David Thiselton

The two two-year-old races are often stumbling blocks in the Pick 6 on World Pool Gold Cup day as the juveniles often mature at different rates and unexpected results can transpire.

The Gr 2 Douglas Whyte Stakes over 1600m looks to be a race in which punters can go narrow and they will be hoping there are no surprises. Master Of My Fate filly Alice B Toklas was desperately unlucky in her last start in the Gr 2 Amusnet Golden Slipper over 1400m. After being settled near the back she was slicing through the field like a hot knife through butter while still on the bit and she was then unfortunately badly squeezed out. Even more impressive was that she picked herself up and rallied, passing a few horses late to finish second. Her Hussonet dam Alice Springs’ four wins included three over this trip and furthermore Alice B Toklas is a half-sister to the One World filly World Of Alice who finished a shorthead second in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m among other good performances. So, on pedigree evidence Alice B Toklas should relish the step up in trip and her running style also lends herself to that belief. She has a plum draw of three with Richard Fourie staying aboard and at first sight could be a banker consideration. However, both Marchland and Within Reach are two others who need to be taken seriously. In Marchland’s case it must be remembered that an East Cape raider, Golden Palm, won this race last year. Marchland is by the exciting up and coming sire Malmoos and she has won her three career starts at Fairview from 1200m to 1400m with consummate ease and looks to be full of class. The form of her last win in a Listed race over 1400m on the poly has worked out very well. She has a fair draw of six and her regular rider Muzi Yeni is aboard. Within Reach is a Sean Tarry-trained stablemate to Alice B Toklas and impressed last time when surging through to win fluently over 1400m. She was receiving 2kg from the runner up Queen Leila, who has some fair form. Within Reach is also by Malmoos and considering her Oratorio dam Jetorio’s two wins were over 1600m and 1800m respectively she will relish the step up in trip. She has a tricky draw of seven but Keagan de Melo up is a plus and she could be a threat. Those three should suffice for the Pick 6.

The Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes is more open. Sean Tarry could be in the winner’s box here too. Prayersandpromises ran on in eyecatching style after ending up last in the Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m from a wide draw. He should enjoy the step up in trip and has a chance from a better draw of seven. Moana is not visibility eyecatching, but her form is noteworthy. She beat Within Reach in her second start over 1400m, albeit when receiving 3kg, and she has followed up with two wide margin victories over 1600m. She has a good draw of five with Calvin Habib aboard and her 2,5kg gender claim will help. Vibe Check is an imposing, classy sort who creates a big impression. He likes to set the pace and has a wide draw, which creates a concern because on pedigree he has a slight stamina doubt despite two easy wins over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville which preceded his narrow victory in the Gr 2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville. He is by Querari out of Captain Al mare Victoria Lavelle, whose four wins were from 1000m to 1200m, and furthermore Vibe Check has two decent half-sisters who are both sprinters despite being by Vercingetorix and Silvano respectively i.e. Tulip Fields and Virginia Beach. He is likely to lead but will he be able to hang on? Red Spice is a must include despite a wide draw. He was inconvenienced at the start of the Golden Horseshoe and ended up too far back. However, he stayed on well for a 1,25 length fourth. On pedigree there must be a stamina doubt as he is by speedster Erik The Red out of a Right Approach five-time winning sprinter. However, he is held in high regard and Erik The Red does seem to be fairly versatile as a sire and he also gives the impression he could stay this trip. The Corne Spies-trained gelding Life In Colour won his last start over 1400m in impressive style and although he was only running off an 87 merit rating he is well related, being a a half-brother to Gr 3-winning and Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint runner up True To Life. Being by Malmoos he might be able to stay the trip and is worth considering. Erik Dubois is a big and maturing son of Erik The Red who ran on well from a wide draw in the Golden Horseshoe and from a good draw here he could be a threat. Secretary Bird, Green Energy, Bachata, Better Never Ends and Viking Leader have all caught the eye before, so all in all this looks like a race to consider putting the whole field in.

The two races are often the pivotal ones of the Pick 6.

Those who can get through them with narrow selection could find themselves in the pound seats, but there often regrets that wider choices were not taken.

Andrew Harrison

Louis Goosen has always had a soft spot for apprentices just learning their trade and has been a mentor to many. Qiniso Ngcobo is the son of Summerveld trainer Bo Ngcobo who does not have the biggest string so chances for his son were always going to be limited.

But Goosen was sufficiently impressed with Qiniso to entrust him on his star mare Arverni Princess who had won four of her last five starts and smart over course and distance at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

Always up with the pace as is her want, Ngcobo just had to keep his head and punch for the line, which he did to land the first win of his career holding off Ruby Rising who came with a telling late run but not able to get to the winner.

Warrior Royale is not the easiest to work with as alluded to by Mike Miller‘s assistant Craig Eudey post-race but when she puts her mind to racing she is more than useful. She had to have a shoe attended to at the start and not easy to load, but once out of the gates she was not for the catching.

Recording her fifth win from just 13 outings, she kept galloping all the way up the straight with challenges blunted early. Tulip Fields ran on but never a threat but finished off to snatch second ahead of Miss World and De Vlugge, the latter possibly more effective on the poly.

Dancing Party, badly hampered by a loose horse at her last start, made no mistakes in the card opener. Mekong tried to make all but was tracked by Callan Murray aboard Dancing Party and once Murray asked for maximum, she drew off to win comfortably with Mekong well clear of the balance of her rivals.

Steamy Window, after smart efforts behind Vibe Check and Viking Leader, looked the part in the Juvenile Plate but it was not to be.  Omkhulu Boss cracked the whip. Making steady improvement and taking full advantage of his 3kg pull with winners, Glen Kotzen’s gelding strode to a comfortable victory with Kid From The South chasing him home and Steamy Windows just managing to hold on to third.

It’s only a week or two before all thoroughbred races horses turn one year older but Doug Campbell’s two-year-old Sei Bella and Mike Miller’s Tears Of The Sun put one over their year older rival Gimme The Power in the first leg of the PA. Gimme The Power had the race at her mercy a furlong out but was not able to hold the challenges from her younger rivals.

Some way out, Candice Bass was in line for a one-two in the apprentice Class 5 with Taylor’s Version trying to make all and Lilac In Winter also in contention at the 400m mark. However, the places reversed over the final 200m as Damyan Pillay slipped Lilac In Winter up the inside of her stable companion to finish off the race in commanding fashion with favourite Hop Hop Spinnekop, giving Mxolisi Mbuto a hard time as she tried to duck in, doing enough to split the Bass runners.

Not to be outgone, Gareth van Zyl went one better with Wiccan Warrior and I Am Invictus finishing one-two in a tight finish to the Class 4. It was a three-way contest over the last 200m with Buddy Boy also in contention with little more than a head separating the three at the line.

Lunch Money, having his first outing for Frikkie Greyling, was given a confident ride by Girish Sam-Burthia in a tight finish to the Apprentice D Stakes with One Armed Bandit and the balance of the runners a long way back. The two came together a long way out in a ding-dong battle with Samo-Burthia having his hands full to keep Lunch Money on a straight course but punching out hands and heels, Lunch Money just managed to hold One Armed Bandit at bay.

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.

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.