it live now.

Cheers South, I've captured the runners, riders, jocks weights, draw etc and put in an article available  on this link

Thanks Chris and I think that Venniker is on Choisaanada, if it gets in of course.

Geez have to feel for Choisaanada connections if you cannot get in with a MR 121 and a horse with a MR 106 in Regulation sneaks in.

Just feels wrong when a Race Coast stakeholder gets his horse in when it feels like it had no business in the final field. Lol now with a 2 draw and just 52kgs, watch Regulation go on to win it for Bortz and co....

Latest betting from Lucky Fish , places also available, odds correct at time of this post

4 Star Major 3.33/1 Mickaelle Michel 
11 Note To Self 4/1 Richard Fourie 
7 Wish List 5/1 Andrew Fortune 
2 Regulation 6.25/1 Zac Lloyd 
9 Viva’s Liberte 14.29/1 Craig Zackey 
10 Native Ruler 14.29/1 Keagen de Melo 
8 Gladatorian 16.67/1 Muzi Yeni 
5 Legal Counsel 20/1 Callan Murray 
12 Zeitz 20/1 Serino Moodley 
13 Mocha Blend 20/1 Tristan Godden 
17 King Pelles 25/1 Chad Schofield 
1 Isivivane 33.33/1 Sean Veale
3 The Ultimate King 40/1 Kabelo Matsunyane
6 Hazy Dazy 40/1 Trent Mayhew
14 I Salute You 40/1 Mark du Plessis
18 Aladdin’s Lamp 40/1 Calvin Habib
15 Olivia’s Way 50/1 JP v'd Merwe
16 Minogue 50/1 Gavin Lerena

Betting for all 12 races on the July Day card are now available at Lucky Fish .

Latest show for the July below, odds correct as at time of this post. I'd say the horses which have shortened since the final field and draw include Viva's Liberte, Aladdin's Lamp, Zeitz, Isivivane, Minogue and Hazy Dazy

4 Star Major 3.57/1 Mickaelle Michel 
11 Note To Self 4.55/1 Richard Fourie
7 Wish List 5/1 Andrew Fortune
2 Regulation 7.14/1 Zac Lloyd
9 Viva’s Liberte 12.5/1 Craig Zackey
12 Zeitz 14.29/1 Serino Moodley
10 Native Ruler 16.67/1 Keagen de Melo
18 Aladdin’s Lamp 16.67/1 Calvin Habib
1 Isivivane 20/1 Sean Veale
5 Legal Counsel 20/1 Callan Murray
8 Gladatorian 20/1 Muzi Yeni
6 Hazy Dazy 25/1 Trent Mayhew
13 Mocha Blend 25/1 Tristan Godden
17 King Pelles 25/1 Chad Schofield
16 Minogue 33/1 Gavin Lerena
3 The Ultimate King 40/1 Kabelo Matsunyane
14 I Salute You 40/1 Mark du Plessis
15 Olivia’s Way 50/1 JP v'd Merwe

More details of the horses, trainers, jockeys, weights and the draw  can be found here

Thanks Chris

July pretty much open. I took some 7/1 on Note To Self around 2 months ago, so happy with that price. Hazy Dazy @ 40/1 some value if she gets to the front and keeps on going in the straight.

Four other early e/w bets on the card:

Race 3 - Tenpenny (17/2) highly regarded, consistent sort, didn't make the July field. JP van der Merwe can get some "revenge" in the July Consolation for being taken off Regulation in the main race. 

Race 5 - Ocean Mistress (11/1). Top sort with strong form behind the likes of Get Up and Flower Island. Juvenile races always difficult to assess. 

Race 6 - Red Spice (7/1). Graded winner, has proven himself against some of the best. Also a cracking run behind Get Up and Flower Island last time. Tries 1400m for the first time. 

Race 8 - Mon Petit Cherie (11/2) money already from 7/1. - Just got touched off over 1400m. Is 0/2 against Double Grand Slam over 1600m but never far beaten. I feel its third time lucky for her this year.

