Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at York (UK) – 14 May 2026.

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David Thiselton

The Hollywoodbets Durban July betting market had a it of a shake up with the Peter Muscutt-trained Isivivane being the biggest mover from 50/1 to 25/1 after winning the Gr 3 WSB 1900.

A win in the 1900 usually earns a place in the July final field, but competition will be stiff for a final field berth this year and Isivivane’s relatively lowly merit rating might work against him as things stand, although the handicapper has a few options.

Isivivane had a nett merit rating one point lower than both the second and third placed horses, Regulation and Trust, and carried the same weight as them under the merit rated band conditions and he beat them by 0,60 and 0,65 lengths respectively, so if either of them is used as the line horse he won’t go up by more than two points from his current 104 rating.

If The Ultimate King is used as a line horse Isivivane could get three points. The former was half-a-kg better off than Isivivane and was beaten 0,85 lengths.

Imilenzeyokududuma faced Isivivane on level terms and was beaten 1,95 lengths, so him as the line horse would mean 4 points for Isivivane and could mean one point for both Regulation and Trust.

Native Ruler was a tie 1,95 lengths fifth but was 1,5kg better off with Isivivane so him as the line horse could mean seven points for Isivivane as well as four points for both Regulation and Trust.

Native Ruler finished fifth in the WSB Met having finished sixth in last year’s July, so might be a suitable line horse.

On the other hand it was a comeback run, so he might have needed it, and The Ultimate King might in that case be a more appropriate line horse as he was fit from a 0,80 length third place finish in the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m having finished a 10,30 length six in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.

If Isivivane gets seven points he will go up to 111, which will be interesting because last year’s WSB 1900 winner Selukwe ran in the July off a 111 and finished third. Furthermore, Selukwe was 2kg under sufferance carry 54kg, whereas, as things stand, Isivivane will be in the handicap carrying 52,5kg off a 111.

There was no pace in Saturday’s WSB 1900 and Trust was able to get over from the widest draw in the ten horse field to set a sedate pace.

However, he picked up the pace at the 800m mark, meaning he would have been used to some extent coming up the hill towards the straight, an underestimated energy sapper.

Trust stayed on gallantly in the straight under vigorous urgings from Serino Moodley, but Isivivane, who had sat it the box seat slowly wore him down to get up late.

Regulation ran on strongly from midfield and was unlucky as he was caught wide throughout. He looks underrated at 105 and is deserving of a place in the July field, but might now have to rely on the Gr 3 Cup Trial.

In a conditions plate over 1600m on the day involving a number of July horses Eight On Eighteen was the surprise early leader as Okavango was held up.

Okavango then moved around horses to take the lead while Note To Self was content to sit in fourth place in the six horse field while Mocha Blend was last.

In the straight Okavango continued to lead while Eight On Eighteen was waited with.

Note To Self was not asked any serious questions until the 200m mark by which time the bird had flown.

Mocha Blend moved up from last and let down well when asked at the 200m mark, a fine run after a long layoff.

Eight On Eighteen put in a bold bid after moving up well, but Okavango fought back to win by 0,30 lengths, with Note To Self beaten 0,90 lengths in third.

Mocha Blend was beaten two lengths in fourth and 102 rated Ascalon Dancer and 95 rated Down By The River were beaten 2.05 and 4,35 lengths respectively.

It seems unlikely the handicapper will touch any of the merit ratings in this race although Note To Self, rated 118, did run above his merit rating compared to Eight On Eighteen (129) as he would have received 8kg from him in a handicap and only received 6kg.

At Turffontein on Sunday Jan Van Goyen made a cracking comeback in a Pinnacle Stakes race won by the useful Pressonregardless.

He had traffic problems in the straight and only went down by 0,80 lengths.

It was his first run as a gelding and he was a touch out at the weights on official merit ratings, so considering he will come on from the run it was a run that put him back on track after a couple of disappointing runs.

Please note:  Hollywoodbets Kenilworth has received 20mm of rain during the night.
There is rain forecast throughout the remainder of the day and tomorrow.
The decision has been made to postpone the race meeting of Tuesday 12 May 2026 to Saturday 16 May 2026.

