The biggest horse racing event in Africa is set to take place on Saturday the 5th of July at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse – and our Durban July predictions will help you choose which horse to back.
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Durban July 2025 Predictions
Here are some of the predictions for the Durban July 2025 favourites:
| Horse | Odds From Hollywoodbets | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN | 2.4 | J Snaith |
| ORIENTAL CHARM | 7.0 | J Crawford |
| IMMEDIATE EDGE | 8.0 | M/M de Kock |
| ON MY HONOUR | 15.0 | G Kotzen |
| THE REAL PRINCE | 13.5 | D Kannemeyer |
| SELUKWE | 17.0 | A Nel |
| GLADATORIAN | 17.0 | S Ferrie |
| ROYAL VICTORY | 21.0 | N Kotzen |
| OKAVANGO | 21.0 | J Snaith |
| CONFEDERATE | 26.0 | F Habib |
| ATTICUS FINCH | 26.0 | A Laird |
| MADISON VALLEY | 34.0 | F Robinson |
| MY BEST SHOT | 34.0 | A Greeff |
| NATIVE RULER | 34.0 | J Snaith |
| LITIGATION | 34.0 | S Tarry |
| POMODORO’S JET | 51.0 | J Crawford |
| PURPLE PITCHER | 51.0 | R Klaasen |
| RAINBOW LORIKEET | 51.0 | C Bass-Robinson |
| SEE IT AGAIN | N/A | M Roberts |
Note: Odds correct at time of publishing – always check them before placing your bets.
In this guide, you will find the previous results as well as our tips, horse racing predictions and the schedule for the Durban July 2025.
Eight on Eighteen
From his 9 starts to date he has not finished out of the first three winning four of those runs. He has won the second biggest race in Africa, the Grade Cape Town Met and his eyes will be on winning the biggest race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, he will partner with his regular jockey Richard Fourie. His latest run was an impressive second in the KwaZulu-Natal Guineas. He is set to have one more preparation run in the Daily News 2000 in the month of June and that should hold him in good stead for the big race day on the first Saturday of July.
Oriental Charm
This horse has a very distinct style of running as he always goes to the front in his races and likes to set the pace. From his low weight of 53kgs in last years race he was able to dictate the pace and win. He will carry 60kgs this year and his task will be even more difficult hence the reason we are not tipping him to win and have him in for a place in third.
Immediate Edge
Immediate Edge is a lightly exposed 3-year-old colt trained by Mike and Matthew de Kock, carrying 53 kg in the 2025 Durban July. Ridden by jockey Callan Murray, he enters the race with four wins this year, mostly at Turffontein, and is considered a strong contender at 7/1 odds. Despite questions about his form at sea level, his recent performances and expert backing highlight his potential to feature prominently in the R5 million Grade 1 event.
BONUS CODE
Durban July Tips
More experienced bettors may know that three-year-old runners have a solid rate of success in the Durban July Handicap. Moreover, 60% of races run since 1998 have been won by a three-year-old horse, while four-year-olds also have a good strike rate.
Nonetheless, in an open race, favourites don’t tend to do well. In fact, only three favourites won in the last 14 years.
It’s also important to mention that Durban July currently offers a prize of R5 million, which is an increase from R4.25 million in 2021. This can be a great incentive even for the underdogs to perform better than expected.
What is more, as the event draws near, more betting tips for Durban July will be available. But here are some Durban July tips that you should take into consideration when the event starts.
Odds
Odds are a massive indicator to look at when betting on a horse; the smaller the odds, the greater the chance of the horse winning the race.
Bookmakers determine odds, and they fluctuate depending on how much money the market bets on it.
It is important to look at the odds when the bookmaker opens the market and closer to the race. By doing this, you will see how the odds of the runners fluctuate. When you see a massive drop in the odds, it can be a good indication for you to take a bet on that horse.
When you see horses lengthen in odds, especially for runners that were favourites, it is a good indication for you not to put any money on that horse.
Weight
In the horse racing world, horses are each given a merit rating which determines the weight they carry in a race. This system is in place to ensure that there aren’t any advantages for horses who are far superior to others.
The initial merit rating is determined by their first three races and fluctuates with each performance thereafter. The weight that they get to carry is determined by how they perform and the race they find themselves in.
When placing a bet on a runner in horse racing, it is vital to ensure that you are betting on a horse that is well-weighted following their merit rating.
Past Performances and Form
Past performances and form are huge indicators when picking your selection. If a horse has done well in their last few races, they are more than likely to continue their run of form into the next race.
It is important to look at how their previous performances will fit with the current race. For example, look at the distance – if the distances are within 200 metres of their last race and they did well in the previous race, the runner must be considered.
The past performance and form also include the jockey’s past performances as well as the trainer’s past performances. These will also serve as massive indicators when betting on the runners.
Type of Race
There are various types of races throughout the year. There are your everyday lower handicap races, and then there are your Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 races, which are the pinnacle of the sport in horse racing.
