Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets are pleased to announce that Champions Season 2023 will boast more than R29-million in prize money for the Feature race programme, which comprises 13 Grade 1 races, 12 Grade 2 races and a host of Grade 3 and Listed events. In addition, an amount of R24-million will be paid out for the minor races during this period.

Speaking on behalf of Gold Circle, CEO, Michel Nairac said “At this time, when horse racing is facing many challenges, we are delighted that the status of our Champions Season has not only been retained, but it has also been enhanced. Of course, this would not have been possible without the generous support of our loyal headline sponsor and partner, Hollywoodbets. All stakeholders are indebted to Hollywoodbets for their continued backing and belief.”

With all the Covid protocols and regulations now firmly behind us, racegoers can look forward to a Champions Season of high-quality horse racing, with visitors descending on KwaZulu-Natal from all around the country. Annually, the Champions Season which brings the racing year to a glorious conclusion, attracts the best horses, jockeys, and trainers to compete in the “National Championship” of South African horse racing.

The R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July remains the most sought-after and valuable prize. However, there are significant increases for the following important Graded races:-

1.    Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (Grade 1) from R1,25-million to R1,75-million

2.    Daily News 2000 (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,50-million

3.    HKJC Champions Cup (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,25-million

4.    Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,25-million

5.    Woolavington 2000 (Grade 1) from R750 000 to R1-million

6.    The Gold Cup 3200m (Grade 3) from R750 000 to R1-million

7.    Premiers Champion Stakes 2yo’s (Grade 1) from R500 000 to R700 000

8.    Thekwini Stakes 2yo fillies (Grade 1) from R500 000 to R700 000

In addition, the following Grade 2 races have had their stake increased from R400 000 to R500 000:-

1.     World Sport Betting Guineas

2.     Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes

3.     Post Merchants

And the following Grade 2 races:-

1.       World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas from R350 000 to R450 000

2.       World Sports Betting 1900 from R350 000 to R400 000.

THE GOLD CUP RACE MEETING MOVES TO SUNDAY 30 JULY

Gold Circle wishes to advise that The Gold Cup race meeting has been moved from Saturday 29 July to Sunday 30 July. This has been agreed to because the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England has been moved to Saturday 29 July.

Both of these elite race meetings are “World Pool” events, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club has requested that the meetings take place on consecutive days rather than simultaneously.

“Given the status and value of hosting a World Pool race meeting, the decision to move the Gold Cup to Sunday 30 July was a no-brainer,” said Nairac.

WOOLAVINGTON 2000 OPEN TO ALL FILLIES AND MARES AT W-F-A

Gold Circle also wishes to advise that the conditions of the Woolavington 2000 have been changed with immediate effect. Formerly restricted to three-year-old fillies, the Woolavington 2000 will now be open to all Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age. The change in conditions was approved by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) and Gold Circle Racing Committee and the race will retain its Grade 1 status.

“The Woolavington 2000 was struggling to maintain the levels required by the APC for a Grade 1 3yo fillies’ race and we are confident that the depth of quality will improve significantly now that it is open to all fillies and mares,” said Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “In addition, the change of conditions adds a significant Grade 1 opportunity for older fillies and mares over a middle distance and fills a gap in our Champions Season programme.”

David Thiselton

There will be no weight anomalies in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as the highest rated three-year-old in the country Charles Dickens will not be an entry.

Candice Bass-Robinson said the crack Trippi colt would be coming to KZN for the SA Champions Season, but added he would not be running in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

She said about the yard’s reading of his Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby second place finish, “I don’t think it is that he doesn’t stay, he still ran a very good race, but he is probably not at his best over 2000m at this stage.”

She envisaged the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m and the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m as possible targets.

Another horse who will likely be running here in the SA Champions Season is Marina.

Candice was not sure she was good enough to make the July field.

She is also probably going to go up to the Highveld first to run in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein Standside on April 15.

She said this Silvano filly’s chief KZN targets would likely be the Grade 1 Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes and the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet, which she won last year. 

The Grade 1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes third-placed Golden Hostess is likely to be on the float. 

The obvious first target for her is the WSB Fillies Guineas.

She will be an interesting contender in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, considering she is by Trippi stallion Gold Standard and is a half-sister to the useful stayer Silver Host, who has won three Grade 3s from 1800m up to 2500m and has also won a Listed race over 2400m.

Bass-Robinson said she would only bring feature horses and none for ordinary races, because Cape Racing’s new look program will cater well for the latter types this winter.    

She was not sure whether the promising two-year-old Winter Cloud, who is a full-sister to the top class Clouds Unfold, would be on the float.   

Meanwhile, Charles Dickens, whose only two defeats in eight starts have been narrow ones in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s PLate and the Grade1 SplashOut Cape Derby respectively, has gone to the top of the points table on the Equus Horse Of The Year log.

His closest rival is Jet Dark, who has been retired, so Charles Dickens has a good chance of holding on.  

TABGOLD customers must please note that with effect from this Tuesday 7th March the minimum bet on commingled pools on USA racing will increase to R19 because of the US Dollar-Rand exchange rate.

Four TABGOLD bet types are currently commingled with USA totes – Win, Place (the American Show pool), Exacta and the Pick 3.

The unit cost of these bet types remains R1, but in all cases the total value of any commingled bet must be at least R19 and thereafter increase in R1 increments. So, you can bet R20, R21 or R25 on individual Win and Place bets, although in the case of eachway bets the incremental increase must be R2 (R1 for each of the Win and Place portions of the bet). Example R19 eachway (R19 Win and R19 Place) for R38 or R20 eachway (R20 Win and R20 Place) for R40.

A single Exacta must be played for R19, but you can bet a 3-horse Exacta Box (six combinations) for R24. In basic terms the total bet cost must be R19 or more and the unit cost R1 or increments thereof.

As of Friday 9th September, the requirement that TABGOLD Rolling Doubles must be taken twice and that the amount bet on the Pick 3 must be a multiple of R2, will fall away.

The unit cost of both bets remains R1 and going forward, a Rolling Double can be played once, while a Pick 3 can be bet at R1 per combination.

Also, from 9th September the minimum amount for online bets only on race meetings in South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius and Zimbabwe, as well as Place Accumulator and Jackpot Quickmixes, will be reduced to R1, provided that in the case of fractional betting the percentage of the bet played is not less than 1%.

The minimum bet amount in retail outlets remains R2 for Swingers and R6 for other horseracing bets.E