Graeme Hawkins

Andrew Fortune produced the exciting Tenango (28/10) from well off the pace to win yesterday’s R250 000  Champagne Stakes (Gr3) over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth with contemptuous ease.
Tenango was switched off towards the rear of the field as Seeking The Stars and Lion Rampart cut out the early pace. Approaching the final 200m Gem King moved through menacingly but by now Tenango was in full cry and the 4yo son of Canford Cliffs swept past to score going away by a wide margin. 
Tenango has now won five races from only thirteen starts and we are likely to see him next in the Grade 2 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville towards the end of May. Trained by Candice Bass-Robinson for owner-breeder Ian Longmore, Tenango has recovered remarkably well from a wind operation and is now in the form of his life.
Gem King finished second ahead of All Out For Six and a running on Silver Falcon but were they simply no match for Tenango who was recording his first Graded Stakes success, with the promise of more to come.
Tenango was Fortune’s third winner on the card, having booted home Hunga Tonga and English Mistress earlier in the day. 
The 2yo’s North Point, Randolph Hearst and Ukuduma were impressive winners of the first three races on the programme. All three appear to be well above the average and should be worth following for the remainder of the Season.

Andrew Harrison

Locally based trainers always face an uphill task during South Africa’s Champions Season as the out-of-towners arrive with the cream of their crops. Highveld-based trainers have their moments but most are hard-pressed to match runners from the Western Cape. The second race on the Hollywoodbets Greyville card, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, was a prime example as it was dominated by Cape-based runners, Aversator making good improvement on his debut effort for Dean Kannemeyer and the Justin Snaith-trained Indigenous runner-up.

Sean Veale gave him a clear run at the line going up the inside of the field and the son of Rafeef quickened up smartly to win going away. Andrew Fortune picked his way through the field from well off the pace and Indigenous ran on well to take the shallow end of the purse.

Both colts look promising and worth following come the sharp end of the season.

Nautical Landing saved a large number of Place Accumulator tickets as two rank outsiders Street Talk and Echo were culprits of one of the biggest exacta payouts in recent memory, both finishing strongly to edge out the luckless Nautical Landing as Tristan Godden tried valiantly to keep the filly together over the final two furlongs. Muzi Yeni was of the opinion that Kom Naidoo’s filly is looking for much further with the strong pace playing in her favour.

Harun Al Rashid finally got his act together, a runaway winner of the opening leg of the Pick 6. Not an easy horse to train as he tends to lather up before his races but he finished with a rattle to finally show what he had promised in his earlier races. Runaway pacemaker Angel Boy J compounded at the top of the straight and apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto was lucky to stay aboard as his mount nearly came to a halt.

The handicappers are often under fire from trainers accusing them of being heavy-handed when dishing out penalties but the three points afforded One Smart Cookie kept her competitive as Tienie Prinsloo’s filly went back-to-back but with the entire field breathing down her neck in a blanket finish to the fifth. Magical View, School Policy and Woza Nawe were all within a neck at the line.

Pongola is not an easy ride as alluded to by Michael Roberts. Not a horse that takes kindly to being bustled early in a race stand-in rider Siphesihle Hlengwa, replacing an indisposed Rachel Venniker, was on a hiding to nothing. However, from off the pace, Pongola was closing in relentlessly on the filly Fireburst who had got the better of pacemaker Gorgeous Dude, but he kept shifting in on his rival. There was no contact but Hlengwa lost his crop 100m out trying to keep his mount on a straight course and got to the line with a nose to spare.

It was a Snaith one-two in the seventh as Underworld got the better of stable companion Get Impressed with Diani staying on strongly for third. It was a tactical ride from Fortune who had Underworld pinned on the rail behind pacemaker Cherry Ano and getting first run. However, not to be outdone, Yeni got his mount into stride off the false rail and a ding-dong battle ensued up the straight with Underworld making light of his weight to get the better of his rival.

Okavango looked to be the best bet on the card and so it proved as Fortune finally got out of the second box. A son of Master Of My Fate out of the exceptionally talented mare Sabina Park, he had turned in an eye-catching performance when winning at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time out, coming from the clouds to get up close home. It was a lot easier yesterday as Fortune had him in the box seat from his pole position draw and although he took a little time to get rolling, Fortune was looking around a long way out for any challenges.

It was a comfortable victory and with Fortune saying that Okavango would enjoy a furlong further, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 looks a possible target but he will probably be up against stable companion Eight On Eighteen and the WSB 1900 may be a better option.

Cape form was once again to the fore as Plum Pudding rounded off the meeting for Andre Nel and Serino Moodley. Well back turning for home, Plum Pudding got a dream split up the centre of the track and finished off her race in style.

Durban, South Africa – The countdown has begun! The 129th edition of Africa’s premier horse racing and social spectacular, the Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ), is set to take place on Saturday, 5th July 2025, at the iconic Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse. As the most anticipated fixture on South Africa’s racing calendar, the event seamlessly blends world-class horse racing with high fashion, entertainment, and a memorable social experience.

Staying true to the theme of “Marvels of Mzansi,” this year’s racing extravaganza promises an iconic line-up of South African talent, featuring a diverse array of artists set to captivate all attendees throughout the day. The national anthem will be beautifully performed by one of the country’s leading songstresses – look out for the reveal in May. With these performances, the thousands of attendees expected at Hollywoodbets Greyville will have a memorable experience. Stay tuned for the full artist line-up. All ticket holders can look forward to a day filled with live entertainment that will be talked about for years to come, as this year’s HDJ celebrates Mzansi’s vibrant spirit. 

