David Thiselton

The Gr 1weight for age  HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, to be run over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, will have its best field for many a season, even if there are only nine runners.

The Gr 1 SA Classic and Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic have also attracted smallish but quality fields.

The Horse Chestnut shapes as a mile championship featuring the L’Ormarins King’s Plate winner The Real Prince against See It Again, who was an unlucky 0,25 length third in the King’s Plate before winning the WSB Met.

The Highveld challenge is led by Main Defender, who defeated the subsequently named Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King by 2,75 lengths when winning this race in 2024.

Last year’s winner and runner up, Cosmic Speed and Texas Red are also in the line up.

There is also the reigning Highveld Horse Of The Year Fire Attack, whose King’s Plate run can be ignored as his preparation was interrupted and he proved it was all wrong when bouncing back to win first time out back on the Highveld.

His Alec Laird-trained stablemate Atticus Finch, a former Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup winner, was impressive when waltzing home to a three length win in this season’s Gr 2 Allied- Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile, despite carrying topweight.

The 117-rated three-year-old Tin Pan Alley has been preferred for this race as it is probably a more suitable trip for him than the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

The field is completed by Pressonregardless, who is outgunned on paper, but he has come into his own this season and possesses a lot of class.

See It Again is officially rated 130, so is officially 1kg better off with The Real Prince, who is rated 128.

On L’Ormarin’s King’s Plate form it is The Real Prince who emerges the victor by 0,25 lengths, but See It Again had to wait a tad to get into top gear in that race due to Dave The King falling back on him and that might have made the difference between victory and defeat.

On WSB Met form See It Again emerges the victor as The Real Prince was beaten 1,25 lengths into third.

See It Again had tough draws in both the King’s Plate and the Met, ten out of 14 and ten out of ten, and he has now drawn eight out of nine.

The draw should not bother him as he has a magnificent turn of foot.

Richard Fourie replaces the injured Andrew Fortune, a world class jockey for a world class jockey, so that is a further bonus to See It Again’s chances.

The Real Prince, who is also a Hollywoodbets Durban July winner, drew six in both the KIng’s Plate and Met and is now drawn seven. He also has a magnificent turn of foot and has his regular world class rider in Craig Zackey up.

Main Defender has his second run after a long layoff and came last in his comeback over 1160m in a small field. He has an exhilarating turn of foot at his best and has drawn well in four with the world class reigning champion jockey Gavin Lerena up.

Fire Attack will be running on strongly from draw five under Calvin Habib.

Cosmic Speed drew three when winning last year under Zackey and is now drawn six under Ryan Munger. However, he has 3,45 lengths and 3,20  lengths to make up on The Real Prince and See It Again respectively from King’s Plate form.

Texas Red was drawn five last year and has pole position this year with Matsunyane retaining the ride, but its a much tougher field.

If the Atticus Finch who won the Charity Mile turns up, he must have a chance from draw three, but he hasn’t been seen since being pulled up with something amiss in the Summer Cup. He was also last in the July, after having epistaxis.

Tin Pan Alley beat older horses in the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m, but Atticus Finch emerges better here at the weights on the form of that race and Tin Pan Alley might prefer the shorter 1450m trip. However, he has drawn well in two and Keagan de Melo is up.

Pressonregardless has Callan Murray up, but not only has to jump from draw nine out of nine, but he is officially 10,5kg under sufferance with the best in See It Again. He can’t be completely discounted though because this long-striding sort will relish the fast pace generated by a better class of horse, provided he finds cover from that wide draw.

In the SA Classic the highest rated horse, Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Jan van Goyen, has draw well in three out of nine, while his Jackpot City Dingaans conqueror Trust has drawn two. The Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas one-two Splittheeights and Grand Empire have drawn eight and one respectively while other likely fancied horses One Eye On Vegas and the exciting but unexposed Errol Flynn have draw seven and six respectively.

In the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic Hazy Dazy has drawn four out of ten in her bid to keep her Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara hopes alive.

