David Thiselton

The Vaal’s nine race meeting today is headlined by a MR 93 Handicap over 1000m for fillies and mares and the high draws are advantageous by trends over this course and distance.

Poblano has been catching the eye lately and will enjoy the step down in trip. In her penultimate start over 1200m on the Classic track she made up four lengths between the 800m mark and 400m mark to be in front and only faded late to finish a 1,85 length fifth. That was despite having had a shoe attended to at the start. Then last time out over 1160m at Turffontein Standside she looked the winner before being snared by the late charge of Chrome Tourmaline. She should be prominent early in this race and stay all the way to the line so looks the one to beat from a nice draw of five out of six. Bosum Buddy fought gamely to win over course and distance last time and has been raised three points to an 86. However, as she has gone close off an 89 before she has a chance. Roaming Spirit is 1,5kg better off with Bosum Buddy for a 1,40 length beating, which over this trip puts Bosum Buddy slightly ahead, but the latter has a nice middle draw. Miss Lia is capable of earning if reproducing her best. Caroline Island ran quite well after a long layoff last time and now has her second run after a rest. Let’s Go Lola would not be a surprise earner as she ran quite well in a Listed race over 1160m in her penultimate start at 100/1 odds.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a Middle Stakes event over 2000m and Texas Missile could claim a hattrick. He was raised six points for his last win but this One World colt is progressive and can do it from a good draw. One More Star looks to be the second choice of the yard on jockey bookings but could give his stablemate something to think about because he has a good record over this trip and has a fair draw. Dance King is a capable sort who has proved to be up to his current merit rating and he has a fair draw over an ideal trip. Vesuvio has the form to earn here if reproducing his best. Royal Edition can never be written off and Gavin Lerena, who won aboard him in his penultimate start, is back aboard.

In the sixth race over 1000m Plumbago Park has the hardest draw by trends of one. However, she is consistent and is still capable of further progression. Tempranillo was a bit disappointing last time but can do better and is 5kg better off with Deal Maker for a 2,70 length beating. There She Goes’ goes for a hattrick over this trip and can go close from a nice middle with Mickaelle Michel, who won on her in her penultimate start, back aboard with her 1,5kg gender claim. Deal Maker has three lengths to make up on There She Goes but is only 2,5kg better of if rider weight claims are ignored. Amazonian won nicely last time and could be in the shake up.

In the seventh over 1000m Time For Charity has a form chance and as she is drawn on the right side she is the choice. Blindfire  is capable of earning if reproducing her best over an ideal trip from a middle draw. In The Ether is capable of s strong finish if it pans out well. Misty Metal has a low draw but with a 4kg claimer up could earn. Red Hot Kisses is drawn highest of all and off a much reduced merit rating might bounce back to a semblance of form.

In the eighth over 1600m Dondoyaki has been transformed lately over a step up in trip and should go close again from a plum draw with a 4kg claimer up. Falconfly starts off on a reasonable 65 merit rating after a maiden win over 1450m and Craig Zackey can help overcome a tricky draw of six. Gift Of Royal won well last time and looks to be improving, so can earn from a middle draw. Commander Of All should be in the shake up in this line up, despite a wide draw. Sheets And Goggles could earn from a plum draw.

In the last race Quickfreeze won impressively second time out and has pole position over a suitable trip. Salute The Flag went close last time over this trip category and has a similarly tricky draw. Continental King looks to have plenty of ability and should enjoy this trip, although he has a tricky draw. Laughing William can go close if repeating his last start and he now has a plum draw. Father Christmas got five points for his last win, which was his third run on the Highveld, but he could progress further so is not out of it.

In the first leg of the PA War Talk can beat Asia’s Tiara.

In the first race Master Spy makes appeal with Zackey up despite returning from a six month layoff.

In the second race Babette’s Feast gets a good opportunity to get off the mark.

