David Thiselton

A MR 100 handicap over 1600m is the main race of the Vaal Classic track eight race meeting today and Wayne looks the one to beat

This Lucky Houdalakis-trained Vercingetorix gelding won his second start over 1400m, beating the promising Jaffa, and he followed up with an easy win over 1475m. He disappointed last time in the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m, but he had a wide draw and was up against some of the country’s best three-year-olds. Interestingly, the only horse he beat home in that race, his stablemate Agoge, came out and won next time out. Wayne should relish the step up in trip as he out of an unraced Tiger Ridge daughter of Fort Wood mare Carolina Cherry, who won the Gold Circle Oaks. Wayne sneaks into the handicap carrying the minimum weight and has drawn 4 out 7 runners with Muzi Yeni up. Birthright has disappointed in his last two starts and has a wide draw, but he’ll appreciate the step back up in trip to 1600m meters and he is off a competitive mark. Hopefully he can overcome the draw to get into a handy to front-running position. Tenjiku has been a bit disappointing lately, but he now has Craig Zackey aboard and could bounce back. Beynac is capable of a good performance and Callan Murray up gives him a chance. Player is capable of earning on his day. Hotarubi is talented but frustratingly unreliable. However, he has his 3rd run for Chris Jonker and the change of environment could perhaps help him.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a Maiden Plate over 1600m, Indian Spice has improved with blinkers and gets a good opportunity to prevail here over an ideal trip from a good draw of three. Smuggler ran fifth, beaten 5,40 lengths, when stepped up to 1600m second time out and as the winner was the talented Agoge he could have the ability to earn here, although on the downside he has a tough draw of nine. Millennium Warrior was 2,30 lengths behind Smuggler in that race and could possibly earn here. Palace Guard has shown enough to able to earn here. Underdog and Terrence are others to consider for places.

In the second leg, a MR 91 Handicap for fillies and mares, Future Date is a progressive sort and can overcome a four point raise for her good win last time as she is thriving over middle distances and has a good draw. Futura’s progeny are capable of continual improvement. Dimako’s Jet beat Future Date the last time they met and is now 1kg better off, so has the latter held on paper, but Future Date strikes as one who is on the up and she can defy that form. Art Nouveau is 1.5kg better off with Future Date for a one length beating. Boom Boom has the potential to be a runner here as she is distance suited and has a fair draw. Todoque could be dangerous from pole position.

In the fifth race over 1800m Duchess Of Paloma has caught the eye lately as one with plenty of scope and she has a fine chance from pole position. Lady Blunt is in cracking form and will love this trip so can go close from draw five. Rosy Lemon is another one who could have a shout as she is admirably consistent especially against her own gender. Kensal Green was thrashed by Duchess Of Paloma last October, but has run two good races since and can’t be ignored.  Chickasaw and Surprise Party are hard to ignore.

In the seventh over 1450m Peregrine Falcon is knocking hard and could earn over a suitable trip if able to overcome a draw. Monkey Puzzle has shown enough to be able to earn in this line up. Longsword is capable of a strong finish and could be in the shake up. Gulf Of America won well in the maidens and the form has been franked. Never Never Land won well last time and Gavin Lerena stays up off a three point higher mark.

In the eighth over 1000m Precocious, who had some fair form in Cape Town, won well last time and can follow up off an 86 merit rating. Magic Carpet Ride is capable of a much better showing than her last two and can bounce back over the minimum trip. Blindfire has pace and with a 1,5kg claimer up has a chance here.

In the first over 1800m Falconfly should relish the step up in trip and can go close from draw 2.

In the second over 1600m Utsaah will be hard to beat if repeating her last performance, which was the first time she had run in blinkers.

RACE 1

6 FALCONFLY 2 ANNEWITHANE 5 SKY PILLAR ROCK 1 PEACE TREATY

Preview: 6 FALCONFLY ran well first time out the maidens and will enjoy this step up in trip. 2 ANNEWITHAN E  is in fine form and should be in the shake up from pole position. 5 SKY PILLAR ROCK is capable of better than last time and will enjoy the slight step down in trip but does have a tricky draw. 1 PEACE TREATY is in good form and should be involved in the finish. (David Thiselton 6-2-5-1)

RACE 2

1 UTSAAH 2 MADE TO MEASURE 7 GREENSIDE GIRL 5 COOL REGGAE

Preview: 1 UTSAAH has improved and should go one better than last time. 2 MADE TO MEASURE has shown some ability and could earn here. 7 GREENSIDE GIRL has not been disgraced in two starts and could earn a cheque here. 5 COOL REGGAE is moderate but has a chance to earn in this line up. (David Thiselton 1-2-7-5)

RACE 3

1 INDIAN SPICE 9 SMUGGLER 2 MILLENNIUM WARRIOR 3 PALACE GUARD

Preview: 1 INDIAN SPICE has shown enough to be able to have a winning chance in this uninspiring line up. 9 SMUGGLER ran a decent race behind a promising sort second time out and has a chance. 2 MILLENNIUM WARRIOR was not far behind Smuggler last time. 3 PALACE GUARD has not been disgraced in three starts and can earn here. (David Thiselton 1-9-2-3)

RACE 4

1 FUTURE DATE 2 DIMAKO’S JET 5 ART NOUVEAU 7 BOOM BOOM

Preview: 1 FUTURE DATE is a progressive sort and can overcome a four point raise for her good win last time. 2 DIMAKO’S JET beat Future Date the last time they met and is now 1kg better off but the latter would have improved since. 5 ART NOUVEAU is 1.5kg better off with Future Date for a one length beating. 7 BOOM BOOM has the potential to be a runner here but the wide draw is a concern. (David Thiselton 1-2-5-7)

RACE 5

4 DUCHESS OF PALOMA 2 LADY BLUNT 8 ROSY LEMON

Preview: 4 DUCHESS OF PALOMA is a progressive sort who can win again. 2 LADY BLUNT is in cracking form and will love this trip. 8 ROSY LEMON is an admirable sort who is always capable of earning a cheque. (David Thiselton 4-2-8)

RACE 6

8 WAYNE 1 MONEY HEIST 6 BIRTHRIGHT

Preview: 8 WAYNE disappointed last time but showed plenty of ability before that and can bounce back. 1 MONEY HEIST has the ability to be a contender here from a fair draw and a 4kg claimer relieves the 63kg he has to carry. 6 BIRTHRIGHT has plenty of ability and and can earn here if able to overcome a wide draw. (David Thiselton 8-3-1-6)

RACE 7

6 PEREGRINE FALCON 4 MONKEY PUZZLE 3 LONGSWORD

Preview: 6 PEREGRINE FALCON is knocking hard and could earn over a suitable trip if able to overcome a draw. 4 MONKEY PUZZLE has shown enough to be able to earn in this line up. 3 LONGSWORD is capable of a strong finish and could be in the shake up. (David Thiselton 6-4-3)

RACE 8

1 PRECOCIOUS 3 MAGIC CARPET RIDE 5 BLINDFIRE

Preview: 1 PRECOCIOUS won well last time and can follow up off an 86 merit rating. 3 MAGIC CARPET RIDE is capable of a much better than last time and can bounce back. 5 BLINDFIRE with likely give it and has an outside chance. (David Thiselton 1-2-3-5)

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.