Alistair Cohen

Expect the pace to be blistering in race 2 over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today. Some of the quickest in Cape Town will test their pace against each other. With the promise of a hot speed, the one who could sit back and wait to pounce could be the most dangerous. That is the talented North Point as he continues his rise through the ranks.

Setback by injury for a few months, many forgot the promise North Point showed as a two-year-old toppling the likes of Demanding Dave. From five starts he claimed two wins and two places through his juvenile campaign. Rested between May and November 2025, expectations might have been curbed slightly for his return.

He lost none of his exuberance and obvious natural ability. To return to the course in the form that he has is the mark of a talented horse. After six months away from racing he came back with a superb 0,4-length second behind Demanding Dave over this trip at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. He hit the line with plenty of gusto suggesting that he would be hugely dangerous in his next run. Keep in mind that Demanding Dave has now completed three wins-on-the-bounce.

North Point duly followed up with a classy win over subsequent winner, Black Eagle over the same Hollywoodbets Kenilworth trip. He might be one-dimensional in that he is best over the minimum trip but there are serious races in that range.

With Elusive Winter and Candy Town in this race, they are likely to do what they do best. Their best assets are their speed which should allow North Point to have horses who have battled it out up front to aim at. It is never as simple as wait and pounce but he should have every opportunity judging how the race should transpire. JP van der Merwe knows him best and he takes the ride for James Crawford.

Elusive Winter never does things the easy way. His speed is a weapon and that has carried him to five wins and eight places through his career. Michelle Rix has done a fine job keeping this horse on the boil. He was hammered early by the handicapper for winning on debut so patience had to be exercised for him to spark into life. One can be sure that despite his brave but vulnerable running style, that he has tons of tenacity to pull this off. Especially with Sifiso Bungane taking 4kg off his back.

Candy Town is another known element of pace. She probably has more natural gas but she is prone to the odd howler. Her cheap speed makes her interesting on a dry track but she is not the easiest to follow. At her best, she is very dangerous. Keagan de Melo takes the ride.

Fort Yukon ran his best race in his most recent appearance and he could confirm that improvement against a rather poor field in race 1 over 1600m. His last run came over 1400m down the road at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he finished second behind Cedar Point. That elevation in form and proximity to the winner should be enough to propel him to victory. Calvin Habib rode him last time and he is back aboard for Adam Marcus.

There are a few with chances in race 3 over 1000m. Lyrical Gangster has always suggested some promise but he has fallen short of kicking on from a rather weak level. He might still have the tools to make progress and he could be the horse to beat. He left the maiden ranks in his penultimate run when he reverted to this trip and he followed up with a neat second post-maiden. He might have a little more scope than his rivals.

Kamchatka is the most interesting runner in race 4 over 1250m. She gave the entire field stacks of weight in the Clapham Stakes over 1600m exactly a month ago. She was not disgraced when she finished fifth behind her stable companion, Rose Woott. If she can fit into this sprint trip, she will take a ton of beating. Her exploits this summer read well with runs to Legal Counsel and Sukhumvit. Legal Counsel was runner-up in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.

There is a good spread of chances in race 5 over 1250m. Star World could be peaking at the right time to score an overdue second career victory. She has placed in her last two starts which came over this course and distance. Richard Fourie sticks with her for Vaughan Marshall. She finished ahead of Final Call last time and he is 4kg better off for two lengths. That should keep her ahead of a rival with a chance. Others to consider are Flying South, William’s Woman and South Of France.

Gin Palace was a fluent winner of her most recent start when she beat South Of France by a length over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Andrew Fortune did duty on her last time and the run before when his irons snapped and he was of no assistance. She is tipped to complete back-to-back wins in race 6 over 1400m. Corne Orffer has won on Gin Palace before and he replaces the medically indisposed Andrew Fortune. Dream Searcher could be her main danger. She gets on so well with jockey Craig Bantam. They are never easy to ignore.