RACE 1

4 MASTER SPY 6 ROYALE JACKET 12 EMERALD FORGE 2 KAMBATI

Preview: 4 MASTER SPY went close in his third start and although he now returns from a six month layoff he faces an uninspiring field and Zackey is up. 6 ROYALE JACKET was disappointing last time but before that ran a cracker over1600m. 12 EMERALD FORGE has shown ability and should enjoy the step up in trip. 2 KAMBATI has run two fair races and should appreciate the step up in trip. (David Thiselton 4-6-12-2)

RACE 2

3 BABETTE’S FEAST 1 SWEETSUMMERLOVE 2 LADY LANCASTER

Preview: 3 BABETTE’S FEAST is knocking on the door and gets a vood opportunity here. 1 SWEETSUMMERLOVE ran an improved race last time out and can earn with a repeat. 2 LADY LANCASTER has scope for improvement and could earn. (David Thiselton 3-10-1-2)

RACE 3

5 WAR TALK 2 ASIAH’S TIARA 6 CHICKASAW 3 COOL REGGAE

Preview: 5 WAR TALK has finished two close seconds in last two over 1800m an will enjoy this trip but does have to overcome a wide draw.  2 ASIAH’S TIARA is knocking on the door and will enjoy the trip but also has a wide draw. 6 CHICKASAW has a fair draw and should be right there. 3 COOL REGGAE could earn as she has 1,90 lengths to find on Chickasaw. (David Thiselton 5-2-6-3)

RACE 4

6 TEXAS MISSILE 8 ONE MORE STAR 4 DANCE KING 5 VESUVIO

Preview: 6 TEXAS MISSILE goes for a hattrick and can do it off a six point higher mark because he enjoys the trip and is progressive and well drawn. 8 ONE MORE STAR is also in fine form over this trip and has a fair draw. 4 DANCE KING is a capable sort and from a fair draw over and ideal trip should be in the shake up. 5 VESUVIO has the form to earn here if reproducing his best. (David Thiselton 6-8-4-5)

RACE 5

2 POBLANO 4 BOSUM BUDDY 3 ROAMING SPIRIT 1 MISS LIA

Preview: 2 POBLANO has plenty of pace and will relish this course and distance from a nice draw. 4 BOSUM BUDDY won well last time over course and distance and off a three point higher mark could be in the shake up. 3 ROAMING SPIRIT is 1,5kg better off with Bosum Buddy for a 1,40 length beating, so there is not much in it. 1 MISS LIA is capable of earning if reproducing her best. (David Thiselton 2-4-3-1)

RACE 6

6 PLUMBAGO PARK 7 TEMPRANILLO 3 THERE SHE GOES 1 DEAL MAKER

Preview: 6 PLUMBAGO PARK is in fine form and is the one to beat. 7 TEMPRANILLO was a bit disappointing last time but can do better. 3 THERE SHE GOES is in good form but has to overcome a five point raise for her last win. 1 DEAL MAKER was a touch disappointing last time but will go close if reproducing her win before that. (David Thiselton 6-7-3-1)

RACE 7

6 TIME FOR CHARITY 2 BLINDFIRE 3 IN THE ETHER 1 MISTY METAL

Preview: 6 TIME FOR CHARITY has a nice high draw and has a good form chance. 2 BLINDFIRE is capable of earning if reproducing her best over an ideal trip from a middle draw. 3 IN THE ETHER is capable of s strong finish if it pans out well. 1 MISTY METAL could earn if reproducing her best. (David Thiselton 6-2-3-1)

RACE 8

1 DONDOYAKI 2 FALCONFLY 5 GIFT OF ROYAL 9 COMMANDER OF ALL

Preview: 1 DONDOYAKI has been transformed lately over a step up in trip and should go close again. 2 FALCONFLY starts off on a reasonable 65 merit rating after a maiden win over 1450m. 5 GIFT OF ROYAL won well last time and looks to be improving. 9 COMMANDER OF ALL should be in the shake up in this line up. (David Thiselton 1-2-5-9)

RACE 9

10 QUICKFREEZE 1 SALUTE THE FLAG 8 CONTINENTAL KING 7 LAUGHING WILLIAM

Preview: 10 QUICKFREEZE won impressively second time out and has pole position over a suitable trip. 1 SALUTE THE FLAG went close last time over this trip category and has a similarly tricky draw. 8 CONTINENTAL KING looks to have plenty of ability and should enjoy this trip, although he has a tricky draw. 7 LAUGHING WILLIAM can go close if repeating his last start and he now has a plum draw. (David Thiselton 10-1-8-7)

David Thiselton

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July will be a milestone one with the prize money doubled to R10 million and with a longer handicap introduced as the topweight will be upped to 62kg and bottom weight lowered to 52kg.

