Durban July 2026 - What last year’s Durban July taught us

Simon Lewis

Editor

Last updated: 2 hours ago

Simon Lewis 2 hours ago

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The Real Prince beat Eight On Eighteen by a neck in the 2025 Durban July.
The 130th running of Africa’s biggest horse race will be contested by 18 horses.
This year’s Durban July offers a R10-million purse for the big race on 4 July, 2026.

Jockey Craig Zackey rides "The Real Prince" to win the Durban July in 2025 (Getty Images).

A thrilling finish in 2025

The 2025 Durban July produced a classic finish, with The Real Prince arriving late to beat Eight On Eighteen by a neck over the Greyville 2200m. Selukwe finished third, while Royal Victory ran another honest race in fourth.

A thrilling finish in 2025
A memorable win

That result was a reminder of what the Durban July so often demands. It is not always enough to be the most obvious horse on form. The winner needs to stay the trip, handle the tempo, find racing room and still produce a finishing effort under maximum pressure.

A memorable win

The Real Prince’s victory was especially notable because he had not raced beyond 1600m before, yet he stayed strong and was perfectly delivered by Craig Zackey. Eight On Eighteen looked to have made the decisive move when hitting the front around 300m from home, but the final stages told a different story.

For the 2026 field the lesson is clear. Draws, weights and reputations matter, but the Durban July often turns on how cleanly a horse travels through the race. Star Major, Legal Counsel, Wish List, Regulation and the rest all bring their own strengths, but they still have to answer the same old Greyville question: can they produce their best when the race becomes a fight for the finish?

That is what makes the Durban July such a compelling event. It is not just a test of ability: it is a test of timing, stamina and temperament.