It is important to note that a horse running in the top six in a Grade 1 race is better than a horse that has won five times in lower handicap races. When studying form, looking at the type of race a horse has been in is vital to the success of the better.
Along with the Durban July, other prestigious South African Grade 1 races like the Summer Cup provide valuable form indicators, as horses that perform well in these major events often carry that quality into other significant races on the calendar.
To put it in simpler terms, let’s compare it to football. A Grade 1 race is the World Cup Final, a Grade 2 race is the Champions League Final, a Grade 3 race is a game in Europe’s top 5 leagues, and anything lower than that is other lower leagues.
Horse’s Form
The importance of checking the horse’s current form cannot be overstated. Therefore, before placing your bets, make sure to do some research. It’s needless to say that horses in the better form are more likely to win a race than ones in poor form.
Key Takeaways
As a beginner, it is important to note that many factors come into play when making a horse racing bet. Odds, weight, form, and type of race are the most important.
It is also important to note that, even with all the information possible, you must remember that you are betting on an animal and, just like us humans, they can have bad days.
The most important takeaway is that horse racing is an electrifying sport and, unlike other sports where you can watch once and grasp all the rules, it requires a certain level of patience to see success when betting.
Durban July Betting Sites
Just like in previous years, bettors get the chance to place bets on their favourite horse. You can place your Durban July online betting on Hollywoodbets, bet.co.za, Interbet, Sportingbet and Betway. Hollywoodbets is the new sponsor of this sports events, taking over from Vodacom.
Durban July 2025 Live Streaming
Individuals who cannot be at the event venue will have the chance to stream this event. The event will be live-streamed, and few bookmakers will offer bettors this opportunity.
Betway and Sportingbet are some of the platforms that have live streaming options for the event.
Durban July 2025 Schedule
Each year, over 50,000 people come to see the Durban July races at Greyville Racecourse. The event is held on the first Saturday of July every year. The 2025 edition of the race will be held on the 5th of July, 2025.
Eighteen of the country’s finest thoroughbreds will race for a share of R5million. In the build-up to the Durban July, there are many events such as fashion shows and parties, but on the actual race day, it’s all about the racing as 12 races will occur.
Jockeys enter the parade ring and introduce themselves to the crowd before they mount their horses as they leave the ring. Then, the South African national anthem plays, and the Durban July begins. In the end, the winner receives their title and is crowned champion and given the Silver Salvers and the winner’s sashes.
However, the Durban July 2025 race schedule is yet to be confirmed.
Recap of Durban July 2023 & 2024
If you haven’t paid attention to the Durban July before, we’ll take you through what happened in recent years.
Durban July 2023
The Hollywoodbets Durban July 2023 saw Winchester Mansion beating the hometown favourite See It Again in a race of firsts. Pierre Strydom was aiming at the fifth win before his retirement, but Kabelo got the better of him.
Furthermore, this was his first Grade 1 victory. It was also the first for trainer Brett Crawford and the owner Gaynor Rupert.
Durban July 2024
The 2024 edition saw Brett Crawford and son James complete win this race for a second year in succession with Oriental Charm. The horse went from start to finish to beat fast finishing Cousin Casey to win the 128th running if this great race.
Durban July Past Winners
Here are the previous winners of the tournament since July 2013.
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Oriental Charm | Brett Crawford | JP vd Merwe |
| 2023 | Winchester Mansion | Brett Crawford | Kabelo Matsunyane |
| 2022 | Sparkling Water | Mike de Kock | S’manga Khumalo |
| 2021 | Kommetdieding | Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix | Gavin Lerena |
| 2020 | Belgarion | Justin Snaith | Richard Fourie |
| 2019 | Do It Again | Justin Snaith | Richard Fourie |
| 2018 | Do It Again | Justin Snaith | Anton Marcus |
| 2017 | Marinaresco | Candice Bass-Robinson | Bernard Fayd’herbe |
| 2016 | The Conglomerate | Joey Ramsden | Piere Strydom |
| 2015 | Power King | Dean Kannemeyer | Stuart Randolph |
| 2014 | Legislate | Justin Snaith | Richard Fourie |
| 2013 | Heavy Metal | Sean Tarry | S’manga Khumalo |
Durban July 2025 FAQ
If you want to know more about Durban July, check out the FAQ section below.
The current Durban July champion is Oriental Charm from South Africa, after it won Durban July 2024, ridden by JP vd Merwe.
The theme for this year’s Durban July is “Marvels of Mzansi.
The tickets are available for the public from early currently at TicketProz. People who want to attend the event can buy the tickets at the Greyville Racecourse Administration Office, which is located at 150 Avondale Road, Durban. Bluff – Bluff Shopping Centre
The prize for Durban July 202 is R5 million.
Sydney C. Laird holds the record for most Durban July wins with 7. He managed to win the championship in 1961, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1973, and 1978.
There are two jockeys that are currently tied for the record. Moreover, they both have 4 wins. Harold “Tiger” Wright won in 1942,1947,1949, and 1956, while Anton Marcus won in 1993, 2000, 2005, and 2007.