It will fittingly fall on the 30th anniversary of the centenary July, which turned out to be one of the greatest of all Julys as it was won by the legendary Alec Laird-trained London News, who went on to put South African racing on the map by winning the QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

The renowned South African wildlife painter Henk Vos released his celebrated work, the Painting Of The Century, depicting a century of July winners, after the July’s centenary running.

The iconic painting now hangs in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Alec Laird actually ordered one of the prints of the painting before it was completed as the print had the first of his great Uncle Syd Garrett’s five July winners on the left and the greatest of his father’s record seven July winners, Sea Cottage, was in the centre.

The right hand side just had a blank with a silhouette of a horse, because Vos did not know yet which horse he was going to paint there.

Alec, who trained out of Randjesfontein on the Highveld, related, “He hadn’t made up his mind what horse he was going to put in the last panel (the 20th panel) and he even said to me ‘I would like you to win the July because I would like to put you as the last painting.’ With about a year to go I said to him I’m not going to make it.’”

However, fate then had it that London News not only became the 14/10 favourite for the 100th running of the July, but he was also saddle cloth number 20, being the only three-year-old in the field and the bottom weight.

Piere Strydom recalled, “I remember at the traditional Friday night cocktail Henk Vos was there with his big painting and there was one spot left for the 100th winner and I can still remember saying to someone that I think my picture’s going to be up there.”

London News duly won the race and Alec, London News and Piere Strydom are now at the forefront of the famous painting’s 20th panel and the horse is fittingly carrying the no. 20 saddle cloth.

The London News story starts at the National Yearling Sale of 1994.

Alec recalled big owners Laurie and Jean Jaffee’s chief aim at that Sale was to buy a yearling by their own 1987 July winner, Bush Telegraph.

Alec recalled Harmony Forever being his number one choice at that Sale.

However, he remembered London News being “a nice horse.”

He added, “On the first day a Bush Telegraph colt called Mr Newspaperman went for about R300,000. London News looked more athletic and Jean Jaffee actually said to me, ‘What about this one?’ On the first day they didn’t get a horse, the second day they didn’t get one and the more they asked me about London News the nicer he got, because I was otherwise going to go home without a horse!”

The Jaffees managed to secure London News.

Alec recalled, “He was a light youngster and even as a three-year-old was quite light. He didn’t show immediately, but we always had the feeling that he would be a nice horse when he matured.”

In fact, London News made a particularly inauspicious debut, beaten no fewer than 16,5 lengths under Anton Marcus in a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal on June 6, 1995.

However, he got better and better and when he smashed the Greyville 2000m course record, which still stands today, in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, he had won six out of eleven starts including the Dingaans and two middle distance Gr 1s.

Piere Strydom was aboard for the Daily News 2000 too.

He reflected on the 1996 July, the first of his four victories in South Africa’s greatest race, “London News was a lekker horse to ride because he had gate speed, a lot of natural speed and he would travel right up there in front and he had a good kick. But at the top of the straight (having led) I thought with a light weight let me just let the reins go a bit and get a length or two for the short straight. But he accelerated way quicker than I had expected and that’s when he made up three or four lengths on the field. Obviously it was going to tell at the end and he was stopping quite badly at the end. I heard the horses coming and I was just hoping for the line and he held on.”

Alec added, “Mike Rattray had invited me to watch in his box because it was on the line and he won by a neck but my eyes wouldn’t believe it because there was so much pressure. I wanted to see the number up!”

Alec described the emotion of being on the honour roll together with his late record-breaking seven-time July-winning father Syd.

In fact his extended family is comfortably the most prolific July-winning family in history with his grandfather Alec winning one as a jockey, his great Uncle Syd Garrett winning two as a jockey and three as a trainer, his father Syd winning a record seven as a trainer, and the cousins Dennis Drier, Alec Laird and Charles Laird each winning one July apiece – a total of 16 for the July dynasty.