David Thiselton

The Gr 3 TAB Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m is the headliner at Turffontein Standside on Sunday and the exciting prospect Errol Flynn could make another step towards a likely Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup long-term target.

The Master Of My Fate gelding bounced back from his Gr 1 SA Classic flop, for which he had genuine excuses, with two impressive victories over 1600m in which he put daylight between himself and the opposition. He now has another chance to prove he stays this trip. He should get stamina from his sire and although his dam was by sprinter What A Winter tha latter can throw some stamina and in this case the mare’s two wins were over 1400m and 1600m respectively. He has a fair draw of five in the eight horse field and Keagan de Melo is up.

Copper Eagle ran a fine second in the Gr 3 Jubilee over 1800m and if the winner Aladdin’s Lamp does well in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, then it will enhance his chances here, although he has a tricky draw of six.

Chronicle King has some class and should stay the trip, so has a shout from draw four under Gavin Lerena.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m Spirit Of Gabz is the form choice, but has a wide draw. The dangers could be Dear Doc and Snowblade, who are both well drawn.

In the fifth race over 1160m the one to beat in an uninspiring race could be Campo Formio, who wasn’t disgraced on debut behind a fair sort. WhatsdamatterwithU has been well beaten in all his starts but has faced quality opposition and has not been totally disgraced. Pole Position is a first-timer by Gimmethegreenlight out a Var mare who has produced  a couple of horses rated higher than a 100, so he could be a threat from a nice high draw.

In the sixth race over 1800m Hawkbill will enjoy the trip and is the selection in a wide open event with just six runners. Putting the whole field in the Pick 6 might be the way to go.

In the eighth race over 1160m the in-form pair Taxi To The Moon and African Pride could fight it out, with preference for the latter because he is on the up, while Taxi To Moon is likely using it as a preparation race for the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint.

In the ninth over 1400m Master Christmas is well drawn in three and should make a bold bid over a suitable trip. The fillies Kensal Green and Warning Sound, if she takes her place after running on Thursday, could be the chief dangers.

In the third race over 1400m Within Reach is the form choice. Impressive won in taking style over this trip last time and although officially having a hard task at the weights with Within Reach on their last meeting she looks to be on the up.

In the second race over 2400m Enflame has tremendous Highveld staying form and can carry topweight to victory from pole position under Gavin Lerena.

In the first over 1160m Irish Wilma can go close if able to reproduce her penultimate start.

In the tenth over 1600m the progressive War Reporter can continue on his winning ways from a plum draw.

RACE 1

WINIKA and STAR MAGNOLIA have the form and experience to be competitive and will likely fight out the finish with a repeat of their career-best last starts. IRISH WILMA and WHAT NOW MY LOVE are open to improvement and could get into the picture. Newcomer BLUE STORM RUNNER is worth a market check and won’t need to be special to make her presence felt on debut. Watch the betting!

RACE 2

ENFLAME made no impression last time in a KZN feature but will be a different proposition back on the Highveld. He is course-and-distance suited and the best-weighted runner in the race. Stablemate ETHICAL returns from a layoff but is a maturing stayer with scope to improve on her reappearance. BREEZE OVER and MO MENT get the trip well and are weighted to be competitive but both are out of sorts. EUPHRATES has no stamina doubts but his better form has come at a lower level. DECEPTION PASS is unexposed over this distance but have earning potential.

RACE 3

SECRET FATE was outrun late when a game-in-defeat 3rd over track and trip recently. She’s 3kg better off with QUEEN LEILA so is weighted to turn the tables on her last-start conqueror who will likely remain competitive under top weight. WITHIN REACH was a fast-finishing 2nd over this trip when last seen, conceding 3kg to the winner who has won both subsequent starts. She resumes from a break and should make her presence felt with improvement expected on her reappearance. Recent maiden winner IMPRESSIVE and well-related likely improver BELLFLOWER also have the means to get involved.

RACE 4

SPIRIT OF GABZ has improved in two recent Highveld outings around the bend, the latest in a minor feature over course and distance. He should play a leading role with a repeat of that performance. Maidens EXPERT WITNESS, RAFE’S ORACLE and SNOWBLADE are closely matched on the form of their 1600m meeting on the Inside track last month. They should improve to be competitive in receipt of 3kg from the selection. Well-bred newcomer HARTREE is worth a market check on debut and recently gelded DEAR DOC is another to keep an eye on.