Thanks Jacques, I haven't looked at the rest of the card in any great detail but will hopefully get chance to study up over the weekend.

Agree with Vin, was surprised to see Choisaanada didn't get a run purely on MR.

Some brief pen pic style comments for each runner here , nothing too controversial and although I haven't nailed up my play(s) in that article just yet I'm leaning towards Native Ruler being a value each way play at 16/1 or so for de Melo.

 

July week is here and over the weekend a bit of a drift about the fav Star Major, 4/1 now a bit more realistic imo.Viva's Liberte continues to be supported, now in single figures

Latest betting show here

We will have a preview of all races on Saturday's card in due course. Thanks as always for all the early plays already posted and lets hope collectively we can nail up some very tasty bets

Hoping to get busy studying up today and Tuesday with a view to publishing my race day picks on Wednesday.

Before that the race by race preview from Winning Form, who like the chances of Viva's Liberte in the July is available here  . Will look out for the Punters Challenge details, they usually boost the prize fund big time. 

My plays for the Durban July (other races to follow later in the week).In this race 12 months ago Native Ruler finished sixth beaten a tad less than 4 lengths. His merit rating is 2 points higher than it was in July 2025 when he jumped from Gate 18 but the two prep runs this year seem to have gone better. Drawn at 10 this year in a field which in our opinion is not as strong this time around and with de Melo in the irons Native Ruler can be a factor at an attractive price. The more conservative punter may wish to consider playing a fixed odds place (to finish in the first 4). 

Bet:  Native Ruler to win at 16.67/1 with Lucky Fish, bet here  

Box trifecta, R120 for a full perm, 6 horses

4 Star Major, has been trading as the favourite, big improver with plenty going for him here
9 Viva’s Liberte, lightly raced, light mass to carry and leading jockey Craig Zackey on board. Has been finding betting support
10 Native Ruler, our headline fixed odds bet so obviously must go in our trifecta perm too
11 Note to Self, Richard Fourie in the irons, difficult to leave out
12 Zeitz, Likes Greyville, needs to prove stamina but a player if he gets the trip
13 Mocha Blend, only been seen out twice since winning the Summer Cup and those runs over distances way short of ideal were prep runs, hopefully now primed for a big show here.

Boxed trifecta perm. 4,9,10,11,12 and 13

Star Major scratched. Official comment from Crawford Racing FB page:

"It’s with disappointment that we announce STAR MAJOR will no longer take his place in the 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

We were extremely confident going into the race, but after developing a slightly elevated temperature, we’ve made the decision to withdraw him. The horse’s welfare always comes first, and we also believe it would be unfair to the punting public to run him unless he was at his very best.

We know the quality STAR MAJOR possesses, and while this is a frustrating setback, we’re confident it’s only a minor bump in the road. His future remains incredibly bright, and we look forward to seeing him back on the track soon." 

Thanks Jacques, will put up some revised betting soonest, need a replacement to include in my tricfecta too 

Choisaanada now gets a run now with Star Major's scratching and jumps from gate 4, I think Rachel Venniker will ride.

Revised betting:

Wish List 5/1 
Note To Self 5/1 
Regulation 6.25/1
Viva’s Liberte 6.25/1
Zeitz 10/1
Native Ruler 14.29/1
Isivivane 16.67/1
Legal Counsel 16.67/1
Gladatorian 16.67/1
Aladdin’s Lamp 16.67/1
Choisaanada 16.67/1
Mocha Blend 20/1
King Pelles 25/1
The Ultimate King 33/1
Hazy Dazy 40/1
Minogue 40/1
I Salute You 40/1
Olivia’s Way 50/1 

Note 20% rule 4 for bets struck after final field announcement and prior to the withdrawal of Star Major. Ante post bets not affected.

For my bets I'm sticking with Native Ruler win and rather than add another runner to replace Star Major in my boxed trifecta perm I will just go with the 5 horses. No's 9.10,11,12 and 13 for R60 for a full divi.