Graeme Hawkins

Outlaw King provided the unusually quiet Dean Kannemeyer stable with a huge lift as the 4yo son of Rafeef stormed to victory in Sunday’s R500 000 De Grendel’s Cape Merchants (Gr2) over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Without a win for 511 days, Outlaw King had shown signs of returning to best after being gelded earlier this year and appears most effective over this course and distance. Grant Van Niekerk was pencilled in to ride Outlaw King but missed the engagement due to suspension and Sean Veale was in the right place at the right time to pick up the ride.

Café Culture, winner of the Post Merchants (Gr2) in July, ran a super race to finish second in his first start since that victory. Café Culture bounced out in front and showed no signs of weakening as the field approached the final 200m. But when Veale sent Outlaw King about his business, Café Culture offered scant resistance and Kannemeyer’s charge forged clear to score by more than a length.

Surjay ran a huge race under top weight of 63kgs, staying on strongly to finish third ahead of the winner’s stable companion The Real Prince. Unfortunately, the dreaded track-bias came into play, and it was evident a long way out that the horses drawn closer to the inside rail held a clear advantage. The 11/2 favourite Meu Capitano was caught between horses on the outside and never really got into the hunt but was first home of those drawn from middle to outside.

Punters began the meeting on the back foot when unfancied newcomer, Heal And Soul, finished strongly to take out the opening race, a Maiden Plate over 1000m. Wave of Glory (50/1) made the early running but was collared by Heal And Soul (25/1) inside the final 200m, with Palancar (125/1) and Bel Canto Dream (28/10) completing the carryover Quartet.

There was no respite in the second race, a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1200m, as Sohot Sowhat (33/1) showed huge improvement on her debut performance to run out a comfortable winner for trainer Lucinda Woodruff and high-riding Gavin Lerena. Joint favourite Catch A Penny (2/1) hit the front below the 400m pole, but she had no answer when challenged by Sohot Sowhat and the latter drew clear to win by nearly four lengths in very quick time.

Woodruff followed up in the third race, a Class 5 Handicap over 1600m, when Azzurri landed a gamble under a driving ride from Chad Little. Backed from 12/1 to 5/1, Azzurri provided Little with his first winner since returning to the saddle, and emotions ran high during the post-race celebrations. Now that the monkey is off his back, the winners should start to flow for the talented heavy-weight rider.

Then it was the turn of Champion trainer Justin Snaith to kick into top gear, winning the next three races on the bounce. Warbird attracted inspired support from 7/1 into 4/1 in the fourth race and opening leg of the Pick 6, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1400m, and the 3yo daughter of Act Of War led from pillar to post under Craig Zackey to post a comfortable victory. Bright Gold (7/1) stayed on to finish second with the tote favourite Wehaveasituation making some late progress to round off the Trifecta.

Race 5, an Open Maiden over 1600m, saw a terrific finish between Bounceback (16/10) and Scottish Links (7/1) with the former finding a little extra under Richard Fourie to gain the verdict by the best part of a length.  Scottish Links moved up dangerously at the 200m pole, but Bounceback showed plenty of resilience and was full value for the win.

Dawn Till Dusk was all the rage to win the sixth race, a Class 3 Handicap over 1600m, and shortened from 3/1 to odds-on before the off. However, it was his stable companion, The Grey King, who stole the show with a gutsy start-to-finish victory under Craig Zackey, holding out a determined challenge from Solomons Seal by a long head. Dawn Till Dusk ran well below par and finished with only one runner behind him.

The final leg of the carryover Jackpot, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1400m, was won by the unfancied La Divina (16/1) for the Andre Nel & Corne Orffer partnership. The 4yo daughter of Vercingetorix hopped out in front and was never headed. Swiatek and Miraculous chased hard over the final 200m but La Divina was in a galloping mood and easily repelled the challenges of her more fancied rivals. The Jackpot returned a healthy R17 877, with the pool exceeding the expected R1-million mark.

Please be advised that the remainder of the Vaal race meeting, 21 December 2024 has been abandoned due to inclement weather. The Grand Heritage and Heritage Consolation will be run on Tuesday 24 December 2024 as carded, as races 4 and 5.

Final Fields for 24 December will be recalled and new Fields will be issued.

Races 1 to 3 and 6 to 10 will be run on the Classic Track.

Race 4 WSB Grand Heritage and Race 5 WSB Heritage Consolation will be run on the Vaal Main Track (Straight).

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.

Johannesburg, 15 October 2024 – 4Racing in conjunction with the Handicappers have published the first log for the 2024 R6 million Gr1 Betway Summer Cup to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November.

Second entries close at 11am on Tuesday 05 November, and final entries at 9am on Monday, 18 November 2024, after which weights will be announced. Declarations must be in by 11am on Wednesday, 20 November 2024 and barrier draws will be conducted at a Betway event on 20 November 2024. The final log will be published on Tuesday 05 November 2024.