Andrew Harrison

Cats Pajamas has always been up there with the country’s top sprinters and he gets a chance to show his mettle when he lines up in the African Holly Stakes over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday and could prove to be one of the better bets on a bumper 10-race programme in spite of facing some speedy opposition under a big weight.

The Rafeef gelding has his first run for Nathan Kotzen and is the second-best weighted behind regular visitor William Robertson who is something of a course specialist.

Cats Pajamas has not been out since late November where he contested a Pinnacle Stakes race at Turffontein when under the care of Frank Robertson and running a commendable two-lengths off the smart Minogue who was in receipt of 8 kg.

Prior to that he had solid form behind the likes of I Am Giant and Gladatorian but his best recent effort was a two-length fourth in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint  at WFA behind Buffalo Storm Cody.

Given that Kotzen has him close to his best, he could take some beating. But as mentioned he is up against a course specialist in William Robertson.

The gelding has been a soldier for Corne Spies, winning 15 races and getting his just rewards when winning the Gr1 Computaform Sprint last season.

His form since then has been a little patchy since but he has been forced to shoulder big weights. He finished second to surprise winner Captain Bombshell in this race last year and given that he is the best weighted, he should make a spirited bid.

Tony Rivalland saddles the speedy King Of The Gauls who finally showed his true ability last time out when sprinting home unchallenged on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly. If he can carry that form back onto the turf he should also be in the firing line as he is super quick.

Of the balance, Convocation is seldom far back but jumps in class and in spite of her light weight she should be out-gunned.

Wild Justice will be looking to follow up on his recent victory when he lines up in the B Stakes, next on the card.

Gareth van Zyl’s colt has won three of his four starts and still looks to be under the handicapper’s radar. However, he is 3kg worse off with Garth Puller’s runner Major Tommie on their last meeting and will need to up his game if he is going to confirm the placings although the trip also seems to be in his favour. Circumbendibus was a winner all the way to the line at his last start before being snaffled on the line. He has come good of late and should be a contender. Dark horse could be Cowboy Country. He is lightly raced and has shown some promise. With his handy weight he should at least feature prominently.

Mark Dixon sends out Master Du Rouvray in the C Stakes over 1950m and the gelding has not been out of the money in his last five starts including two wins. He has a fair weight but looks capable of going in again. Biggest danger could come from High Queue who has been in good form for his new stable since arriving in KZN and finished runner-up at his last two. The blinkers are back on and this trip suits. Spectacular is seldom far back and with a 4kg claimer aboard should be competitive in this line-up.

An interesting runner on the day comes in the first, the KZN Futurity Plate where two-year-old ace trainer Mike Miller saddles Master Magician. The Summerveld dogs were backing long before he made his debut with touts not slow to clock the gallops in spite of Miller and he assistants back in bed before most start work in the mornings. Master Magician was super impressive on debut and was well supported in the market. He could prove hard to beat unless there is a springer in the form of a couple of unraced runners.

Andrew Fortune makes the trip from Cape Town and Blue Steel can pay for his air fare. The Candice Bass-trained gelding  arrives with some promising Cape form and could prove too strong for this field although it is a competitive line-up where Dubai Dude and Eastern Highlands are among the main contenders.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is an open maiden over 2400m. Day Two has only had three starts  and steps up in trip. He was not far back in a useful maiden field last run and if he stays he should at least be in the placings.  Doug Campbell saddles Peeping Tom who has shown signs of coming to hand at his last two and the step up in trip may suit. Window To My Soul has been consistent over shorter of late and if he stays the extra he will be a big runner.

In the fifth, Gareth van Zyl sends out La Maddalena in a tricky handicap but his filly has improved since being tried over ground and comes from an in form stable with a handy galloping weight. Curious Girl disappointed when favourite first run out of the maidens but that was on the poly. She can make amends back on turf and is one to watch in the market. Fine Wine caused a major boil-over when winning first up out of the maidens but she has made recent improvement. She gets a 4kg claimer aboard and could go in again.

The final leg of the Pick 6 is an open handicap but Fascination was caught late at her last two and only has 51kg to shoulder. Light Of Gabriel landed the odds narrowly when coming from a long way back to snaffle Fascination on the line. She is now 2kg worse off but given her style of racing, she can deny the handicap as she is lightly raced and still improving. Tomyris goes back to sprinting but is smart on her day. This may be on the short side but she is definitely not out of it. Winter Rainfall has not been out of the money since arriving in KZN. She too is better off at the weights with Light Of Gabriel and can send Fortune back to Cape Town in high spirits.

RACE 1

8 MASTER MAGICIAN   3 SPIRIT OF GABZ   6 BETTER NEVER ENDS   4 JAPURA

Summary: MASTER MAGICIAN (8) was super impressive when winning on debut and was well supported in the market. He could prove hard to beat. SPIRIT OF GABZ (3) has had plenty of experience and shed his maiden against winners. He just got home last time out. BETTER NEVER ENDS (6) improved nicely at second time of asking over course and distance. JAPURA (4) has finished in the money at her last two and should be thereabouts again. (Andrew Harrison: 8-3-6-4).

RACE 2

4 BEST OF ALL   1 WINTER BLESSING   8 WINTER IN LONDON   9 GREEN TICKET

Summary: BEST OF ALL (4) found strong market support on debut over course and distance but found one too good. With that experience he can make amends. The filly WINTER BLESSING (1) has not been out of the money since raced in blinkers. She has a handy weight with a 4kg claimer aboard. WINTER IN LONDON (8) was a little disappointing in the soft last run after a promising previous showing. He gets cheek pieces and a tongue-tie.. GREEN TICKET (9) has put in two fair efforts to date and has a money chance again. (Andrew Harrison: 4-1-8-9).

