David Thiselton

The outside rail at the Vaal meeting today is at zero which usually leads to high draws being favourable.

In the first race over 1400m Gonna Catch You represents Khaya Stables, an owner who has been in fine form around the country and this horse has been backed in to 11/10. He is by Vercingetorix out of a three-time winning stakes-placed Jet Master mare, which augurs well but he does have a potentially tricky low draw of three which will not make it easy on debut. Never Never Land is the one who could upset as he made a fair debut behind a top looking sort. However, he was beaten four lengths and the winner looked to still be cantering, so he will need to improve, although he does have a potentially better draw than the first choice. Amandla Ngawethu has some fair form and has a nice high draw but does seem to be a touch one-paced. War Of Wonders is by Act Of War and is a half-brother to the useful Chili Con Carne. Thoonsil is by Danon Platina out of a Giant’s Causeway mare.

In the second race over 1400m Paris Fun looks to be a progressive sort and she can follow up on her win in a Workriders Maiden over this course and distance. With the course set up as it is she looks to be drawn on the wrong side but it is not a big field and she could overcome it. Sunshine Day will be a contender from a high draw if able to repeat her last start. Commander Of All has the ability to be a contender here, although draw one might be against him. Libeccio is inconsistent but if producing his best he has a chance here from a nice high draw. Prized Platinum is capable but this is the first time this five-year-od tries a trip beyond a sprint.

In the third race over 1400m Soho Heartthrob ran a cracker behind the subsequent Group 1 winner Jan van Goyen last time out and that gives him a fine chance here, although he has a tricky draw of three and has to run off a 90 merit rating. Open Highway is in fine form and from a nice high draw over an ideal distance with Gavin Lerena up he could go close to scoring again. Master Christmas made a fair debut for the Tony Peter yard and could be in the shake-up under recent treble-scoring 4kg claimer Samo-Burthia, although the low draw makes it tricky. Sutherland could earn if producing his best. Fully Loaded could also earn if producing his best.

In the fourth race over 1600m Western Wishes should enjoy the step up in trip on pedigree and could go in with a in-form 4kg claimer up. Mattiazo led from start to finish last time and can overcome number one draw with her pace. She is by Silvano so can continue to improve. Can’t Catch Me was a bit disappointing last time, but is better than that and should enjoy this trip. Sheets And Goggle has Gavin Lerena up and should enjoy this step up in trip being by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Soskjaer mare. Golden Aspen tries 1600m for the first time as a seven-year-old and if staying could earn.

In the fifth race over 1800m Unsolved Riddle should relish the step up in trip on pedigree and is well drawn with Lerena up. Futurewolff won a good race last time and off a three point higher mark from a good draw could be in the shake up again. Zip Code did well over 1600m last time and should enjoy this trip on pedigree, but does have a wide draw. Chabal was disappointing last time and can do a lot better than that, so is one to consider from a fair draw with Khumalo up. Santiago’s Pride made sudden improvement to romp home in his maiden over 2000m and as he is by Futura he could continue to improve and he has pole position off a reasonable 77 merit rating.

In the sixth race over 2400m Damova won’t be ignored in the betting like she was last time as she is a consistent stayer and she has a fair draw under Craig Zackey. Royal Mazarin is a decent stayer who is well drawn and he should be right there.  Nuclear Force has been in consistent form and is a contender here. Romeo’s Magic has the class to be involved here despite having to carry top weight from a wide draw. Arlington Action is capable of earning a cheque.

In the seventh over 2000m Bob Lee Swagger has improved since being stepped up to this trip with blinkers on and should go close. Step Into It won second time out and off an 86 merit rating has a tough draw, but he should make a bold bid. Those two should fight it out.

In the eighth over 2000m Mount Darwin has been knocking on the door and has a good opportunity here from a fair draw over a suitable trip. Teo Torriate has been in devastating form and goes for a four-timer but does have a tough draw. Hawkbill is capable of winning this race and should make a bold bid. King’s Express is drawn in pole and should also be a contender. Vesuvio was not striding out last time and if bouncing back could be a contender.

