The powerful Mike de Kock team for Saturday’s R2-million Vodacom Durban July at Greyville Racecourse in Durban are all fit and well and “every one of the four is in with a realistic chance.”

The team members, three greys and a bay, have impeccable form and coming as they do from the country’s most successful international stable, all command the utmost respect in spite of each having drawn in the outer half of the starting pens.

The team is: The three-year-old bay filly, Irridescence, winner of her last three starts including the Sun City Fillies Classic and the Zimbali Lodge Woolavington; The four-year-old grey filly Ilha Da Vitoria, third in the Gommagomma Summer Cup and fourth in the J&B Met and winner of her last start, the Tibouchina Stakes; The four-year-old grey gelding Grey Arrow, winner of the Skeaping Trophy; The five-year-old grey gelding, Gang Related, second to Tyson in the Gommagomma Summer Cup.

Today Mike de Kock said he was very happy with all four and they would have their final workout tomorrow (Tuesday) on the sand.

He said there was no question of having to send any one of them out as a pacemaker. “You don’t have to worry about a pace in the July, there is always a pace.”

He was justifiably not prepared to say which of the four runners he fancied as all had different owners. However, with stable jockey Weichong Marwing having elected to ride the filly Irridescence when he had the pick of the four, it is a clear indication of which one he believes will have the best chance.

De Kock’s response was that all four are fit and well and ready for the big occasion and each one had a realistic chance of winning.