Andrew Harrison

Most jockeys will tell you that when their confidence is up, that confidence for some reason tends to transfer to their mounts. Some years back, Jeff Lloyd went through a three or four-month stint where he was almost invincible and attributed his winning streak to confidence in his ability.

Andrew Fortune is never short of confidence whether going through a lean patch or not, but he is currently in the prime of his life at 57 years old. “ I’m so confident that I think I’m the best jockey in the world,” he chimed after a typical Fortune display on Lucinda Woodruff’s filly Wedding Vow in the first.

Never in trouble as he navigated the early stages. At the top of the straight he was on the heels of favourite and pacemaker Siyabamelela who Sean Veale had pressed forward early for the lead, and he never broke his bridge as Wedding Vow sailed clear to win as she liked.

 Terry Fripp has been around the block more than once, from Summerveld to Dubai and back, and given the opportunity by Candice Bass he is doing a fine job in saddling winners for her KZN satellite yard. Whatastar added another to the stables growing list as Serino Moodley managed to keep his mount mostly clear of the pack in the charge for home. Whatastar hung badly towards the inside rail, momentarily forcing Craig Zackey to ease on the favourite De Gulden who held on for third as Futano slipped through on the inside rail for second.

Zackey said the check had not made any difference to the result but added that De Gulden will likely be avoiding the poly for the time being.

Young apprentice Damyan Pillay took a page out of the Andrew Fortune book of race riding as he got the promising Magical Sky home in the opening leg of the PA.

One could have thrown a blanket over the seven-horse field for most of the race and Alyson Wright admitted that she got a little anxious as Pillay sat motionless until the final furlong. “We told him to be patient  but I thought he was being a little too patient. But he knew what was under him.”

Poly specialist Magical Sky responded to Pillay’s late efforts and went on well to hold off Catch Penny and Kytheria.

The first leg of the Pick 6 developed into little more than an exercise canter for the Glen Kotzen-trained hot favourite Vixens War. She carted Craig Zackey to the front from the jump and extended in the straight to win easing up by nearly four lengths ahead of stable companion Takethegreenlight in a bloodless victory.

 Mohandas has seldom been far off the money in is 48 starts and added a fifth win to his credit when putting his best foot forward in the D Stakes over 200m. In a race run at no great pace, Tristan Godden time his assault on the finishing line to perfection and Yogas Govender’s charge responded to comfortably hold off a late challenge from Double Olympic and the grey Arctic Fury who battled home in third.

Master Du Rouvray has always been held in high regard by Mark Dixon although the gelding took some time to realise his potential. He shed his maiden back in September last year and yesterday racked up his fourth win as Keagan de Melo made light of the geldings 62.5kg, sweeping around the turn in an early move that paid off. The son of Master Of My Fate quickened past his rivals and then stayed on gamely to hold off a late-charging Syx Hotfix.

Serino Moodley was crowing from the roof tops as Stuart Ferrie’s charge Town Crier took advantage of a ‘long rein’ on Next Of Kin to win the seventh, a Class 4 over 1600m. Given a copybook ride from his inside gate, Town Crier accelerated out of the pack crossing the subway led by Pied Piper to win well. However, he may have been a tad lucky as Sean Veale appeared to have got his reins in a tangle and his left hand was ‘fishing a long line’ to prevent Next Of Kin hanging in under pressure. The grey closed in fast but not fast enough.

 With Mauritius racing seemingly back on an even keel after a couple of years of turmoil, the prospects of their apprentice riders taking advantage of the thoroughly professional grounding at the SA Jockey Academy is bright. Apprentices from the island granted the benefit of the SAJA generally take their opportunities seriously and Anaas Mosaheb rode his second winner when scooting home on ML Odendaal’s mare Mystique Rouge in the eighth. She burst clear of the pack two furlongs out and was not for the catching.

To press home the Mauritius point, Divesh Ramkhalawon and Iannish Taka fought out the last with Chara Sands getting the better of Yadav Singh’s Victor Rail. Ramkhalawon has burst onto the scene in the last four months and Michael Roberts has been quick to take advantage of his 4kg claim.