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Heavy Metal, a 16-1 outsider Heavy Metal among four runners from the Sean Tarry stable, was a surprise winner of the Durban July at Greyville on Saturday.

The four-year-old made history as he was ridden by S'Manga Khumalo, giving him the honor of becoming the first black jockey to win the G1 race.

Heavy Metal is trained in Johannesburg by Tarry and arrived in Durban only 30 hours before the race.

Tarry enjoyed a magnificent day with his charges winning three features, and he is currently on top of the South African trainers log by prize money. Should he win the premiership, it would be his first.

Bred by Bosworth Farm Stud, Heavy Metal had excellent form for owner Chris Van Niekerk but his stablemate, last year's winner Pomodoro was the stable elect.

An ecstatic Tarry praised Khumalo after the race, describing the rider as "very cool." He also paid tribute to Van Niekerk, who is one of the yard's leading owners.

Khumalo has had a sensational year, winning three of South Africa's biggest races in 2012-2013.

His first major win came in the Sansui Summer Cup (SAf-I), and he followed this up with a pair of major wins on Heavy Metal.

Khumalo was humble following his big race success, and paid thanks to his trainer for keeping him on the winner.

Prior to his July win, Heavy Metal had pulled off a 40-1 shock when he landed the April 27 President's Champion Challenge over 2000m.

His July prep saw him run second under the steadying weight of 62.5 kilograms in the June 9 Jubilee Handicap. The gelding has now won six of 20 outings, and has stamped himself as a serious contender for Horse of the Year honors.

Rain had forced the first two races on the card to be abandoned making the 2200m July a difficult test on a soft track.

Three-year-old Capetown Noir was sent off 5-1 favorite. The colt had won two classics but was untried at the distance and had to jump from the poor draw of post 15 while last year's winner Pomodoro, who had to shoulder top weight of 60 kilograms.

The early pace in the July was set by Summer Cup winner Wagner, ahead of the eventual winner's stable mate, E-Jet.

Turning for home at the top of the short Greyville straight, it was anyone's race, with a number of horses traveling strongly.

The well-fancied Jet Explorer moved up strongly with 400 meters left to go and looked sure to contest the finish, but ran out of air over the final 200 meters as his stablemate Run For It kicked on strongly and looked a hard horse to oppose in the final stages.

However, just as the Snaith-trained gelding was mastering the strong challenge of the game 3-year-old filly Do You Remember, Heavy Metal was brought with a withering late run by his jockey.

Khumalo had timed his challenge to perfection, and Heavy Metal went on to claim victory by a neck from the luckless Run For It, who has now been placed in five G1 races without winning at the highest level.

Do You Remember, also by champion local stallion Silvano, was a short neck away in third. No Worries, a 25-1 longshot, was the first sophomore male home in fourth place, ahead of Jet Explorer and Whiteline Fever.

Favorite Capetown Noir never looked threatening and could only finish seventh, although he was beaten less than five lengths by the winner. Neither Pomodoro or Seal ever challenged, with the latter running wide through much of the race and eventually finishing last.