David Thiselton

Competition between operators in South Africa might have inadvertently led to a brighter outlook for the owner and breeder as they and their sponsors have driven stakes upward in order to attract the best horses to their respective jurisdictions.

SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith said, “I don’t think we have been in a more positive situation for years. We have gone through the hardest time ever in SA racing and the racing operators should be applauded for whatever they have had to do to pick up the pieces. Racing has been the winner at the end of the day.”

Towards the end of last year 4Racing announced a commitment to a total stakes increase from R186 million in 2021 to R207 million in 2022 and an announcement of handsome minimum stakes amounts for feature races.

Snaith said as a response to this commitment many Cape trainers had been set to take strings up to the Highveld at a time they would normally be travelling to KZN.

However, KZN then announced exciting stakes incentives at a glittering ceremony held on February 17 to announce a new Durban July sponsor. 

Gold Circle announced Hollywoodbets as the new sponsor and the two entities, who have been working together for some time to improve racing in KZN, then jointly announced a July stake increase to a record-breaking R5 million. A further R13 million has been injected into minor races and feature races from 1 March – 31 August, meaning a total R16m boost to the KZN stakes pot.

KZN also announced that from 1 March until the end of May 2022 grooms would receive R2000 for each winning horse, an increase of R1000.    

Snaith said the announcement by Gold Circle was sure to have attracted the attention of connections around the country.

He himself will be in KZN for the SA Champions Season which he has supported every year for the past 22 years.

He said the only negative in SA racing at present remains the export situation and he reiterated, “They would like me to send a horse to the USA but it takes me two weeks to get a horse from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town. They have to sit for two weeks in quarantine even if they return a negative PCR test. The horses we buy at the sales in other provinces will have to sit in quarantine halfway back to Cape Town before being allowed to go to their pre-racing centres. The question I have for the experts is, how is all of this seen to be ‘moving forward’.”

Snaith called his Grade 1 R1 million Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby winner Pomp And Power a “smart little horse” and added, “He needed his first run back and hasn’t put a foot wrong since.”

He revealed he had battled to book a rider for the Derby and divulged that Richard Fourie’s agent had said he was waiting “to see what else he could get” when initially offered the ride and had only accepted some time later.

Fourie was confident the son of Vercingetorix would stay and suggested a “happy bit” to try and help him settle. Fourie then surprised all and sundry by reining him back into midfield after a good break as everybody had expected him to lead. Pomp And Power proved himself to not be one-dimensional and ran on strongly in the straight to win easily.

He has only been given a 118 merit rating which will allow the connections an opportunity of targeting the Hollywoodbets Durban July by avoiding the classics and protecting his July weight. The route he takes is yet to be decided by the connections but he has not surprisingly been scratched from Saturday’s Grade 1 WSB SA Classic at Turffontein.

Pomp And Power gave Vercingetorix a third individual Grade 1 winner and saw him increase his lead in the national Sires Championship to just over R600,000 from reigning champion Gimmethegreenlight, whose son Cosmic Highway won one of the main supporting features, the R600,000 Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes 

Snaith was disappointed by the well beaten third of the favourite Double Superlative and said, “His Met run seemed to have flattened him. It was tempting to go for the Derby, but maybe it was the wrong call.”

He predicted a big future for the runner up, the Adam Marcus-trained Universal who had to do it the hard way in front, and called him “impressive”.

Snaith had one other winner on the day, his four-year-old Dynasty gelding Salvator Mundi winning the Listed Kenilworth Cup over 3200m.

In the Grade 2 Prix du Cap, won easily by the Adam Marcus-trained Princess Calla, he finished second with Rain In Newmarket (Kingsbarns) and said, “I couldn’t be happier with her and she has now finished second to two top horses, Marina and Princess Calla, but I’m not sure of her route because it will be hard to find races for a four-year-old filly of her class other than in the Grade 1s.”

He was disappointed with Rio Querari’s third place in the Diadem and said,  “He never traveled and was tailed off. He kicked but he has had some issues and an ordinary summer and I am going to have to change something.”

He said the reigning Equus Champion Sprinter was unlikely at this stage to defend his Computaform Sprint title.

He added if horses who had run at Hollywoodbets Greyville before were not allowed a gallop there it would be a detractor to Rio Querari going to KZN.

However, he concluded by saying all horses are checked for soundness and weighed after races to see where they are and it is taken from there.

The Durban July, internationally acknowledged as Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event, has a new sponsor after the withdrawal of Vodacom. This year’s event will be sponsored by South Africa’s leading Sportsbook operator Hollywoodbets with effect from the 2022 renewal on Saturday 2 July.

The race also gets a 250% prize increase and will carry a stake of R5 million.

Hollywoodbets thus join Rothmans and Vodacom as only the third sponsor of the great race in
59 years.

