David Thiselton

It is Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge day at Hollywoodbets Greyville today and the Jackpot will consist of three Graded races and a Non-Black type event so should be well supported. 

The first leg is the Grade 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m.

 Crown Towers could bounce back to his best over an ideal course and distance. This horse needs to get to the front to produce his best as he can then use his big action and he is able to keep up a good tempo all the way to the line.

Last time his chances of reaching the front were scuppered by the horse drawn inside of him, Share Holder, who had the same idea and he not surprisingly did not run to his best form.

He is drawn seven out of eight this time and none of the horses inside of him are types who will want the lead so it could pan out perfectly for him and he should make a bold bid.

Tree Tumbo is drawn well in two and should be running on strongly at a course he has won at and over a suitable trip. Tristful ran second in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 last year and off a competitive merit rating from a good draw he should go close as he this will be his third run after a layoff.

In the Grade 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m, Zarina will have benefited from her last start when finishing strongly from a wide draw for fourth and she has a reversal of draw fortune with the horse who beat her by 0,30 lengths in the WSB Guineas, Freestate Star.

Wisteria Walk has class and this looks to be an ideal trip as she does have plenty of pace too. She looks to be the chief threat to Zarina.

Wylie Wench will be an interesting contender from pole position as she has pace and a kick and could well be better than her 99-merit rating.

Freestate Star ran on fluently in the WSB Guineas and can also be considered for wider permutations. Two others who warrant consideration are Zimbaba, who if producing her best is capable of mowing this field down. Rio’s Winter is drawn two and comes off a good fifth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint and this trip should be ideal as she was runner-up in last year’s Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. 

In the big one, The Grade 1 weight for age Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, Seeking The Stars could cause an upset. He is capable of setting a high tempo from start to finish and should be cherry-ripe. His draw of two and Grant van Niekerk aboard will help too.

Rainbow Bridge has tended to run a relatively flat race in his second run after a layoff but has found the perfect partner in Luke Ferraris and it will be no surprise to see him fetching Seeking The Stars considering his outstanding Drill Hall win over a trip short of his best.

Jet Dark is full of class and although he hasn’t run since his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate win he did put up a fine gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville recently.

 Belgarion proved when winning the WSB Green Point Stakes he enjoys this trip running fresh so is also one to consider.

In the Rising Sun Durban Dash over 1100m, Spyda’s Corner has a wide draw but is on the up and is capable of running on from off the pace so should be right there.

Speed Machine has class and will also be a big runner in his third run after a layoff. 

Slalom Queen is well drawn and if bouncing back to her best also has a shout having dropped to a competitive merit rating. Captain Oupie has been disappointing in his last two starts but has a fair draw and enjoys this course so can be in the shake-up. Ziva La Winter has a far draw and is one from one over this course and distance so can also be considered. 

The recent Daily News 2000 race meeting marked the first time South African horseplayers were able to bet into Hong Kong’s mega tote pools on a race meeting in this country and the turnover generated in just a few hours was astonishing.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club classified the 29 May Daily News 2000 meeting as a World Pool event, resulting in punters in Hong Kong being able to take the normal range of Hong Kong tote bets on races two to nine.

Four South African tote pools on the same races were commingled into Hong Kong pools – Win, Place, Swinger and Quinella – with local TAB pools on all other bet types.

Total gross turnover on the eight races was R486 million, comprising R405 million bet by Hong Kong punters with South Africa and other international sources contributing R81 million.

The amount bet must be viewed against the background that it was a stand-alone televised event in Hong Kong and took place in a timeframe from 18:25 to 22:35 in the Far East.

The average pool totals on the four commingled bet types are striking to say the least. Win pools averaged R9.4 million gross, Place pools R10.1 million and the Swinger (Quinella Place in Hong Kong) R13.5 million.

The Quinella (first two any order and the equivalent of the Dupla that was once offered in South Africa) was by far the most popular bet on the meeting with eight pools averaging R15.1 million gross.

Lance Smith, who manages Tellytrack and Phumelela’s international operations, said: “Betting into pools of that size on local races was a first for South African punters and the horseracing industry in this country earned a substantial commission from the undertaking.

“The event was generally well received in Hong Kong and there’s good news ahead because the Gold Cup race meeting at the end of July will also be classified as a World Pool event by the Hong Kong Jockey Club,” continued Smith. “But there are issues to be resolved before then including the length of time taken to declare official results.”

A full breakdown of the tote betting on the eight races is below (four commingled bet types highlighted in yellow). Please note these are gross pools.