A simple view of Show Off’s last run which came over 1400m at this course will remind racing fans just how unlucky he was. He was baulked twice and after he came from the clouds to finish second behind Boogiefied, beaten 0,4 lengths. No fault of Gareth Wright aboard, he should have won. He is back over the same course and distance in race 7. Consider chances from King’s Quest, Astronomical Boy and Nightrain.

There is not much to get excited about in race 8 over 1400m. Theleia could prove to confirm her better last run when she ran second behind Peaches And Cream over this course and distance. She has always given the impression that she needs time and racing. Things seem to be falling into place.

CAPTION: Trainer James Crawford runs NORTH POINT in Race 2 – the JOIN THE RACE COAST TURF CLUB MIDDLE STAKES at Hollywoodbets Durbanville – Wednesday 04 March 2026

RACE 1

4 FORT YUKON ran a great race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 4th of February, he caught the eye for second behind Cedar Point, this doesn’t look to be the strongest maiden race on paper, he will go very close to winning from a good draw. 8 SUPER VIKING was gelded on the 14th of January, he was last seen staying on beautifully for third behind District Master on the 13th of January, the form of that race has worked out well, if he gets some luck in running from a tricky draw on Wednesday, he will go close to winning. 7 BOURBON KING ran a fair race last time, he was beaten just under five lengths by Cedar Point, he will love the step up in trip to 1600m, watch for sharp improvement from this gelding. 5 TAKETHEGREENLIGHT ran a much better race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 22nd of February, he was only beaten just over two lengths by Greenchoice, if he brings that run to the track on Wednesday, he will be competitive at a decent price. (Brandon Bailey: 4 – 8 – 7 – 5)

RACE 2

3 NORTH POINT won impressively at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 4th of February, he was given three points for that good win, he is packed with class, there is no doubt that he can win again, include him into all bets. 4 ELUSIVE WINTER was only beaten just over two lengths by All The Rage in the Winchester Sprint Cup on the 31st of January, he is very fast, on his best form, he will be hard to catch late, watch him closely. 1 SARDINIA BAY has been rested for 102 days, he ran a fair race behind Green Gateway in the Listed Sophomore Sprint, top jockey Richard Fourie has been booked to ride this gelding on Wednesday, he should run a big race from a neat draw. 2 UN BEL DI has been rested for 102 days, he ran a great race for fourth behind Mai Sensation in the Bantry Bay stakes on the 22nd of November, he is super consistent. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 4 – 1 – 2)

RACE 3

8 ALL ABOUT AL won a terrific race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 17th of January, he was given three points for that victory, Trainer Adam Marcus has done a wonderful job with this gelding, if he gets some luck in running from a tricky draw here, he can definitely win again. 1 MOODY BLUE stayed on well for third behind Rattlesnake on the 4th of February, he never runs a bad race, from a good draw on Wednesday, he should get the perfect run, include him into all bets, he will go close to winning. 5 PEACE OF MIND finished second in the same race as Moody Blue last time, she was a touch unlucky in that race, she is very fast, on her best form, she will make them all work for victory. 2 LOVE SHACK needed her run badly on the 14th of February, she was only beaten just under three lengths on that occasion, she could be some decent value in this tricky race, if the gaps open at the right time, she will be right there in the finish. (Brandon Bailey: 8 – 1 – 5 – 2)

RACE 4

4 MISS WORLD must have a good winning chance in this field, she was only beaten just over three lengths by Jet Force on the 14th of February, she has no weight on her back, and she drops in trip to 1250m, she can definitely win a race like this. 5 WANDER DUNE has been rested for 140 days, she is much better than her last run, the drop in trip is key for this filly on Wednesday, if she doesn’t need the run back after a lengthy break, she will be competitive. 2 KAMCHATKA was beaten just over five lengths by her stable companion in the Clapham Stakes on the 4th of February, she is a big filly with a big action, she might enjoy the drop in trip to 1250m, include her into all bets. 3 TULIP FIELDS has been rested for 88 days, she was last seen finishing just under six lengths behind Quickstepgal in the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas, she is a classy filly, watch her closely. (Brandon Bailey: 4 – 5 – 2 – 3)