Tickets for this outstanding event are now officially on sale via Ticketpro (www.ticketpro.co.za). Priced at R230 for general admission, your ticket grants access to a day of thrilling racing action, live entertainment, fashion showcases, gourmet food experiences, and an array of engaging activations from event partners. For added convenience, onsite parking is available for R170 per vehicle.

For those seeking an elevated experience, the VIP hospitality packages provide exclusive access to luxurious enclosures, premium viewing areas, and top-tier catering. These options can be explored on the official event website (www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za). Please note that VIP hospitality packages do not include general admission tickets, which must be purchased separately via Ticketpro.

This year’s theme, “Marvels Of Mzansi”, was unveiled in late February, marking the official commencement of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion Experience, presented by Durban Fashion Fair. The fashion programme includes the much-anticipated HDJ Young Designer Award, showcasing the best up-and-coming talents from KwaZulu-Natal. The winners will share the spotlight with the HDJ Invited Designers and DFF Rising Stars at the HDJ Fashion Preview Gala, set to take place at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in late June.

Racing enthusiasts can also look forward to the announcement of the first official entrants on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. With last year’s champion, Oriental Charm, emerging as the early ante-post favourite, excitement is already building. 

Secure your tickets today and experience Africa’s greatest horse racing and social event, the Hollywoodbets Durban July!

Please Note: From December, Unit cost of all Soccer10 Pools closing on Wednesdays will be R3.

The R3 unit cost on Wednesdays is on a trial basis only & follows requests from many customers to increase the Soccer10 Unit.

The unit cost of Soccer10 Pools on all other days remains R2.

All systems go on 1 January 2025

Horseracing in KwaZulu-Natal took the next step to the dawn of a new era with the publication on Thursday of a revitalized racing programme and the news of the introduction of incentives and stakes adjustments that will align the province with the status quo in the Cape.

The introduction of the new-look programme and policies on the East Coast comes into play as a result of the proposed acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group, which now hinges on the required approval of the KZN Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA).

Whilst the outstanding approval of the KZNERA is critical to the transaction, and will be the final step in transferring ownership, Hollywoodbets and its appointed Chairman Designate of Gold Circle, Greg Bortz are in management and strategic decisions during the interim period, with Hollywoodbets investing funds at its own risk to ensure the continuity of horse racing in KZN, and the survival of Gold Circle.

Programme and related reading matter, click here.

Subject to the fulfillment of other outstanding conditions precedent, the deal effectively unlocks a R500 million rescue injection from Hollywoodbets, and a takeover of the sport in the holiday province, which is set to include track upgrades and other infrastructural and operational initiatives.

The new KZN programme covers the period 1 January to 28 February 2025 and introduces the stakes-boosted class racing structure to the province, while unveiling financial incentives via the RaceCoast incentive scheme with the ultimate aim of improving racehorse ownership in KZN and achieving enhanced field sizes with the knock-on vital lifeblood of increased betting turnovers.

Down South, the RaceCape incentive programme has proven a winner and has underscored the unprecedented turnaround in Cape horseracing by providing further opportunities for the local racing community and increased employment prospects for grooms and work riders, as well as raising the bar for all related and ancillary horse racing services.

“We are very excited about future plans for KZN racing,” Cape Racing Executive: Racing & Bloodstock Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post on Thursday, as he outlined broad plans to revolutionise the appeal of the sport across the board for all stakeholders in KZN.

“We need to provide owners and trainers with an even and attractive playing field that makes them want to race. Stakes and rewards need to be meaningful. That ultimately leads to better field sizes, more exciting racing and improved betting turnovers. Punters are key to the success of the process. We are implementing a first world reform in terms of transparency when it comes to information. Items like horse weights, for example, will be published. They are, after all, a form assessment tool. Horses working at our training centres and tracks will all have easily identifiable bar-coded saddle-cloths. So, there are no secrets. If Oriental Charm or One Stripe is on track, the public will share in it,” added Vermaak, who confirmed that barrier draws after acceptance was another operational change which would be implemented on 1 January 2025.

Veteran KZN trainer Garth Puller, who attended a recent stakeholder’s meeting at Summerveld hosted by Greg Bortz, Justin Vermaak, Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets officials, enthused that he was thrilled by the news of the takeover by business-minded racing people who were brave and bold enough to step in and turn the ship around.

“This has come very late for me at my age, but it’s a lifechanger and the future is brighter than it was yesterday,” reflected a delighted Puller as he told the Sporting Post that the adjusted stakes and ‘very welcome’ incentives would boost cash-flows,  while also making it so much easier to help him and his colleagues market the basic ownership product.

“And we are getting draws after acceptances. Wonderful! I was calling for that 25 years ago at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Bigger fields mean a faster pace, means better form, means better truer results. It’s an ecosystem of positivity. It all feeds on itself,” added the horseman who is never scared to pass an opinion.

Puller said the repair of the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville was ‘definitely quite overdue and welcome news’.

“That’s our stage. The track must be safe for horse and rider, be true and competitive, and have credibility with all role-players. That’s not a negotiable.”

On the ‘abolition’ of the committee structure to facilitate decision making and policy, Puller said that he was so pleased to hear that all reasonable suggestions will be considered by management.

“Wonderful! So there are no more long-winded committees to hide behind and to dither over. How refreshing.  I believe every stakeholder in this sport in KZN needs to doff a cap to Hollywoodbets and Mr Bortz. This investment and takeover is a brave move. But we know that with the passion for horse racing of the local population in this province, we can make it work. And by putting the structures in place they are making sure we have no excuses. Let’s look forward and get on with rebuilding KZN racing. I am absolutely thrilled. This is good news,” he concluded.