Bet Type	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5
Win	R 5 563 659	R 9 114 119	R 9 397 854	R 10 348 854
Place	R 7 103 578	R 7 958 481	R 8 853 368	R 9 699 499
Quinella	R 9 932 640	R 13 058 479	R 13 832 424	R 14 388 063
Swinger	R 11 683 397	R 13 744 700	R 15 521 431	R 14 944 776
Forecast/Trio	R 2 689 832	R 3 145 159	R 3 720 257	R 3 275 691
Tierce	R 1 630 903	R 2 098 889	R 2 525 565	R 2 180 767
Quartet	R 3 145 851	R 3 469 156	R 4 520 222	R 4 002 811
Double Trio	R 0	R 1 208 252	R 0	R 0
Treble	R 0	R 0	R 0	R 0
Total	R 41 749 859	R 53 797 235	R 58 371 122	R 58 840 460
Bet Type	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Total Races 2-9
Win	R 10 920 819	R 12 041 487	R 10 121 757	R 11 186 639	R 78 695 188
Place	R 11 451 597	R 11 907 317	R 12 063 327	R 11 721 029	R 80 758 197
Quinella	R 13 554 441	R 18 733 425	R 18 840 262	R 18 318 314	R 120 658 049
Swinger	R 0	R 17 468 942	R 18 465 394	R 16 267 383	R 108 096 022
Forecast/Trio	R 5 438 721	R 5 090 007	R 4 601 288	R 4 759 856	R 32 720 811
Tierce	R 4 480 396	R 3 677 901	R 2 709 590	R 3 178 642	R 22 482 653
Quartet	R 5 674 870	R 6 613 092	R 5 308 272	R 5 088 982	R 37 823 256
Double Trio	R 1 517 132	R 0	R 0	R 0	R 2 725 384
Treble	R 0	R 2 129 935	R 0	R 0	R 2 129 935
Total	R 53 037 976	R 77 662 106	R 72 109 892	R 70 520 844	R 486 089 494

David Thiselton

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Zarina is the favourite for the Grade 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes at the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday but it looks to be a highly competitive field.

Master Of My Fate filly Zarina finished a 4,60 length fifth in a strong renewal of the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and followed up by winning the Grade 3 Prix du Cap over 1400m at Kenilworth. She finished a 2,40 length fourth in he Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas and assistant trainer Trevor Brown said, “She’s well and she’s well in at the weights so she’s got a big chance.”

She was 0,30 lengths by another Master Of My Fate filly in the WSB Guineas, the Dennis Drier-trained Freestate Star, and assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie, said, “Freestate Star is well and 1400m is probably her best trip. She is working well and on her Guineas run she must have a chance.”

Glen Kotzen runs Caya Coco, the only horse to have ever beaten Captain’s Ransom, and he said, “She has been a bit unlucky. In her first KZN start she pulled up sore behind, we sorted her out and then in her next start when we thought she had a big chance in the WSB Fillies Guineas she pulled up coughing her lungs out. So it’s now her third time lucky and she’s cracked a decent draw for a change and she’s very, very well. She’s fit and there is no sign of coughing and she is very classy.” 

He also runs Point Of Sale and said, “She ran an absolute peach of a race last time ridden differently, held up for a run. She’s got a very short run in and she took off. It was a cracking run, she had to give the winner 7kg. She’s got it in her to win a big win, it’s just a matter of everything going her way. She’s got a top jock on (Gavin Lerena), so we’re very happy.”

The pole position drawn Wylie Wench broke the Vaal Classic course record over 1600m in her penultimate start when winning the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap and last time out, also over 1600m in the Listed Syringa Handicap, she was waited with for too long in the straight on the back of a slow pace and couldn’t catch the leader Way Of The World when the latter kicked well. She will be effective over this course and distance as she has good pace and a good turn of foot and might well be better than her 99 merit rating.

The classy Wisteria Walk looks ideally course and distance suited and has a fair draw of five so has a shout.

Keep The Lights on was ahead of Freestate Star when third to Princess Calla and Caya Coco in the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and followed up with a third in the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m so should be cherry ripe. 

Favorita was second in the Poinsettia and being by Gimmethegreenlight out of an unraced Var mare who was a half-sister to Master Of My Fate she should get this trip. 

Hugs Accepted is well regarded and wasn’t disgraced in the WSB Guineas from a wide draw so is interesting from a fair draw of seven here having won three races from 1000m to 1200m.  

Rio’s Winter finished a 4,45 length fifth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint and is an interesting runner here as a former Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas runner up. 

