RACE 1

ERIK’S GIRL is only modest but she can earn some money in a race of this nature. JACK’S LEGACY makes her debut but would not be a surprise winner on her home track. Her stable companion YOUNG GENERAL did not show much on debut but is likely to be a lot smarter this time. BUFFALO DREAM can improve on a modest debut. IRISH WILMA has some fair form and could fight out the finish.

RACE 2

ME AND YOU showed good improvement in her second start. She can go one place better this time but it is a competitive looking race. EMPRESS OF PEACE has improved with the aid of blinkers and will be a threat. FOREST ACT has only had the two starts so improvement should be forthcoming. REGAL QUEEN is unreliable but could earn some money. TREX ON FIRE has some fair form and could make the frame. UP AND UP has not been reliable but is capable of scoring.

RACE 3

MIDNIGHT SHOW showed improvement with blinkers and the step up in distance. He can go one place better. JIMMY VEGA is improving and should be a real threat yet again. GUS ON THE BUS has only been modest of late but is well drawn and could play a minor role. KOVIL attracted betting support last time out and was not beaten too far so could make the frame with improvement likely.

RACE 4

A very open looking race. DELAWARE RIVER has not been beaten too far in her recent starts and could win a race like this. PEARL IN HER CROWN put up a decent performance last time out but has tended to be unreliable. KORTVANDRAAD is consistent and has every chance of scoring from her good draw. PRETTY ANALIA, BOLD ACTION and CAN’T CATCH ME are all arriving for this race after scoring but they are not reliable types. LAST GINGER and KYLIE’S ANGEL might earn some minor money.

RACE 5

KENSAL GREEN has won three of her last five starts. She gives weight to all her rivals but can score again. FIRE IN HER SOUL is well drawn and could contest the finish. JULIET TANGO is unreliable but would be a threat at best. RUSSIAN NOBILITY should like this distance and can contest the finish. ONETWOBUCKLEMYSHOE needed her last run and should make good improvement. LADY SABRINA is not reliable but can be competitive when in the right mood. OPERA FAN has a place chance on her best form.

RACE 6

Open event. Trainer Erico Verdonese has his yard in good form and both his runners are capable of scoring. DJ JUNIOR is in better form at the moment but include NUCLEAR FORCE in all permutations. DECEPTION PASS is a one-paced chap but has a chance this course and distance. EUPHRATES, STOP THE TRAFFIC and EMERALD CITY are all in good shape and capable of scoring. FULL GO has only been modest of late but might earn some money.

RACE 7

LOST FOR WORDS is clearly talented and has won three of her last four starts. She can score again. HATHIGHWAYTOTHESKY struggled in a better race than this last time out and can bounce back to beat these rivals on the turf this time. SEASON’S GREETINGS and BLIZZARD SNOW might need to do more to win but can earn some minor money. MYSTICAL MISS is consistent but is battling to actually win it. KAVADY has run in some good races of late but is not well drawn.

RACE 8

BRIGITTE ANNE showed what she is capable of with a very easy maiden win. She may well follow up and beat these rivals. PLUMBAGO PARK disappointed on the Polytrack last time out but should be a threat back on the grass. TRIP OF FAITH is well drawn and should be a threat once again. BLINDFIRE seems better than her last run and has a place chance. SAKURA HANAMI is unreliable but is also not out of it. WINTER IN AUCKLAND ran last Thursday and that run will need to be looked at. CLOUDS CLEARING has a place chance when in the right mood.

In exciting news for the South African horseracing industry it has been announced the UK have opened a direct equine export route from South Africa, which cements two-way trade for the SA Equine Industry.

SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC (SAEHP) sent out the following press release:

UK Opens Direct Equine Export Route from South Africa, Cementing Two-Way Trade for SA Equine Industry

Cape Town, 15 July 2026 — SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC (SAEHP) is pleased to announce that the British Government has confirmed a decision permitting direct import of live horses from South Africa to Great Britain. Following a positive assessment of South Africa’s disease control measures, imports will be permitted from the approved vector-protected quarantine station in Cape Town, for registered equines complying with UK import conditions.

This milestone reflects sustained collaboration between SAEHP, the South African Department of Agriculture, and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture — a powerful demonstration of this public-private partnership’s success in maintaining South Africa’s equine disease control measures to the highest international standard and translating that credibility into real market access.

The announcement follows closely on South Africa’s opening of imports from Dubai, New Zealand, and Australia earlier this year -making genuine two-way trade a reality for the South African equine industry.

Adrian Todd, Managing Director of SAEHP, thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club for its funding, technical support, and vision in opening South Africa to the world, noting that the growing number of trade partners now opens a world of opportunity for South Africa across all equestrian disciplines.

About SAEHP:SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC is a South African public-private partnership established to ensure the sustainability and security of the African Horse Sickness control zones through risk mitigation measures and controls, operating under the authority of the South African National Director of Animal Health in partnership with the National Department of Agriculture and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.

