July, noun

Origin:
EnglishShow more Special senses of general English July the seventh month of the year.
1. The July: A short form of Durban July Handicap, an annual horse-race held on the first Saturday in July at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban; Durban July, see Durban. Also attributive.
Note:
First run in 1897, and now the country’s premier horse-race.
1942 E. Prov. Herald 4 JulySpecial message by Gen. Smuts broadcast after ‘July’ today. A special message from Gen. Smuts will be broadcast at Greyville racecourse tomorrow afternoon immediately following the running of the July handicap.
1948 H.C. Bosman in L. Abrahams Cask of Jerepigo (1972) 232The boss had gone to Durban for the July.
1955 Off. Visitors Guide (Durban Publicity Assoc.) 50Greyville, mecca of South African racegoers during the famous ‘July’ Season, is unique in two respects.
1959 R.E. Van der Ross in Hattingh & Bredekamp Coloured Viewpoint (1984) 66Driving through the Karoo, as many have done recently to and from the ‘July’, we often come across little parties of Coloured farm labourers.
1972 Sunday Times 25 June (Mag. Sect.) 6Held in the middle of Durban’s superb winter, the July draws people from all corners of South Africa and Rhodesia.
1978 M. Hartmann Shadow of Leopard 34‘What is the July, a local classic?’ ‘The premier race in South Africa, Mr Dryden, the equivalent of your Derby.’
1990 Sunday Times 1 July 22I am glad to say that, as has happened every year for the past 45 years, I have the ‘July’ result absolutely and irretrievably tied up.
1992 E. Van Wijk in S. Afr. Panorama Nov.–Dec. 57I have one vice — gambling. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, but come July time...You can’t beat it.
1994 G. Willoughby in Weekly Mail & Guardian 8 July 38Our hopes, like those of hundreds of thousands round the country, are pinned firmly on the big one — race 7, the July.
2. combinations
July day, the day upon which the Durban July Handicap is run (being the first Saturday in July);
July fever, the intense interest and excitement surrounding the race.
1971 Daily Dispatch 30 June 1July runners and jockeys, jackpot selections for July Day.
1981 R. Mitchell in Argus 3 July 1Last year we handled R496000 on July day.
1971 Daily Dispatch 30 June 1July fever rises for big race.
1972 Sunday Times 25 June (Mag. Sect.) 6Parking attendants, vegetable sellers, hotel porters and waiters are all subject to July Fever, and often show a remarkably sound knowledge of the finer details of the racing game.
1982 Drum July 45Like everyone else, I have ‘July Fever’. For those who don’t know what that is, you catch it round the time the Durban July Handicap is about to take place.
1989 Motorist 2nd Quarter 14Thousands of visitors..find themselves in the grip of what Durbanites term ‘July Fever’. One of the first events on the July calendar is the Rothman’s July Handicap.
1991 Sunday Times 2 June (Mag. Sect.) 39Get dressed for Winter in Durban...Catch July Fever in a packed programme of exciting events in the funshine city.
The July:A short form of Durban July Handicap, an annual horse-race held on the first Saturday in July at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban; Durban July, see Durban. Also attributive.
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19421994

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July day
July fever

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