Zimbaba was a 4,10 length fifth in the Poinsettia and being by Legislate should love this course and distance so if she brings her ‘A’ game she is a dark horse.  

Love Bomb won the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Golden Explorer Golden Slipper over this course and distance last year but has a tough draw this time although she does have Luke Ferraris up and won her penultimate start here over 1200m carrying topweight before finishing downfield in last Sunday’s SA Fillies Sprint. 

Mount Laurel showed signs of a form return last time but also has a tough draw. 

In The Dance went close in this race two years ago but has lost her way a touch and has a tough draw.

David Thiselton

The Sharks rugby team were shown around Summerveld yesterday morning by the Hollywoodbets team and the race named in their honour, the Listed Sharks Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m, will be one of the most intriguing events at the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge meeting at Holywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Cosmic Highway is the favourite, despite carrying topweight. He is the only horse in the field to have won two races and assistant trainer Nicolette Roscoe said, “He is a nice horse. He Had a nice run at Scottsville three weeks back ( finishing third over 1200m to Good Traveller and Irfaan’s Boy). He’s looking for a 1400 now and we’re happy with his work, he’s going very well. He is carrying a bit of weight compared to the others but we expect a nice run, he will be right there.” Kannemeyer also runs Waterberry Lane and Roscoe said, “He did nothing wrong last time, running a 1,10 length third over 1200m. He has come on nicely. It is a bit of a step up in class but he is a nice horse.” Wayne and Barbara Badenhorst run second favourite AJ’s Captain and Barbara said, “It is a competitive field but he is doing very well, we couldn’t have him in a better place, he’s fit. We’re happy with the draw of seven, we don’t want to be stuck on the rail, he need’s a nice good pace to use his action. I think he is looking for a mile, so we will run him here and in the Golden Horseshoe before deciding whether we go for the Premier’s.” Hollywoodbets have a runner in this race, the Peter Muscutt-trained Imilenzeyokoduduma, and their racing manager Anthony Delpech said, “He is a smart horse. He is a maiden running in a winners race but he is going to give a good account of himself, we think highly of him.” Glen Kotzen runs Bush Tracker and he said, “He won well last time and we supplemented him because there isn’t another race for him, but from an outside draw it is not going to be easy.” Carl Hewitson runs Purple Flame and said, “He ran a very pleasing first run the other day against winners. He battled a little bit for a clear run in the straight, he’s not without a chance, I think he could be there, he could grab a cheque in this race. The Mike Miller-trained Party Time makes most appeal of those whose connections were not spoken to, having run two seconds around the turn over 1200m where the form has worked out well and then winning by 6.50 lengths at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, also over 1200m.

David Thiselton

Tony Rivalland is set on qualifying Tristful for the Vodacom Durban July in Saturday’s Grade 3 Cup Trial at Hollywoodbets Greyville to give one of KZN’s most loyal racing patrons Mary Liley a day to remember. Liley is one of the many “oh so close but no cigar” July connections around the country as her fancied New Zealand-bred Bold Monarch was beaten just a head by Lightning Shot way back in 1977 and then in 1996 her 33/1 shot Sleek Machine failed by half-a-length to fetch a tiring London News. Rivalland said about five-year-old Trippi colt Tristful, “He looks extremely well, he has a great blood picture this week, so I am hoping for a good run. He has no excuses, he is well drawn and it’s a small field so he should be in the right place turning for home.” He continued, “Some of the horses ahead of him on the log have run so poorly you would think they are not even going to run so he will most probably sneak in anyway, but would it be in our interests to run him if he doesn’t finish in the first three and go close? If he doesn’t win you want it to be a decent second or third. Realistically, I suppose he doesn’t have any chance of winning the July but it’s nice to have a runner who is well, you never know, you might sneak into the back end of quartets and it will be nice for Mary Liley to have a runner.” Tristful was VDJ first reserve last year and finished a 0,80 length second to Sovereign Spirit in the consolation race, the Grade 3 Campanajo 2200, which proved he enjoys the course and distance. Rivalland has three other runners on Saturday and said, “Backstop (1st race) is extremely well and fit, I will be disappointed if she gets beat. I haven’t seen the final field but I don’t think there can be anything around much stronger than her among the maiden fillies at the moment.” He said Khan, who runs in the ninth and returns from a rest, was in a very good space and the blinkers go on so he was expecting a much improved race from him. Star Vega runs in the 2nd and he said although 1400m was a tad short of her best trip she loved Hollywoodbets Greyville and if not turning for home to far back had a definite chance.

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