THE Justin Snaith pairing of Futura and Legislate head a list of 67 nominations for this year’s R3,5 million Vodacom Durban July. First entries for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event to be run at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 4, were revealed at a function to launch the three-month Champions Season festival of racing at Greyville today (Thursday) and include the majority of the country’s best middle distance horses.

Among the initial nominations is the brilliant grey filly Majmu, recent winner of the Gr 1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes, plus Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara hopeful and Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic winner Siren’s Call. In fact three-year-old fillies were prominent in the entry with seven nominations including Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes and Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca stakes winner Inara, Same Jurisdiction, Trophy Wife, Tamanee and Pine Princess.

Sean Tarry, who has an enviable recent record in the race having won two of the last three running’s with Pomodoro and Heavy Metal, has nominated eleven runners while Mike de Kock has entered 8, Justin Snaith 7 and Dean Kannemeyer 5.

Included in Tarry’s strong entry along with Siren’s Call, is recent SA Derby Trial winner French Navy, the highest rated of the three-year-old males entered, and the promising Cagiva who could well make the final line-up with a handy galloping weight. The Tarry-trained Heavy Metal, winner in 2013, is back in the country after a stint in Dubai and has shown promising form since his return.

Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal (headline photo), who ran below form in the Gr 1 SA Classic, is one of the leading sophomore males entered along with strong entry from Kannemeyer who has pencilled in the very promising Afrikaburn and Balance Sheet along with year-older Power King and Solar Star.

Outside of Futura and Legislate, Snaith has entered recent Byerley Turk winner Heartland, a full brother to the Gr 1 winning colt and now sire Jackson.

The full list of first entries are as follows: