Graeme Hawkins

Sadly, One Stripe’s swansong in South Africa turned into a nightmare at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday as Gavin Lerena found his path down the inside rail blocked by The Grey King who was forced inwards by eventual winner All Out For Six (Grant Van Niekerk) at the 200m pole. Whether One Stripe was going as well as All Out For Six at that stage is open to conjecture, but Champions often find a way of snatching unlikely victories under pressure, and One Stripe, who was severely checked, was denied that opportunity.

The record books will show that All Out For Six, racing in the colours of the One World Syndicate and stable companion to the Vaughan Marshall-trained One Stripe, emerged victorious in the R5-million HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap over 1400m by a comfortable margin over La Pulga who avoided the scrimmaging and ran on nicely from near the back of the field to finish a clear second. Great Plains got up to edge The Grey King out of third spot with One Stripe having to settle for sixth position. Clearly One Stripe was not beaten on merit, and we look forward to seeing him setting the record straight as he jets off to the USA to join the stable of Graham Motion and the company of fellow “locals” Isivunguvungu, Beach Bomb and Gimme A Nother.

Making a rare appearance on the racecourse these days, it was wonderful to see KZN-based Steve Sturlese and his wife, Cheryl, on hand to lead in their 2yo son of Fire Away, Military Command, following a dominant victory in the R1,5-million Cape Racing Sales Slipper over 1200m. Billed as the second race on the 10-race programme, Dreamworld was sent out the 2/1 favourite but, although far from disgraced in finishing runner-up, he was no match for Military Command who led from start to finish on a lightning-quick track to pass the post nearly two lengths ahead of the chasing pack. Bred by James Goodman, Sturlese owns Military Command in partnership with Blaine Hamilton, Gino Da Silva and Tony Zackey and the colt was ridden to victory by Craig Zackey for trainer Peter Muscutt. 

The opening race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m, was won in equally comfortable fashion by the striking grey North Point who was allowed to drift from 5/1 to 12/1. The 2yo son of William Longsword bounced into an immediate lead and was never headed. Ridden by JP van der Merwe and making his debut for the Brett & James Crawford stable, North Point raced away to score by three lengths with Demanding Dave (100/1) and Follow Your Heart (11/10) making up the frame.

Peace Of Mind, the Crawford/Rix team’s only runner on the card, took full advantage of the speedy conditions under Gavin Lerena to post an easy victory in the third race, a Cape C Stakes over 1000m. Palo Queen and Peace of Mind disputed the early lead but once the former fell away, Peace Of Mind (12/1) assumed control and galloped all the way to the line to score by close on two lengths in the fast time of 56,94 seconds.

Dropping to the minimum trip for the first time in her career, Mai Sensation (11/2) proved too strong for the opposition in the fourth race, a Middle Stakes (F&M) over 1000m, skating home with more than a length to spare over Babelicious (4/1) and First Masterpiece (9/2). Mai Sensation has now won three races from only eight starts and there appears to be more to come from the 3yo daughter of Rafeef who was bred in KZN at Peter Blythe’s Clifton Stud.

The fifth race, a Cape A Stakes over 1100m, produced a thrilling finish with little more than a length covering the first six horses past the post. Andrew Fortune appeared to have timed his final effort on Tenango (14/10) to perfection but no sooner had the son of Canford Cliffs struck the front inside the last 150m when 66/1 chance Gem King came charging through under Corne Orffer to spoil the party.

Richard Fourie opened his account in the sixth race, a Cape C Stakes over 2200m, producing the fast-improving Umfula (2/1) with a sustained run up the stretch to run out a facile winner over Ahead Of The Facts (7/2). Tothemoonandback (10/1) stayed on well to fill the Trifecta position with the consistent Aladdin’s Lamp rounding out the top four.

Holding Thumbs is probably one of the most improved horses in training this season and the 4yo son of Vercingetorix ran them ragged in the seventh race, the R200 000 Monaco Sport Of Kings Kenilworth Cup (Listed) over 2400m. Oozing confidence, Sean Veale, who has struck up a great relationship with Glen Kotzen’s stayer, wasted no time in taking Holding Thumbs to the front and the resolute 17-hand gelding had the opposition floored with 400m left to race. His lesser fancied stable companion Blackberry Malt emerged from the struggling pack to chase Holding Thumbs home but the race as a contest was over a long way out.

David Thiselton

Sean Tarry is in flying form and bagged a treble at Turffontein Standside on Saturday including winning the feature, the Gr 3 4Racing Sycamore Sprint over 1160m for fillies and mares, with Mia Moo who was ridden by Piere Strydom.

Mia Moo carried 59.5kg off a 103 merit rating and beat the 80-rated Komati River by half a length to give the amazing Vercingetorix a double.

Vercingetorix lots averaged a record-breaking R1,707,143 on the select day 1 of the Cape Racing Sales March Yearling Sale such is the demand for this superstar stallion’s progeny.

Chrome Tourmaline and Elegant Ice were third and fourth respectively behind Mia Moo and Komati River on Saturday and the favourite Almond Sea could only manage fifth after another tardy start.

Komati River is in for a big merit rating raise because she was 6,5kg under sufferance.

Mia Moo provided further evidence that the Cape form is strongest because in her three runs in Cape Town she had finished 16th in the Gr 2 De Grendel Cape Merchants over 1200m, beaten 14,40 lengths, and followed that with a 1,45 length fourth in a Listed handicap over 1200m, running off a 103, and then ran an excellent 0,90 length fourth in the Gr 3 Splashout Prix du Cap, a conditions race over 1400m.

She remained off a 103 on Saturday so was surprisingly easy to back, shortening from 7/1 into 6/1.

Mia Moo jumped well from draw five and Strydom managed to slot her in behind Komatii River, who set the pace down the centre after jumping well from draw six. 

Mia Moo travelled within herself and Strydom merely had to switch her outward for a run to get the job done because she passed Komati River with just a shake of the reins and passed the post while just being shown the stick.

She was bred by Klawervlei Stud and is out of a Captain Al mare.

Both of the highest priced lots at the aforementioned Sale last Thursday were by Vercingetorix out of Captain Al mares, one them, a Drakenstein Stud-bred half-brother to Gr 1 WSB Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot, going for a SA record-equalling R9 million purchased by Greg Bortz, and the other, a filly vendored by Klawervlei Stud as agent, going for R4.1 million to Darryl Yutar.

Tarry won the first two races on Saturday with respective odds on favourites One Fine Winter (What A Winter) and Tina Lovelace (Danon Platina), who were both ridden by Ryan Munger.

Gavin Lerena rode a double for Brett and James Crawford, while Kabelo  Matsunyane also rode a double.

The leader of the national jockeys log, Craig Zackey, is on suspension from March 9 to March 26, excluding the Royal Raceday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday (Sunday), so Lerena has had an opportunity to close the gap.

By close of play on Saturday the situation was Zackey on 167 wins, Richard Fourie on 163 and Lerena on 158.

It has been an intriguing championship, but Fourie could probably win it at will. He had already had 19 wins in March by the end of Friday racing at Fairview and is closing rapidly on Zackey, so if he decides to ride regularly in more than two centres (Cape Town and East Cape) then he should forge clear.

Allan Greeff is in flying form in the East Cape and has had 110 wins for the season, just four behind the national log leader Snaith, although the national championship goes on stakes and Snaith is more than R10 million clear of Greeff, who is in second place.

New race times below: Race 1 – 12h40 Race 2 – 13h15 Race 3 – 13h50 Race 4 – 14h25 Race 5 – 15h00 Race 6 – 15h35 Race 7 – 16h10 Race 8 – 16h45

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.