The outright favourite for the Vodacom Durban July, Rabiya, has a perfect draw for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event and on Saturday, July 2, will jump from stall four for the 2 200 metres event.

Unlike two years ago when Dean Kannemeyer’s superstar, Dynasty, drew right on the outside at 20 but still went on to win, the stable’s new exciting three-year-old Rabiya, had his name drawn early from the drum when the official draw was done at Greyville yesterday (Tuesday).

A somewhat surprised Kannemeyer chose the number four barrier position for his Jallad colt who has been posted as the outright favourite for the R2-million race after winning the Daily News 2200 in awesome style at Greyville on Sunday. He said later that the colt had come through the Daily News 2200 run extremely well and he was delighted with his draw.

Comments by all trainers interviewed after the draw had taken place made Rabiya the horse to beat and leading KwaZulu-Natal bookmaker, Michael Weare, said he could see the price on the grey shortening to about 12-10 before the start of the race.

At the function the weights for the race were also released and Rabiya, who has a merit rating of 104 having not earned a penalty for his win on Sunday, has been given a weight of 53kg to shoulder along with another top three-year-old, Geoff Woodruff’s Dunsinane, who on merit is rated the equal of the Kannemeyer runner.

Woodruff’s Eventuail is the top weight on 58kg with Sean Tarry’s J&B Met winner, Alastor, and Joey Ramsden’s top gelding, Winter Solstice, on 56kg.

Much depends on how Eventuail runs in the R600 000 Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1 600 metres on Saturday whether he will contest the Vodacom Durban July. If he disappoints and is withdrawn at final acceptance on Monday, the weights of all the other runners in the July 2 event will be raised at the sole discretion of the handicapper.

The three-year-olds weights are capped at 54,5kg for colts and 53,5kg for fillies, but this capping only applies up until final acceptance. In the event of the weights being raised due to the scratching of Eventuail at final acceptance, the weights for the three-year-olds will increase by the same margin as that for older horses.

Other runners who drew well were Winter Solstice (1), The Badger (5), Red Badge (7), Dunford (8), Rusedski (6), The Decagon (9), Jam Alley (2) and Zebra Crossing (3).

The latest Vodacom Durban July Log has seen Joshua’s Princess, The Decagon, Arabian Glow, Pavlovich, Zebra Crossing and Reveille Boy move into the top twenty.

Jam Alley, who did not run a sparkling race in the Astrapak 1900, has dropped out of the top 20 into the next 10 and Geoff Woodruff’s star filly, Royal Aproval, was scratched from the race.