RACE 1

 2 GONNA CATCH YOU 4 MY LUCKY CHARM 5 NEVER NEVER LAND 1 AMANDLA NGAWETHU

Preview: 2 GONNA CATCH YOU is by Vercingetorix out of a three-time winning stakes-placed Jet Master mare and he has been backed in to 11/10, but does have draw three which is on the wrong side by trends. 4 MY LUCKY CHARM is by Master of My Fate out of a three-time winning Seventh Rock mare and he ran on strongly on debut over 1450m on Saturday and has a fine chance here if able to overcome a potentially unfavourable low draw of one. 5 NEVER NEVER LAND made a fair debut against a promising sort, who did admittedly win effortlessly, and with improvement he should be right there from a fair middle draw. 1 AMANDLA NGAWETHU has some fair form and has a nice high draw but does seem to be a touch one-paced. (David Thiselton 2-4-5-1)

RACE 2

3 PARIS FUN 2 SUNSHINE DAY 6 COMMANDER OF ALL 5 LIBECCIO

Preview: 3 PARIS FUN won a Work Riders Race well last time and this progressive sort has a chance in this line up, although the draw of two is not in her favour. 2 SUNSHINE DAY has a chance if repeating her last start and she has a nice high draw. 6 COMMANDER OF ALL has the ability to be a contender here but does have draw one. 5 LIBECCIO is inconsistent but if producing his best he has a chance here. (David Thiselton 2-3-6-5)

RACE 3

7 SOHO HEARTTHROB 3 OPEN HIGHWAY  5 SUTHERLAND 2 FULLY LOADED

Preview: 7 SOHO HEARTTHROB  caught the eye running a cracker behind the subsequent Group 1 winner Jan van Goyen last time out and that gives him a fine chance here.3 OPEN HIGHWAY is in fine form and looks to have a winning chance here over an ideal trip from a nice high draw. 1 MASTER CHRISTMAS made a fair debut for the Tony Peter yard and could be in the shake-up under recent treble-scoring 4kg claimer Samo-Burthia, although the low draw makes it tricky. 5 SUTHERLAND  is distance suited and looks to be a contender here. 2 FULLY LOADED should enjoy this trip and should be thereabouts from a middle draw. (David Thiselton 7-3-1-5-2)

RACE 4

1 WESTERN WISHES 2 MATTIAZO 6 CAN’T CATCH ME  5 SHEETS AND GOGGLES

Preview: 1 WESTERN WISHES is an interesting stepped up in trip being by What A Winter out of an Elliodor mare and has a 4kg claimer up which will help. 2 MATTIAZO won well last time over this trip and being by Silvano might be coming into her own now. 6 CAN’T CATCH ME was a bit disappointing last time but is better than that and should enjoy this trip. 5 SHEETS AND GOGGLES has Gavin Lorena up and should enjoy this step up in trip being by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Soskjaer mare. (David Thiselton 1-2-6-5)

RACE 5

3 UNSOLVED RIDDLE 4 FUTUREWOLFF 1 ZIP CODE 6 CHABAL

Preview: 3 UNSOLVED RIDDLE should relish the step up in trip on Pedigree and is well drawn. 4 FUTUREWOLFF won a good race last time and off a three point higher mark from a good draw could be in the shake up again. 1 ZIP CODE did well over 1600m last time and should enjoy this trip on pedigree, but does have a wide draw. 6 CHABAL was disappointing last time and can do a lot better than that, so is one to consider from a fair draw with Khumalo up. (David Thiselton 3-4-1-6)

RACE 6

2 DAMOVA 3 ROYAL MAZARIN 5 NUCLEAR FORCE 1 ROMEO’S MAGIC

Preview: 2 DAMOVA won’t be ignored in the betting like she was last time as she is a consistent stayer and she has a fair draw under Craig Zackey. 3 ROYAL MAZARIN is a decent stayer who is well drawn and he should be right there.  5 NUCLEAR FORCE has been in consistent form and is a contender here. 1 ROMEO’S MAGIC has the class to be involved here despite having to carry top weight from a wide draw. (David Thiselton 2-3-5-1)

RACE 7

6 BOB LEE SWAGGER 1 STEP INTO IT 8 CREPUSCOLO 3 FLAG BEARER

Preview: 6 BOB LEE SWAGGER is in good form and over a suitable distance he could progress again. 1 STEP INTO IT won well second time out and will enjoy this step up in trip, but does have a tough draw. 8 CREPUSCOLO has a form to be a contender from pole position. 3 FLAG BEARER is capable of earning in this field if the 4kg claimer rides a good race. (David Thiselton 6-1-8-3)

RACE 8

4 MOUNT DARWIN 9 TEO TORRIATTE 2 HAWKBILL 1 KING’S EXPRESS

Preview: 4 MOUNT DARWIN has been knocking on the door and has a good opportunity here from a fair draw over a suitable trip. 9 TEO TORRIATTE has been a devastating form and goes for a four-timer but does have a tough draw. 2 HAWKBILL is capable of winning this race and should make a bold bid. 1 KING’S EXPRESS is drawn in pole and should also be a contender. (David Thiselton 4-9-2-1)

Please note: Soccer 6: Sport 4 Pool 1 – 01 September 2025. Match 1 (M1) : Arda Kardzhali vs Beroe – Rescheduled

Soccer 10: Sport 14 Pool 1 – 01 September 2025. Match 1 (M1): Arda Kardzhali vs Beroe – Rescheduled

All results ( the field ) will qualify for the above match. In terms of TAB rules, all choices ( the field ) will apply in determining results and payouts.