RACE 5

6 STAR WORLD had absolutely no luck out the gates at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 14th of February, she was badly bumped early, and she still managed to finish strongly for second behind Lady Look Alike, she loves Hollywoodbets Durbanville, she has a big winning chance in this field. 7 SOUTH OF FRANCE stayed on well for second behind Gin Palace on the 4th of February, she is very consistent, unfortunately the wide draw here will make life tough for her, but she will be storming home late, include her into all bets. 4 WILLIAM’S WOMAN was beaten just under five lengths by Caribbean Gold at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 14th of February, she has dropped even further in the ratings, she should be amongst the places on her best form. 5 FINAL CALL finished fourth in the same race as Star World last time, she will be doing some good work late, watch her closely at a decent price. (Brandon Bailey: 6 – 7 – 4 – 5)

RACE 6

7 DREAM SEARCHER continues to impress, she won a great race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 4th of February, she was given four points for that impressive win, Jockey Craig Bantam sticks with this mare, she will be just off them early, and she will be running on strongly late, she can definitely win again. 8 GIN PALACE was given a great ride by jockey Andrew Fortune on the 4th of February, she quickened away from the field in good style, the yard thinks highly of this filly, if she beats the tricky draw on Wednesday, she will be competitive. 1 PENTOLINA ran a much better race last time, she was doing some good work late for third behind Amayah on the 14th of February, the blinkers stay on, she will be there amongst the places again from a good draw. 6 RIKKITIKKITAVI ran a cracker for second behind Dream Searcher on the 4th of February, she is consistent, and she is better off at the weights this time with Dream Searcher, her chances must be respected. (Brandon Bailey: 7 – 8 – 1 – 6)

RACE 7

3 KING’S QUEST ran a lovely race from a bad draw at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 31st of January, he was doing some good work late behind Foudre last time, he has dropped in trip, and he has dropped further in the ratings, he will be flying at them late from a good draw. 9 IT IS MY TIME was heavily backed in the market at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on the 14th of February, unfortunately the race didn’t go according to plan for this gelding, he stopped late to finish just over two lengths behind Boogiefied, he likes to be on speed early, if he gets to the front cheaply, he will be hard to run down late, include him into all bets. 6 SHOW OFF ran a terrific race for second in the same race as It Is My Time on the 14th of February, that was his first run back after a long break, he can only improve, there is no doubt he can win a race like this. 1 COASTAL COMMANDER continues to slide in the ratings, he was beaten just over three lengths by Stormwatch on the 4th of February, the blinkers have been removed, he should run a big race from a neat draw. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 9 – 6 – 1)

RACE 8

5 THELEIA stayed on nicely for second behind Peaches And Cream on the 14th of February, she certainly enjoyed the step up in trip to 1400m last time, this looks to be the right field for her to exit the maiden ranks, she will be hard to beat. 11 HOMING PIGEON finished just under two lengths behind Loui’s Star on the 11th of February, she is very consistent, the blinkers stay on, and she drops in trip on Wednesday, if she beats the bad draw, she will go close to winning. 8 MEGHAN’S DIAMOND ran a fair race for third behind Ebisu on the 14th of February, she looks to be in a good space at the moment, on her best form, she will be right there in the places. 1 VIVO PER LEI looked to be travelling like a winner last time when finishing third behind Cedar Point, she might try and steal the race from the front, watch her closely. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 11 – 8 – 1)

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Newcastle and Wolverhampton (UK) – 3 March 2026.

David Thiselton

The Chris Waller-trained Australian racehorse Autumn Glow has become a global sensation after making it ten wins unbeaten when winning the Aus $1 million Gr1 Verry Elleegant Stakes run over a mile at Randwick on Saturday and this is a triumph for South African thoroughbred breeding, because she is out of the former Duncan Howells-trained Equus Champion Sprinter Via Africa.

