Jockey Grant van Niekerk seizes his shot at Durban July glory after late scratching

In a twist of fate that seems almost scripted, jockey Grant van Niekerk finds himself in the spotlight as he celebrates his 34th birthday and a chance at victory in this year's Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Just days before the prestigious event, van Niekerk had lamented the fact that he did not have a ride after the announcement of the 18-horse field for the iconic race. His aspirations, however, were reignited when disappointment struck for another competitor.

The ride on 'See it Again', trained by Michael Roberts, was withdrawn from the field due to an abnormal blood count, marking a significant blow to Roberts, who described the situation as a "bitter pill to swallow".

This unexpected vacancy provided van Niekerk with an opportunity that few could have foreseen. He had previously expressed reluctance to benefit from another's misfortune, stating, "I did not wish to benefit from somebody else’s disappointment," upon being lined up to ride one of the reserves.

Just as he expressed those sentiments, the announcement came through that he had been booked to ride the first reserve, 'Litigation', trained by Sean Tarry. The timing could not be more serendipitous for van Niekerk, who now has a golden chance to add a Durban July victory to his impressive record.

Despite three bittersweet second-place Durban July finishes since 2012, the determined Van Niekerk believes that this year, aboard his steed 'Litigation', he has a long shot at glory.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be part of the Durban July field again,” Van Niekerk told Independent Media on Friday.

“It’s come out of the blue, and for a change, I'm not riding one of the fancied horses.”

His admission hints at a refreshing shift in perspective. Rather than bearing the weight of expectation from pundits and fans alike, Van Niekerk is embracing the opportunity of riding a less popular choice, contingent on the hope that a surprise outcome might await.

In the field for the 129th edition of the Hollywoodbets Durban July, there are plenty of big names set to face the starter.

Defending champion Oriental Charm, the Brett Crawford-trained four-year-old, returns to the site of last year’s triumph beneath JP van der Merwe.

Justin Snaith’s superstar three-year-old Eight on Eighteen is the favourite and the biggest threat to Oriental Charm’s crown.

He is the red-hot favourite to lift the 2025 crown. The three-year-old superstar is a multiple Grade 1 winner. He has earned over R6 million in career stakes.

He does have to contend with 57kgs. He is drawn in the middle of the field, and plenty can go wrong.

However, with Richard Fourie in the irons, he has every chance of winning KZN’s premier race. He cruised home in the Daily News 2000 by just under four lengths in his final prep run for this race and looks to have every chance.