Horse racing fans in South Africa and other parts of the world will soon have access to the Hollywoodbets Durban July. The latter is one of the most intriguing horse racing competitions of the year, so it’s not surprising that there will be loads of top-tier jockeys and horses.
Speaking of the horses, as well as jockeys, we will look at all of the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st favourites. The names you are about to see are in a better position to win than the rest, and bookies seem to agree. Speaking of bookmakers, we at Efirbet.com work with numerous leaders in the iGaming industry that will allow you to bet on this race, so make sure to check what’s available.
Even though we do not know the names of the participants yet, our team at Efirbet researched a lot and concluded that it is very likely to come across a few specific jockeys. We are yet to see if they will take part in the competition, but let’s go through each one.
Horses
Aside from the most recent results, some horses perform really well at events similar to the Durban July. Following our research and analysis, these are the horses that we think will shine.
Eight on Eighteen & Richard Fourie
Eight on Eighteen is a thoroughbred horse born in South Africa in 2021. It is one of the first entries in the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race that you should pay attention to.
Trained by Justin Snaith, this talented horse has made 9 starts so far, achieving an impressive 4 wins and 5 placings. Notably, Eight on Eighteen has claimed victory in two prestigious Grade 1 races—the Cape Town Met in January 2025 and the SplashOut Cape Derby—securing a remarkable double at the highest level of competition.
If we check some of the horse’s recent stats, you will see he has excellent chances of winning. Of course, we will have to wait and see if this will be the case. Considering who is the jockey, however, we can definitely expect this horse to dominate.
Eight of Eighteen is ridden by Richard Fourie. He is one of the first names that fans expect to see at the Durban July horse racing event. It’s safe to say that he is one of the best when it comes to this race. Fourie has achieved impressive results so far and definitely has what it takes to do it again.
Fourie is a South African jockey with an impressive career behind his back. After making his first appearance in 2001, he has slowly but steadily made a name for himself as one of the best in this sport.
Born in 1985, Fourie will be one of the most experienced jockeys at the Durban July 2025 race in South Africa. Assuming he attends the competitions, fans will get the chance to watch one of the best in action.
Oriental Charm & JP van der Merwe
Oriental Charm is the next favourite for this Year’s Durban July Race that you should pay close attention to. Many experts and fans alike believe that he is in the same position as Eight of Eighteen, so it’s definitely an option to consider.
While its overall stats are not as striking as those of Eight on Eighteen, Oriental Charm has proven its quality on the biggest stages. On July 6, 2024, he secured the most prestigious victory in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, outpacing legendary horses such as Green with Envy, Royal Victory, and See it Again.
Moreover, on January 25, 2025, Oriental Charm finished a close second in the WSB Cape Town Met (Grade 1), with just half a length behind the winner Eight on Eighteen. With that said, Oriental Charm has what it takes to take the lead once again, and we believe it’s one of the names you should keep a close eye on.
The person who will do what he can to win with Orientam Charm is JP van der Merwe. Everyone who followed the 2024 Durban July knows that JP van der Merwe was in a league of his own. He won one of the most important races in South Africa after riding Oriental Charm. Considering his results, we definitely expect to see the reigning champion back in action.
Those who follow the horse racing scene probably remember the events a few months ago. Some jockeys protested in March during the Hollywoodbets Durbanville, and some got in trouble. JP van der Merwe was one of them because he was fined for his actions.
Legend of Arthur & Richard Fourie
Born in South Africa in 2021, Legend of Arthur is another of the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st favourites. Sean Tarry is the person behind the horse’s training, and he is responsible for its success.
Speaking of the devil, the horse has 10 starts so far and secured 3 wins and 4 placings. Considering Legend of Arthur’s age, it’s no surprise he is one of the main favourites to win the race.
However, age is not the only thing that you need to consider. A major highlight in Legend of Arthur’s career is his victory in the Grade 1 SA Derby on April 5, 2025, at Turffontein Racecourse. This win proves he can handle top-tier competition, and despite the strong field expected for the Durban July, he has real chances to secure a victory. Our analysis also reveals that the horse is in a good streak compared to some of the names on the list.
An interesting fact is that Richard Fourie is also the person who usually rides the Legend of Arthur. We already mentioned this name when talking about Eight of Eighteen, so it will be interesting to see if we will see him on the back of this or the other horse. The last time Fourie and the Legend of Arthur completed was on March 29, 2025.
Fire Attack & Jake Coen
Fire Attack is another interesting name that horse racing fans should focus on during the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race. Even though you may find slightly higher odds than those mentioned so far, the horse can be one of the potential winners.
Fire Attack is a thoroughbred horse born in 2021 in South Africa. Alec Laird trains it, and under his guidance, the horse has had 11 starts, resulting in 3 wins and 5 placings. Interestingly, the last couple of races have been very successful, which puts the horse in an excellent position for the upcoming event.
One of the most significant moments in Fire Attack’s career came on March 29, 2025, when he won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein. This victory demonstrated his stamina and tactical abilities, which place him among the top contenders for this year’s Durban July.
In terms of the jockey that will compete alongside Fire Attack, most people believe this will be Jake Coen. The Irish jockey had his first win in 2021, and since then, he has always been one of the interesting names to keep an eye on. Even though he achieved the best results with San Andreas, there is a good chance we will see him on top of Fire Attack.
