Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Nottingham and Wolverhampton (UK) – 29 April 2025.

Andrew Harrison

If Sunday’s three-year-old features at Hollywoodbets Scottsville  were a dress rehearsal for Saturday, May 31, they were more like scattering the pieces of a thousand piece puzzle than providing any solid pointers to the possible outcomes of the Gr1 Gold Medallion or the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship.

Some mitigation was that the going was posted as soft and the usual ‘highway’ up the inside rail appeared to be a touch softer than the rest of the track.

When Corne Spies raids Hollywoodbets Scottsville it is always worth taking notice and the fact that he decided to let Elegantrix take on what looked to be a strong contingent of males in the Gr3 Tote Godolphin Barb Stakes should have rung some warning bells.

Spies has always rated his filly in spite of drawing blanks in two Highveld features but on Sunday she showed plenty of pace under Gavin Lerena and kept finding to the line to hold off a determined challenge from Good For You with the blinkered Malmesbury Missile a well-beaten third.

Favourite Military Command showed early pace before dropping back while both I’m A Fireball and Fortress Of Fire seemed to show an aversion to the ground on the inside rail. All three runners were subject to veterinary scrutiny but nothing untoward was detected.

Quickstepgal is a filly with a lot of class about her. She was all over the place on debut, finishing down the field behind Polar Light, but smashed them second time out, strolling home by nearly six lengths. That transformed into an excellent victory in the Gr3 Tote Strelitzia Stakes and Tienie Prinsloo will surely have her sights set for the Allan Robertson. 

Game in defeat was the strapping Mike Miller-trained grey Captain’s Envy who pushed the winner all the way to the line and the extra 100m of the Allan Robertson will be right up her alley. 

Disappointments in the race were Wild Wild Green and Keukenhof. Dean Kannemeyer’s filly showed early pace before fading out of it and Wild Wild Green, who went off favourite, never got in a blow. Both fillies raced up the inside rail and both jockey’s reporting something amiss and not persevering. The course vets found nothing out of the ordinary.

Mai Sensation rounded off the afternoon features as JP van der Merwe threaded Lucinda Woodruff’s filly through the traffic to catch the smart Asiye Phambili a few jumps before the line. It was an excellent win by Mai Sensation as she had it all to do getting past horses with the field bunching up the centre of the track as they shifted away from the inside going. It was also a superb effort from Asiye Phambili, back with Duncan Howells after a successful Cape raid, who gave the winner all of 8.5kg and Sean Veale getting this reins tangled. The two will possibly meet again in the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint which is run at WFA so there will be a big turn around in the weights. 

Earlier in the day a gamble on the Andre Nel-trained O’Tenikwa was landed, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Supported in from an opening call of 16-1 to start 33-10, it was a three-way dash to the line with O’Tenikwa squeaking home a nose ahead of the tremendously game and consistent Fastnet Filly with Luhamba Phambili a further short-head back in third.

Favourite Teflon Man may well have been another victim of the going as he failed to quicken with stable companion Outlaw King finishing fourth. A runner who may be worth following is fifth-placed King Of The Gauls  who showed vast improvement on his Cape form. With this run under his girth a crack at the Gr2 Golden Horse must be on the cards. 

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.