RACE 3

7 BLUE STEEL   3 DUBAI DUDE   4 EASTERN HIGHLANDS   2 TASK FORCE

Summary: BLUE STEEL (7) arrives with some promising Cape form and could prove too strong for this field although it is a competitive line-up. DUBAI DUDE (3) made good improvement over course and distance second time out from a deep draw. He has a plum draw with a 1.5kg allowance from the saddle. EASTERN HIGHLANDS (4) steps up in trip but has some solid recent form over shorter. This trip should suit. TASK FORCE (2) improved in blinkers and a tongue-tie last run on the poly and could show more. (Andrew Harrison: 7-2-4-2).

RACE 4

8 DAY TWO   1 PEEPING TOM   6 WINDOW TO MY SOUL   10 MAGIC HAT TRICK

Summary: Open maiden. DAY TWO (8) has only had three starts  and steps up in trip. He was not far back in a useful maiden field last run and if he stays he should at least be in the placings.  PEEPING TOM (1) has shown signs of coming to hand at his last two and the step up in trip may suit. WINDOW TO MY SOUL (6) has been consistent over shorter of late. If he stays the extra he will be a big runner. MAGIC HAT TRICK (10) has shown some ability and this extended trip could see him improve further. (Andrew Harrison: 8-1-6-10).

RACE 5

3 LA MADDALENA   1 CURIOUS GIRL   8 FINE WINE   5 ZENA ROSE

Summary:  LA MADDALENA (3) has improved since being tried over ground. She comes from an in form stable with a handy galloping weight. CURIOUS GIRL (1) disappointed when favourite first run out of the maidens but that was on the poly. She can make amends back on turf. ZENA ROSE (5) is back on turf but caught the eye last run with the compression mask removed. FINE WINE (8) caused a major boil-over when winning first up out of the maidens but she has made recent improvement. She gets a 4kg claimer aboard and could follow up again. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-8-5).

RACE 6

1 MASTER DU ROUVRAY   7 HIGH QUEUE   2 SPECTACULAR   8 SHINY BOB

Summary: MASTER DU ROUVRAY (1) has not been out of the money in his last five starts including two wins. He has a fair weight but looks capable of going in again. HIGH QUEUE (7) has been in good form for his new stable since arriving in KZN and finished runner-up at his last two. The blinkers are back on and this trip suits. SPECTACULAR (2) is seldom far back and with a 4kg claimer aboard he should be competitive in this line-up. SHINY BOB (8) may have found his last run too far and is back over a more suitable trip. (Andrew Harrison: 1-7-2-8).

RACE 7

2 CATS PAJAMAS   5 WILLIAM ROBERTSON   4 KING OF THE GAULS   1 CONVOCATION

Summary: Cracking sprint. CATS PAJAMAS (2) is the second-best weighted in spite of the 62.5kg on his back. He has his first run for a new stable and is smart on his day. WILLIAM ROBERTSON (5) is something of a course specialist and has good form in strong company. He should be right there. KING OF THE GAULS (4) finally showed his true ability last time out but that was on the poly. If he can carry that form back onto the turf he should also be in the firing line as he is super quick. CONVOCATION (1) is seldom far back but jumps in class. However, she does have a light weight. (Andrew Harrison: 2-5-4-1).

RACE 8

8 WILD JUSTICE   2 MAJOR TOMMIE   1 CIRCUMBENDIBUS   3 COWBOY COUNTRY

Summary: WILD JUSTICE (8) has won three of his four starts and still looks to be under the radar. However, he is 3kg worse off with MAJOR TOMMIE (2) on their last meeting and will need to up his game if he is going to confirm the placings although the trip also seems to be in his favour. CIRCUMBENDIBUS (1) was a winner all the way to the line before being caught late. He has come good of late and should be a contender. COWBOY COUNTRY (3) is lightly raced and has shown some promise. He has a handy weight and should at least feature prominently. (Andrew Harrison: 8-2-1-3).

RACE 9

13 FASCINATION   2 LIGHT OF GABRIEL   14 TOMYRIS   5 WINTER RAINFALL

Summary: Open handicap. FASCINATION (13) was caught late at her last two. She only has 51kg to shoulder here and can go one better. LIGHT OF GABRIEL (2) came from a long way back to snaffle Fascination on the line. She is now 2kg worse off but given her style of racing, she could deny the handicap as she is lightly raced and still improving. TOMYRIS (14) goes back to sprinting but is smart. This may be on the short side but she is definitely not out of it. WINTER RAINFALL (5) has not been out of the money since arriving in KZN. She too is better off at the weights with Light Of Gabriel and rates a strong chance. (Andrew Harrison: 13-2-14-5).

RACE 10

9 MOHAVE PRINCE   4 CHRISTMAS CACTUS   15 SWORD SPEED   10 MOHANDAS

Summary: Tough handicap to finish off the day. MOHAVE PRINCE (9) steps up in trip but is useful. He has a big weight but should be competitive. CHRISTMAS CACTUS (4) shed his maiden in a competitive line-up and has improved with each step up in trip. He looks progressive. SWORD SPEED (15) shed his maiden at second time of asking at cramped odds. He has been rested and has a deep draw but also looks progressive in a well exposed field. MOHANDAS (10) won well in a race he should have won given the opposition last time out but he is holding form and his chances cannot be ignored. (Andrew Harrison: 9-4-15-10).

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.