The Hollywoodbets Durban July is the flagship event on the East Coast’s KZN Champion Season
roster, which will also be the recipient of a R13 million stakes injection. The increase in prize money for South Africa’s preeminent racing season will apply to both feature and minor races from 1 March to the end of the racing season.

In recognition of the vital role played by grooms in the racing industry, Hollywoodbets and Gold
Circle simultaneously announced an increase in the awards for the Grooms of winning horses
from R1 000 to R2 000 per race, for the months of March, April and May.

David Thiselton

Turffontein Inside stages a nine race meeting today and it is clear that three-and-half weeks into spring a better class of horse is being reintroduced. 

The highest rated race on the card is a MR 104 handicap over 1600m and Matterhorn is an interesting runner here. This Marchfield gelding gave the star filly She’s A Keeper 4kg and lost by just 0,90 lengths in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 but due to the conditions of the race he could not be raised so he is potentially well handicapped at present off a 101. He was good enough to be given a berth in the Vodacom Durban July and although this race will be on the sharp side he is well drawn, travels in a nice relaxed way in his races and has a good turn of foot so he could go close here running fresh. Ndlamu loves this course and distance and should also be involved in the finish, although he does have a tricky draw of six out of ten considering he is a handy type. Dr Doolittle has a fine record in handicaps with three wins and two seconds in five starts and his last win over 1800m was with 62kg on his back. He carries 62kg again here off a four point higher mark and has a tricky draw considering his handy style and the trip will be sharper than ideal too. However, his class might be telling and the Paul Peter yard are out in front in the championship so he is hard to ignore. Stablemate Green Haze is usually thereabouts but on jockey bookings looks to be the second choice. Full Mast has won once and finished second twice in five starts over this course and distance and showed a form return in his last two starts so he is a player from a plum draw with Khumalo up. Stone Cold is back to his winning mark and has snuck into the handicap with the minimum weight so is also a runner in this open contest. Kingsley’s Heart is better than his last run but has a tough draw. Leopold is capable over this trip but has a tough draw. Marchingontogether is off form but represents a new yard, although the trip will be on the sharp side. Alibi Guy won is first three starts but a one year layoff followed and he now returns from another one year layoff.             

A MR 94 handicap over 1200m is also full of interest and Grappler makes appeal having his third run after a layoff over a step up in trip he will relish. He has always struck as one who would come into his own with age so could have a good season. The talented Super Excited finished strongly last time to win over this course and distance and can overcome a six point raise but he does have a tougher draw this time. Topweight Captain Hindsight is in with a shout from a plum draw of two over a suitable trip. Three-year-old Prince Of Fire is unbeaten in two starts and although officially 1kg under sufferance he looks progressive so would not be a surprise winner from pole position. Sea Virescent is well regarded and has plenty of scope so is another who would not be a surprising winner and his number six draw should not be too much of a problem as he is capable of a strong finish. The form of his last win is not the greatest but he might have needed that run slightly. Bowie’s last win was over 1160m and this consistent sort can earn again although as a handy sort a wide draw makes it tough.

David Thiselton

The Turffontein Inside track has an interesting nine race meeting on today which has attracted one or two horses who will be looking to make a big impact this season. 

The Paul Peter-trained Reunion is one such horse and this Flower Alley gelding runs in one of the highest rated races on the day, a MR 96 Handicap over 1800m. This big bay had tongues wagging after his debut last November when powering home by 10,25 lengths from the front over 1600m on this track. He then lost his way and was at one stage looking to be yet another overhyped horse who was amounting to little. However, he bounced back three runs ago with an unlucky second and then showed class in his next two outings, winning both of them in fine style. Having dropped from an initial 98 merit rating down to 85 he is now back to a 99 and he should not stop there. The tall long-striding horse proved last time, when winning easing up by 2,25 lengths over this trip, he can relax well enough in the front and possesses a tremendous kick. In his previous start he had come from well off the pace to win by 5,30 lengths over 2000m, so the excellent schooling given him by the Peter yard has made him into a versatile horse who can win from anywhere. Therefore his tricky draw of seven should not be a problem and Gavin Lerena can play it by ear. Reunion now just has to prove he is the real deal which he has always been believed to be and if he is he should get past this first hurdle despite having to carry topweight of 60.5kg. Prince Evlanoff, also by Flower Alley, also has some class and can progress beyond his current 87 rating. He won well last time in his first attempt at this trip and now has his third run after a layoff. He comes from off the pace so a draw of eight should not be of much concern. Trend Master beat Reunion three runs ago at level weights over this trip and now receives 3.5kg. However, Reunion was unlucky in that race and according to the weight for age scale should have made 2.5kg improvement since then, so he should reverse the form. Trend Master is a decent type and he followed that win with another good win over 2000m before running on over the too sharp 1450m last time for a good one length third. He is going to be a threat from pole position. Some might want to include Willow’s Wish too as he was still green last time when winning over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in just his third career start. A 2.5kg claimer up alleviates some of the eight point raise he was given but he does have a tough draw of ten. Twin Turbo is yet another son of Flower Alley who has a chance. He stayed on well from the front last time over this trip to win by half-a-length and drawn well off just a three point higher mark can go close carrying the minimum weight of 52kg, which off an 81 merit rating puts him just half-a-kilogram under sufferance. Category Four has not enjoyed much lucky lately but if it pans out well from a wide draw he is capable of staying on well and could earn. Our Coys also has the ability to be a contender but returns from a five month layoff and was given six points for winning last time. Western Fort is an unreliable sort but is capable and has a 4kg claimer up from a good draw over a suitable trip. Zeal And Zest is off form and his best days are likely behind him. Watusi is always an interesting runner because he won well in his only good performance to date. He lost ground at the start that day and ran on so if they try that tactic again and he settles, instead of him burning himself out in the front as he has been doing, he could be a surprise earner. 