Her success is good news for Cape Town-based racing man Rod Mattheyse because he not only has a share in Via Africa, but also has an interest in her family in South Africa.

Rod noticed a small share was available in Via Africa in Australia a few years ago and said, “I decided to take it up and one of the main reasons was because I owned her half-sister by What A Winter out here called, I Like It Hot.”

The good news is that the speedy I Like It Hot, who won one race for Dennis Drier in KZN and one for Tara Laing in the East Cape, is now producing at stud.

Rod revealed, “Her first foal is a Rafeef filly who is on the Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale in a couple of weeks’ time. She now has a Thunderstruck at foot and is in foal again to Rafeef.”

He added, “The Rafeef on the Sale is a first foal, but she is high quality and very correct. She is beautiful.”

He continued, “The Thunderstruck … well call me a breeder, but she’s an absolute bomb! She’s obviously got a bit more Var in her than the Rafeef one. But I can’t wait for the next Rafeef to come around as she throws a bit of scope to him as well.”

Meanwhile Via Africa is in foal to the most expensive stallion in Australia, Zoustar.

She is standing currently at Widden Stud.

As Autumn Glow’s unbeaten record grows comparisons are being made to two previous sensational females trained by Chris Waller, Winx, who won 33 races in a row and won a record 25 Gr 1s, and Black Caviar, who holds a modern international record for top level  thoroughbred racing because she won all 25 of her races.

Rod said, “I think one of Autumn Glow’s owners, John Messara of Arrowfield Stud, is circumspect in the number of times he races his mares. They tend to give her a target of about four or five runs and then rest her. John Messara is of the view that if you over-race a mare they don’t produce at stud.”

Autumn Glow has won two Gr 1s to date.

The George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill on March 21 shapes as her next assignment, with Waller leaving the door ajar for a potential rise to 2000 metres, possibly in April’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) back at Randwick, should she continue to dominate at weight-for-age level. The Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) also remains in calculations, though the handicap conditions pose their own challenges.

“I’d love to try her at 2000 metres, but she’s got to be dominant in her next win to give us that ultimate satisfaction that she can run it, otherwise it’s probably the Doncaster,” Waller said.

 

He continued, “She’s a different type to some of those good horses I’ve trained, when they get back and have your heart in your mouth. She’s up on the speed. She puts herself there, so that’s the difference.”

Rod said there was also a possibility she would travel to Royal Ascot, depending on how the next two races went.

A story surfaced a couple of years ago that Via Africa had been seen in poor condition at a Sale.

Rod explained she has got a knee problem, but is as sound as a mare can possibly be. She is still comfortable on the knee and it is not hindering her at all at the moment and the right thing would be done if it was bothering her.

Furthermore, he said she was a mare who lightened up a lot with travel and with the bit of associated stress, so the picture taken in the small window of one Sale she travelled to was not at all the correct presentation of her wellbeing.

He said John Kelly, the owner of Newhaven Stud where she was standing at the time, was a highly respected horseman. That is to the extent that he is one of only three non-Chinese owners in Hong Racing.

“He is not somebody who is going to be mal-treating horses and she only moved to Widden Stud because that was where she was being covered. That made it as stress-free as possible for her and she is happy and content there and being well looked after.”

 

Via Africa has actually produced two Gr 1 winners.

 

The first of them was called In The Congo by Snitzel, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

 

In The Congo has already had a milestone at stud in that in his first year he received more mares than any other first season sire in the whole of Australia.

 

Interestingly, in the only Gr 1 he won he beat Anamoe, who is currently the most fashionable first season sire in Australia. This nine-time Gr 1-winning Anamoe’s opening service fee was Aus$121,000 and he has already had a Aus$1 million progeny at the Sales.

 

In The Congo, whose first crop are now yearlings, has had a Aus$625,000 colt purchased by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

 

Things are looking bright for the family of Via Africa and Autumn Glow will continue to be followed with awe by South African racing fans.