Soccer13 Thursday 31 July 2025. Carryover R1 696 204.R4 Million (All-13-Correct Pool). Pool Closes at 18h30. Sport 20 Pool 1.

Soccer10 Friday 1 August 2025. ADD-IN R100 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 20h30.Sport 7 and Pool 1.

Soccer10 Saturday 2 August 2025. ADD-IN R100 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 15h00.Sport 8 and Pool 1.

Soccer13 Saturday 2 August 2025. R18 Million (If only One 13 of 13 Winner). Pool Closes at 15h30. Sport 10 Pool 1.

Soccer Any13X on Saturday 2 August 2025. ADD-IN R75 000. Estimated Pool: R 250 000. Pool Closes at 15h00. Sport 13 and Pool 1.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Goodwood (World Pool) and Sandown (UK) – 30 July 2025

 

JAN VAN GOYEN, with Callan Murray up, wins the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes for trainers Mike and Mathew de Kock at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. Picture: Race Coast/Candiese Lenferna

 

Devonne Govender

In May 2025, Callan Murray made a triumphant return from Australia, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a renewed confidence that has quickly made him a crowd favourite in KwaZulu-Natal.

Since his comeback, Murray has secured three Grade One victories, cementing his reputation as one of South Africa’s top jockeys.

His international stint has undoubtedly sharpened his riding skills, and his performances on the track speak volumes.

Murray’s latest success came in the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes on World Pool Gold Cup Day, where he showcased his tactical prowess. Jumping well from the start, Murray positioned Jan Van Goyen perfectly, allowing the colt to unleash a breath-taking turn of foot in the straight.

The race saw the heavily supported Count Of Rouen setting the early fractions, while Jan Van Goyen found himself comfortably in the box seat, poised to challenge.

As they approached the home turn, the field spread across the track, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. Jan Van Goyen’s acceleration was nothing short of spectacular, and he surged clear of his rivals to win convincingly by a significant margin.

This victory marked Murray’s third Grade One win since returning to South Africa, highlighting his resurgence.

Mia Moo secured the first of Murray’s Grade One victories, triumphing in the South African Fillies Sprint. Trained by the renowned Sean Tarry and sired by Vercingetorix, Mia Moo showcased her class and determination in a nail-biting finish.

In a race that kept racegoers on the edge of their seats, Murray’s masterful ride saw the filly surge late to get up right on the wire, exemplifying his skill and brilliance once again.

This hard-fought victory underscored Murray’s growing reputation as one of South Africa’s premier jockeys, capable of delivering under pressure and seizing the moment when it matters most.

His second Grade One triumph post-return came in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge aboard Dave The King, trained by Mike and Mathew de Kock. Displaying versatility and tactical intelligence, Murray guided Dave The King from the box seat and powered through the inside to claim victory in style.

With these impressive feats, Callan Murray continues to demonstrate why he’s one of the most exciting talents in racing today.

David Thiselton

The annual Asian Racing Federation Handicappers Conference was held in Durban this year and it took place last week from the 22nd to the 25th.

South Africa’s chief handicapper Lennon Maharaj said, “We met all the requirements and did what we were scheduled to do, despite some members including Hong Kong-based chairman Nigel Gray, having to join via Zoom due to a typhoon preventing them from flying in.”

Nigel was thus unfortunately unable to address the media as was intended.

The handicappers attended the World Pool Gold Cup meeting.

Lennon said, “They were absolutely thrilled with our racing. We gave them a tour of how everything worked, from the stipes boardroom, parading, the saddling areas etc.”

The international chief handicappers witnessed what is commonly regarded as the best day of racing in South Africa for the purist.

The racing was of a high quality and the local handicappers should take a bow as the form worked out exceptionally well and some of their decisions during the season were vindicated. For example the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Rainbow Lorikeet proved she was worthy of a Hollywoodbets Durban July final field berth by winning the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet over 2000m.

The handicappers were also proved right in not ever rating last year’s Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King above 128 as he looked vulnerable to a field of classy closers in the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

The big long-strider was always going to be made to run all the way to the line and so it proved. In one of the races of the season Gladatorian surged late to beat the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince while the other two classy closers, See It Again and Fire Attack, also overtook Dave The King before the line.

The conference brings together the Chief Handicappers from ARF member countries—Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates—to assess and agree on ratings for the top-performing thoroughbred racehorses across the southern hemisphere racing season.

The ARF Handicappers Conference was established in August 2009 following changes to the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which have served as the official global assessment of elite racehorses since 2004.

Originally published twice a year, the Rankings shifted to a single annual edition in January 2009, prompting the ARF to create its own conference to ensure southern hemisphere horses were fairly and consistently evaluated.

The ARF Handicappers Committee convenes to: 1) Agree on ratings for all horses trained or raced in ARF member countries that achieved an international rating of 112 or higher. 2) Evaluate horses that placed in the top four of Group/Grade 1 races, even if they did not meet the 112-rating threshold. 3) Provide data used by the Asian Pattern Committee and National Pattern Committees to assess race quality, determine grading adjustments, and consider new race inclusions.