The eighth race is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2600m and Captain Chorus looks the part. He ran third over course and distance last time and is now 7.5kg better off with Afraad for a 5,60 length beating. He was a touch unlucky not to get second that day as he was bumped late by Barak. He carries just 52kg from a good draw and Kennedy is up. The topweight Out Of Your League has to give 8kg and more to the entire field so it won’t be easy although he is fact the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings. He is also drawn in pole and has his SA Derby-winning pilot Raymond Danielson on for the third time in succession. White Fang is officially 6.5kg under sufferance with Out Of Your League but is on the way up and it would be no surprise to see him making it four wins on the trot as he has a lot of scope. Afraad has to come into it too despite being officially 7kg under sufferance with Out Of Your League as he has relished the step up to staying trips and might have more to come. Barak can also be right there as he is 3.5kg better off with Afraad for a 5,25 length beating and he has always struck as being an out and out stayer. Apollo Robins is 4kg better off with White Fang for a 4,10 length beating over this trip but White Fang would have made 1kg of weight for age improvement over Apollo Robins since then on paper and White Fang also strikes as the one with more scope.   

Andrew Harrison

If those outside of Kingsmead cricket ground – headline sponsor Hollywoodbets – didn’t know who Krystl was, they know now. “Hollywoodbets Dolphins players can identify with ‘Kingsmeads Krystl’ named after a bubbly staff member,” confirmed Hollywoodbets’ Brand and Communications Manager Devin Heffer.

And the name could be in lights for a little longer as the Alyson Wright-trained filly scored a comfortable victory under Anton Marcus in the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

It was probably asking a little too much of Kingsmeads Krystl to take on winners in her first three starts, including two group races, but yesterday confirmed what Wright thought all along with a convincing win that suggests that she has more to offer.

Kingsmeads Krystl was far from disgraced in any of her first three outings and in spite of finishing over a dozen lengths back to Desert Miracle in the Gr2 Golden Slipper, she was in the pack with the rest of them as Mike de Kock’s filly sauntered to an eight-length victory.

Kingsmeads Krystl is definitely a name to go into the notebook.

Nathan Kotzen has mined a rich vein of form over the past week, with a treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, and followed up with Noble Nova landing the odds in a small field in the second.

It was a three-way contest entering the final furlong but S’Manga Khumalo extracted the best out of his mount to get home by a neck from Bijoux who fought back gamely to edge out Claudina.

It was no quarters asked or given in the third over 1400m, with some modest maidens going hard in what would have been a testing pace over five furlongs.

A long way off the pace turning for home, Tristan Godden sent Magic In Motion up the inside rail with a storming run to collar a bunched field with Bay Breeze and Indomavel in the shallow end of the purse. It was a 36-1 winner for the brother and sister combination of Wayne Badenhorst and Barbara Kennedy.

Weiho Marwing launched a lightning raid, his first two strikes missing, but he was on the money in the fourth as Craig Zackey led the field a merry dance on Midnight Caller. Opening up early which had much of the field off the bit, Zackey kicked for home at the top of the straight and just kept his mount’s nose in front as Pink Floyd and Naval Secret got going late – too late!

A small field lined up in the fifth where Keep The Lights on reverted to Graduation company. Her feature race form panned out and the result was never in doubt as Marcus aimed straight for the wire and had the race wrapped up at the top of the straight.

Maria Corolina completed a Wright double, and back-to-back wins, when making short work of the opposition in the sixth. She took the step up in trip in her stride and unfortunately for her, the handicappers will also be impressed!

It’s never easy for horses to win more than two or three races under the current handicapping rules, so it takes some clever placing by the trainer and a favourable programme to stretch beyond. However, seven-year-old Gentleman’s Wager bucked the trend and is seemingly getting better as he gets older when in the winner’s enclosure for the eighth time. Leading for most of the way under Donovan Dillon, Peter Muscutt’s charge was never under threat.

Rise and Twice The Quality went at it hammer-and-tongs over the final 100m in the last with the Khumalo ‘rising’ to the occasion.