Royal Victory & Musi Yeni
The next name on the list we recommend checking is Royal Victory. Born in 2019 in South Africa, this is the oldest participant at the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race yet. Despite that, a lot of experts believe that the thoroughbred horse is one of the favorites because it is in fairly good form.
If you learn more about the horse, you will see that it has 25 starts, a lot more than all of the other names mentioned so far. Following our analysis, we revealed that Royal Victory has 11 placings and 5 wins.
Among the main reasons for the horse’s success is his trainer, N Kotzen. He has been dealing with Royal Victory for years.
One of the best performances of Royal Victory is the 2024 Durban July, where he finished 3rd, proving that he can handle the pressure even on the highest level of competition. More recently, he secured a 2nd place in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein, right behind Fire Attack. These results further solidify his status as a consistent and experienced competitor.
In terms of jockeys, Musi Yeni is a very likely name to pair alongside this horse. His stats show that he has more than 1800 career wins and is often considered one of the best.
Throughout his career, Yeni has had many impressive victories, such as the one in the SA Classic, H F OPPENHEIMER HORSE CHESTNUT STAKES (a Grade 1 event), and more.
Ryan Munger is most likely the jockey that will compete alongside Immediate Edge. These two took part in various races over the last year and have proven that can achieve good results.
In terms of the jockey, Ryan Munger has 9762 starts in his career and a total of 839 wins. The South African had his first race at the Woodbine Racetrack and has competed in many different events since then.
Immediate Edge & Ryan Munger
Immediate Edge is an interesting participant at the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race that you should definitely research. Born in 2021 in South Africa, the Chestnut Gelding was trained by Mike & Mathew De Kock.
If we check the horse’s stats, we can see that it has 5 starts, securing 3 wins and 1 place. Immediate Edge won the Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes at Turffontein on March 8, 2025, and earlier this year secured a victory in a Maiden Plate – two performances that laid the foundations of his career.
Even though it may not have the experience of the likes of Royal Victory, Immediate Edge is a horse to pay close attention to when watching the upcoming Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race.
See it Again & Piere Strydom
This is another of the potential favorites for the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race that you should consider. See it Again is a thoroughbred horse born in 2019 in South Africa. Michael Roberts, the trainer, is the big reason for the horse’s success because it has 7 wins and 8 placings. At the time of writing, See it Again has 24 starts.
Although the horse’s last results have not been the best, we think it has solid chances of winning the upcoming race. After all, See it Again already has significant experience on the highest level—he finished second in the 2023 Durban July and was placed fifth in the 2024 edition. With his proven track record in one of the toughest racing events, he has an edge over less experienced rivals.
It is very likely for See it Again to compete alongside Piere Strydom. The latter is one of the oldest and most successful names in South Africa, and many people consider him the GoaT. Known as the “Striker”, this jockey has won the Durban July a total of 4 times in his career.
If Strydom does not compete, we can also see Raymond Danielson. The South African also has many years of experience and has proven himself as one of the country’s top jockeys.
Wild Intent & Gavin Lerena
The last horse that we believe you should pay close attention to for the Hollywoodbets Durban July 1st race is Wild Intent. Like all other horses so far, this one is also a thoroughbred, and it was born in 2021 in South Africa.
Wild Intent has 8 starts so far and secured 4 placings and 2 wins. Lucky Houdalakis is this horse’s trainer, and judging by the most recent results, he’s been doing a pretty good job.
Wild Intent usually competes with Gavin Lerena, a jockey with 16241 starts and 2534 wins. The South African comes from a family deeply rooted in horse racing, which explains why he loves the sport. Lerena has a lot of records under his belt and he also represented his country in many different competitions.
Other Potential Jockeys
As mentioned earlier, we are not 100% sure which jockeys will attend South Africa’s leading horse racing event. Nevertheless, there is a good chance we will see these ones in action, so let’s go through our list.
Daniel Muscutt
Another jockey that we definitely expect to see more of is Daniel Muscutt. The English rider has not won the Durban July yet, so a lot of people expect to see him in action. The son of Peter Muscutt is one of the most promising names in the sport, and many fans from around the world.
The 28-year-old has 36 wins in his career so far and has won around $1.5M. His first ride took place in 2014 and he’s been a part of many big races over the last 11 years.
S’manga Khumalo
The last jockey that a lot of people expect to see at the Durban July 2025 is S’manga Khumalo. Like JP van der Merwe, Khumalo is a Durban July winner and one of the fan-favorite jackets. People expect to see him in action and ride none other than Cousin Casey.
Born in 1985, he became the first black jockey to win South Africa’s top horse racing event. This happened in 2013, back when he was riding Heavy Metal. An interesting fact about this jockey is that he saw a horse for the first time when he was just 14 years old. Despite that, he quickly realized he had a passion for the magnificent animals and became one of the best in the sport.
Conclusion
There are less than 2 months until the beginning of one of South Africa’s most significant horse racing events of the year. It’s definitely a competition you should follow closely, especially if you like this sport. Although you can never be sure who is going to win, the horses mentioned here are definitely in a better position. We will have to wait and see if they will live up to the expectations.
As for the jockeys, we are confident that we will see all the big names in action. This is good news for everyone who will attend the Hollywoodbets Durban July or watch the event in real-time.