Soccer13 Wednesday 15 July 2026. Carryover R1 763 908. R3.5 Million (All-13-Correct Jackpot Pool). Pool Closes at 19h45. Sport 11 Pool 1.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Bath and Yarmouth (UK) – 15 July 2026.

David Thiselton

One of the intriguing questions that will be answered on World Pool Gold Cup day is whether the champion sire Vercingetorix can break his own South African record of 23 individual stakes winners in a season.

He is currently on 21 individual stakes winners and it will hinge on the big turf meeting on the last Sunday of the month as to whether he can break the record or not, because he does not have a runner in the only other stakes race still to be run this season, the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup at Fairview.

Vercingetorix will have many runners representing him on Gold Cup day such is his phenomenal influence on big races in the country.

However, the only ones that will count for this particular record will be the ones who have not previously won a stakes race this season.

A defending champion of one of the big races on the day actually falls into that category i.e. Gladatorian.

It is often said that horses coming fresh into the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup have an advantage over those who have run in the July, but Gladatorian ran in the July last year and still managed to win the Champions Cup.

The Stuart Ferrie-trained six-year-old gelding has not had the best of luck with draws in his career, but in last year’s Champions Cup he landed draw three and for once his well known late charge did not come too late. This year he has drawn three out of the 12 horses who are still standing their ground, so will have every chance of defending his title. The man who knows him best, Sean Veale, looks likely to take the ride again as he is contracted to Hollywood Racing and hence rode the Hollywood Racing-owned Isivivane in the July.

In the opening race of the meeting, the Listed Tote Stakes Darley Arabian over 1600m, the Alyson Wright-trained four-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Position Of Power is out of an unraced Horse Chestnut mare who was in turn out of an Elliodor mare who won four times from 1200m to 1600m, so he is interesting stepped up from sprints if taking his place here. His sprints record is six wins, three seconds and a third from 12 starts. He is drawn 18 out of the 35 entries still standing so his final barrier position all depends on how it cuts up.

In the Gr 2 World Pool Bet With Tote Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Vercingetorix two-year-old colt Rising Eagle won comfortably over 1160m on the Turffontein Standside track in his second career start on Saturday. His time did not compare favourably on the day but on the other hand he jumped from an unfavourable low draw and still won. He now has a very wide draw of 40 among the many entries and will need some luck in the running if he lines up in this race.

In the Gr 2 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes over 1600m the Louis Goosen-trained Ferrari Flair is still a maiden but has been performing well in stakes races, including finishing a close third in the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m and a 2,30 length third in the Listed Amusnet Devon Air Stakes over 1400m. She was not disgraced when a 3,25 length eighth in the Gr 2 Amusnet Golden Slipper over 1400m, but she does not have as good a draw here and she has a bit to find on those who beat her in the latter race.

In the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m Rising Eagle is also an entry here and on pedigree should enjoy this 1600m trip as he is out of a New Approach mare who won up to 1800m. However, he has a draw of 23 among the many entries so has a tough task.

The Gr 1 wfa Mercury Sprint sees the hard-knocking Andre Nel-trained four-year-old Vercingetorix gelding O’Tenikwa having an outside chance if able to find a couple of extra lengths on his best form. He has a fair draw of seven.

In the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m the Dean Kannemeyer-trained five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Continentalexpress has some fair staying form and carries a lightweight from a plum draw, so he can’t be written off.

In the Gr 2 Bet With The World Gold Bracelet over 2000m the Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained Minogue will make a last ditch bid to win bold black type before being retired to stud and she will certainly deserve it. On the form of her run in the Gr 2 Woolavington 2000 she has a definite chance. She is sure to revert to the handy to front-running tactics that suit her best from a pole position draw, having not being suited to being dropped out to last in the July. The Candice Bass-trained four-year-old Vercingetorix filly Rahhabba won the non-Black type WSB Scarlet Lady over 1750m and was just touched off in the Listed IOS Insider East Coast Cup over 2000m. So carrying just 55kg from a plum draw in the Gold Bracelet she has an outside chance, although she officially has a tough task at the weights.

In the last feature of the season, the Listed HKIR In December Umngeni Handicap over 1000m, the Glen Kotzen-trained four-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Circumbendibus is a hard-knocking sort who has a definite chance. His draw is unknown at the time of writing, but he enjoys this course and distance. The James Crawford-trained Dame Of Trix is an interesting runner here as she won impressively over this trip at Turffontein last time and she could be better than her 98 merit rating suggests. She could land a fair draw when it cuts up as she is drawn 14 out of the 35 entries still standing. Position Of Power, mentioned earlier in the article, has hard-knocking sprint form and is also an entry here, although he is drawn 24, so will likely have a tough barrier position on the day. The Tony Rivalland-trained five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding King Of The Gauls is course and distance suited as he is very quick and he won this race from a wide draw two years ago, but the problem here is he has to do it from another wide draw off an eight point higher merit rating. The Louis Goosen-trained three-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Blazing Fury is a hard-knocking sort who has a two length fourth in a Gr 3 Sprint to his name, but he will officially have a tough task at the weights if he gets in here and he has a wide draw.