2026 Durban July Betting Tips & Preview - 3 horses who can win at Greyville

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Jon Vine 2 hours ago

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Top 3 picks: Note To Self, Zeitz (E/W), and Minogue (E/W) for the 2026 Durban July.
Younger horses are strongly favored, with Zeitz and Note To Self boasting strong form.
Minogue stands out as a longshot each-way value, especially with jockey Gavin Lerena onboard.

Jockey Craig Zackey (L) rides "The Real Prince" on his way to the finish line to win the 2025 edition of the Durban July. (Getty)

The 2026 Durban July takes place at Greyville on Saturday, July 4, with another thrilling renewal of Africa's biggest race in store.

A final field of 18 runners will contest Saturday's feature and we have picked out the three most likely winners of the Durban July.

Durban July 2026 Betting Tips & Best Bets

Note To Self

Recent history suggests it pays to side with younger horses in the Durban July. El Picha was the last six-year-old to win the race back in 2000, and 21 of the previous 25 renewals have gone to either three or four-year-olds.

With established stars See It Again, Eight On Eighteen and The Real Prince all withdrawn, this year's betting has centred around the Classic generation. Star Major briefly became favourite after his Daily News 2000 success before being scratched, but the horse who impressed me most in that race was NOTE TO SELF (5.56).

Justin Snaith's gelding doesn't boast the typical winning profile, having scored only twice from eight starts and arriving at Greyville after three successive defeats. Even so, I believe his recent form deserves a closer look, as there have been legitimate excuses each time.

In the Cape Derby, Note To Self finished runner-up to stablemate Wish List, who benefited from the fillies' weight allowance. As the race developed, Richie Fourie closed the gap on the inside just as Grant van Niekerk was trying to launch his challenge, leaving Note To Self with nowhere to go at a crucial stage.

He then contested a mile conditions race at Greyville, where he struggled to match the early pace before hanging right in the closing stages behind Okavango and Eight On Eighteen. A similar scenario unfolded in the Daily News 2000, with Andrew Fortune forced to ask for his effort much sooner than ideal. Note To Self stayed on strongly up the rail, while Star Major enjoyed a much smoother passage down the outside.

Richie Fourie had the choice of Justin Snaith's five runners and elected to ride Note To Self. Add in a favourable draw in stall 11, and there's every reason to believe he'll produce his best performance in South Africa's biggest race.

Zeitz

The BetGames/Dolphins Cup Trial has become one of the strongest form races for the Durban July in recent seasons, making ZEITZ (8.33) a particularly interesting contender after his convincing victory in that contest.

Willem Nel has always held the grey in high regard. Zeitz announced himself as a high-class prospect by winning the Politician Stakes before tackling the Cape Derby as a three-year-old. Although he could finish only sixth in last year's Cup Trial and missed out on a place in the Durban July, he bounced back on the same card by landing the Listed International Handicap after attracting strong support in the betting.

His form dipped slightly during the early part of this campaign, with defeats behind horses such as Legal Counsel, Regulation and Okavango. Following a short freshen-up, however, Zeitz returned in excellent order, winning a competitive A Stakes over seven furlongs at Scottsville before producing an authoritative display in the Cup Trial.

Serino Moodley settled his mount perfectly behind the leaders before asking him to quicken in the straight, and Zeitz comfortably asserted to win by half a length. Victories in his last two starts at Greyville underline his liking for the track, while bottom weight gives him another significant advantage in Saturday's feature.

Minogue

Recent editions of the Durban July have rewarded punters willing to look beyond the market leaders, with four of the last five winners returning at double-figure odds. With my first two selections near the head of the betting, I'm happy to take a chance on MINOGUE (50.0) as an each-way outsider.

Candice Dawson's mare spent much of her early career racing over shorter distances before stepping up to nine furlongs for the Paddock Stakes in January. Despite encountering traffic problems in the closing stages, she stayed on well to finish fifth, just two lengths behind Wish List.

She then produced two excellent placed efforts in Group One and Group Two company before heading to the Woolavington 2000. Allowed to dictate matters from the front by Muzi Yeni, Minogue looked the likely winner until the closing strides, with only a head separating her from Wish List at the finish.

Had she managed to hold on that day, it's difficult to imagine Minogue being available at odds of 50.0 for the Durban July. Although Yeni has chosen to ride Gladatorian, the booking of Durban July-winning jockey Gavin Lerena looks a significant positive. With two previous victories at Greyville and encouraging recent form over ten furlongs, she looks capable of outrunning her generous odds.

Verdict

2026 Durban July Tips

Durban July 2026 Final Predictions:

Note To Self

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