David Thiselton

The most welcome aspect of the KZN Racing Awards held on Friday night in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville was that only KZN horses were eligible i.e. horses whose home is a KZN yard – and it was thus the Stuart Ferrie-trained Gladatorian who was named KZN Horse Of The Year and the stalwart bay  walked away with two other awards too.

The Highveld region’s awards are called the Highveld Feature Season awards, so out of province horses can be awarded if they do well enough in the features, but the KZN Racing Awards have never had a qualifying clause like that. The awards were thus wrought with confusion in the period of a few years when it was not just limited to KZN horses. Some horses who happened to have run three times in the province were eligible in those days and there was also the use of words like “KZN domiciled”, but that method of naming the award winners thankfully looks to have been scrapped.

The other change was there was only one winner for the age group awards and not a winner for each gender.

The Stuart Ferrie-trained Gladatorian’s marvellous five-year-old season included winning the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, finishing a narrow third in the Gr 1 wfa Gold Challenge over 1600m and he won the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m. The Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC-bred Vercingetorix gelding also finished second in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile at Turffontein among other good performances. He was named KZN Horse Of The Year, KZN Middle Distance Champion and KZN Champion Older Male.

The two-year-old winner was the Tienie Prinsloo-trained Vercingetorix filly Quickstepgal, who represented Rakesh Singh, but has subsequently been sold to the Laurence Wernars family. Quickstepgal, who was bred by Marsh Shirtliff’s Greenacres Trust, won three out of five starts, including the Tote Strelitzia Stakes and Listed Ridgemont Devon Air Stakes and she was runner up in the Gr 2 Splashout Golden Slipper.

The Peter Muscutt-trained Soqrat colt I Salute You, owned by Messrs Tony Zackey, E C Abraham, T Herdon, K Nattar & Miss Trinisha Pillay and bred by Shadwell Stud, was the three-year-old Champion having won the Listed WSB Sledgehammer and Listed Michel Nairac Appreciation Stakes, both in open fields.

The Gareth van Zyl-trained Drakenstein Stud-bred Duke Of Marmalade gelding King Pelles was a dominant winner of the Champion Stayers Award, having closed out his season with victories in the Tote Derby, the Durban Gold Vase and the World Pool Gold Cup, all Gr 3s, and he had earlier won a Gr 3 in Cape Town too. He is owned by Lucky Vest 12 CC (Nom: Mr Ravi Padayachee), Messrs D D MacLean, Gary Player Stud Farm (Pty) Ltd & N V Parmanand.

The Hollywood Racing-owned Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud-bred What A Winter mare Asiye Phambili was voted Champion Sprinter and Champion Older Mare. In Gareth van Zyl’s care she won the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes and Grade 3 Southern Cross during the Cape Summer, before being transferred back to Duncan Howells for Champions Season, in which she was a narrow second in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint and a highly creditable third against the boys in the Gr 1 wfa Mercury Sprint.

Gareth Van Zyl retained his Champion KZN Trainer title with 49 wins, comfortably clear of Dean Kannemeyer and Garth Puller who had 43 wins each in KZN. Gareth, who has now won the KZN championship three times, delivered a touching speech in which he thanked his father Gavin for keeping a KZN yard going which enabled him to have something to fall back on when things began “crumbling” in the Cape.

The Champion Apprentice Award was shared by Brevan Plaatjies and Mxolisi Mbuto who each rode 14 winners in KZN, although Plaatjies’ additional winners around the country were enough to secure him the Equus Award as National Champion Apprentice.

Hollywood Racing, the national Champion Owners, were duly crowned Champion Owners of KwaZulu-Natal while Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein emerged as leading breeders in the province for the second consecutive year.

In the special awards’ category, Tawanda Taruvinga was voted KZN’s Racing Personality of the Year. Tawanda’s infectious smile, fiery passion, creative talent, and effervescent personality have made him a popular figure amongst the local racing fraternity and a valuable asset to Race Coast KZN’s social media and broadcast teams.

Anita Akal presented her annual award to Race Coast KZN’s Marketing Executive Stephen Marshall, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport of horseracing in general and to the success of Champions Season 2025 in particular.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Carlisle and Windsor (UK) – 01 September 2025