At the 2024 Conference in Sydney, the committee reviewed and rated 373 horses and it would have been a similar figure last week, underscoring the scale and importance of this annual event.

The ARF Handicappers were present to a final rating assessment for South African horses that ran in the World Pool Gold Cup meeting. These evaluations completed the peer review process of South Africa’s final submissions, ensuring that all ratings are agreed upon for the Southern Hemisphere.

As part of the 2025 ARF Handicappers Conference, the South African Handicapper submitted a total of 37 performances by South African-trained horses that, in their view, achieved an international rating of 112 or higher during the 2024–25 South African racing season.

In addition, 62 performances by Grade 1 placed finishers that fell below the 112-rating threshold were submitted for consideration. These submissions were reviewed and discussed by the ARF Handicappers Committee to ensure consensus on the final international ratings.

Below is the Current SA Pattern Summary Table:

                 2Yo  3Yo  3Yo+   Total

Grade 1: 4       7       16       27

Grade 2: 6       8       19      33

Grade 3: 7       11     30      48

Listed   :  12     11     44     67

Total     :  29     38    112   175

It should be noted that the Status of the above Pattern is dependent on the international ratings and not the domestic ratings.

The NHA were honoured to welcome the ARF Handicappers to South Africa and were pleased it was another productive conference and fulfilled the aim of elevating the standards of thoroughbred racing.

Andrew Harrison

The southern hemisphere season ends tomorrow and it’s back to bread and butter racing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today. The eight-race card does not have the biggest fields but there is plenty of competitive racing, the card headed by the Gallop TV Class 3, sixth race on the programme, and the Online Form Guide B Stakes, seventh on the card.

In the sixth, Andre Nel’s filly Plum Pudding is up against males but is unbeaten in two outings since arriving in KZN and has only gone up marginally in the handicap. She takes on some hard-knocking males but her form has worked out well and she does appear capable of a hattrick.

There should not be too much between View Of The World and Trois Trois Quatre with a length separating them when last they met. View Of The World is now 1kg better off and can turn the tables. Separating them could be Frank Robinson’s charge The Mikado.  He was given a break after a below par performance behind Flying Cool back in February but word from the stable is that the gelding is working well and they are confident of a forward showing.

Dean Kannemeyer has his horses in a good space and he can add to his seasonal tally with Rosh Kedesh in the B Stakes over 1400m. He  was a good second on the poly last run when jumping from a wide gate and has the best of the draw here. Obvious threat will be The Shepherd. Peter Muscutt’s charge was not the best behaved at the stalls early in his career but is loaded with ability. He was runner-up to Gr1 winning Gladatorian at his last start but has not been out since September last year which is a concern.

Stable companion Nelson Bay is better than his last effort on the poly. He has had a short break but stable is starting to fire again. Kitchakal seldom runs a bad race and is in good form of late so can feature.

One of the better bets on the card could come in the first leg of the Pick 6 where Lucinda Woodruff sends out Sohot Sowhat. The daughter of Soqrat has consistent current form and ran a cracker in a Gr3 feature last time out behind the smart Green Sapphire. A repeat should see her home. Convocation is two year’s older and showed a glimpse of her best form when runner-up on the poly last time out. She is smart on her day and can go close.

In the first, Spinmyangelsspin comes off a lengthy break but has some useful Cape form to her credit. If fit and well she should go close. Water Hyacinth should possibly be included in the Bi-Pot as back-up.

Lady Of Vix takes on males once again and steps up in class in the first leg of the PA. However, she only has 49kg to shoulder that should see her competitive again.

Of her male rivals, Major Tommie is lightly raced and finished third behind Lady Of Vix last time out. He is 1kg better off for a 2.5-length beating and should finish a little closer. Jet Legacy is 2.5kg better off with Lady Of Vix on their last meeting. He was beaten four lengths but should get a little closer this time around.

The fourth is an open maiden with form a little thin. Echo was a modest third last outing on the poly after going close at her previous start. She is lightly raced with a 4kg claimer up. Promise Of Fire has been a little disappointing but stays the trip and will go close on her best showing. Lightinthedarkness will likely start at long odds but has run her two best recent races in blinkers. The blinkers stay on and she has a 4kg claimer up.

Kannemeyer saddles Gurka in the fifth. He is useful and showed up well at his last two with the form of his last run being franked. French Trip has come to hand and was narrowly beaten on this course last time out. He drops in class. Harun Al Rashid was a little disappointing in his handicap debut but does look capable of better while World Of Our Own is down in class and should benefit from a 4kg claimer and pole position draw.

In the last, Sign Of Fate was narrowly beaten by Plum Pudding last run and shows consistent recent form. She is distance suited and Robbie Hill’s only runner on the day. Forward Motion was a comfortable winner last run under a light weight. She is down in class with a 4kg claimer up and can follow up. Beautiful Rania is holding form and has a light weight. Her last win was on this course.