RACE 5

Hard race to assess but the value could lie with WHATSDAMATTERWITHU on his reappearance after a break. Soundly beaten in his 3 starts, he bumped highly rated multiple winners on each occasion and is open to any amount of improvement after a subsequent gelding operation. WISH YOU WERE HERE and CAMPO FORMIO have the benefit of experience that should stand them in good stead against several unraced rivals. GLASTONBURY FIRE and PARISIENNE QUEEN warrant respect on debut, as do 2yo newcomers POLE POSITION and SPICY PLUM. Follow the betting market for clues!

RACE 6

THE EQUATOR made an encouraging return to form last time in his first start for this stable behind a Durban July contender in a course-and-distance Grade 3 event. He will have tightened up with the run and is weighted to fight out the finish. WILD INTENT is out of sorts and held on that form but has the means to pose a threat, as does distance-suited KING’S EXPRESS who gets 7.5kg from the selection. DON’T CRY FOR ME and FIRE ‘N FLAMES will appreciate stretching out to this trip so can’t be ignored.

RACE 7

ERROL FLYNN is unbeaten in 2 starts with blinkers fitted. He hit the line strongly when winning over 1600m last time and will be hard to beat over this extended trip on the evidence of that performance. COPPER EAGLE was a fast-finishing 2nd in a course-and-distance Grade 3 last time (conceding weight to the 5yo winner who runs in the Durban July) and will play another leading role with if reproducing a similar effort. GOT THE FEELING is held on from and at the weights by the selection but has earning potential. CHRONICLE KING and GOLDEN OPERATOR are untried over 1800m but warrant respect too.

RACE 8

TAXI TO THE MOON, prolific after gelding, produced another career-best effort to win a KZN Grade 2 last time. He carries a 3-point penalty for that victory but is weighted to remain competitive, even with 62kg on his back. Fillies ALMOND SEA and ONE FINE WINTER are the joint best-weighted runners in the race so have to be respected, though a bigger threat may come from hat-trick seeking 3yo AFRICAN PRIDE who is at the top of his game and open to further improvement in his peak outing. ZALATORIS, CHARMING CHEETAH, CHAPBOOK and SLINKY MAPIMPI are useful sprinters so aren’t taken lightly either.

RACE 9

MASTER CHRISTMAS bounced back to form last time in a stronger race over this distance so a repeat of that performance off an unchanged mark could suffice. Maturing WARNING SOUND, consistent 3yo KENSAL GREEN and versatile CHESTNUT BOMBER are up in the ratings after encouraging last starts but should remain competitive. DANTONFROMSANDTON may have more of a place chance than a winning one.

RACE 10

WAR REPORTER has gone from strength to strength this year after an 8-month absence, winning two of his three comeback appearances. As a lightly raced 4yo, he remains open to improvement and is probably better than rated so it could pay to follow his progress. Stablemates PRINCESS KEIRA, TOP SHELF TEDDY and UTSAAH have the form and experience at this level to be competitive. SKY PILOT hit the front 400m out on his handicap debut but was outrun late over 1700m so this shorter trip could be more to his liking. SUNSET WARRIOR, MILLENNIUM WARRIOR and returning HARUN AL RASHID can also get a look in.

Andrew Harrison

Justin Snaith is now one short of equaling the legendary Syd Laird’s record of seven July wins when he saddled the first two past the post in the R10 Million Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville today.

In a thrilling finish before a capacity crowd and in a one-two in joint owner Nancy Hossack’s colours, Note To Self got up to touch off the filly Wish List and deny 59-year-old Andrew Fortune in a race that he was hoping to bookend end his career. Third was rank outsider King Pelles with Viva’s Liberte in the shallow end of the purse.

It was not to be for Fortune although he will have had high hopes as Wish List burst out of the pack racing over the subway and looked to have the race in the bag. However, Richard Fourie who had been biding his time in the pack, produced Note To Self with a telling late run down the outside of the straight. The two fought out a tight finish with the gelding getting the better of the filly inside the last 100m.

Fortune was supremely confident before the race but in a gesture of sportsmanship, stretching out his hand to congratulate Fourie after crossing the line.

Surprisingly, top weight Legal Counsel made the pace but had done his job turning for home leaving stable mate Wish List to take up the cuddles. It looked to have been a well thought-out strategy for the filly before Note To Self arrived on the scene.

Fourie was circumspect when quizzed about his early move at the 800m mark and said, “I don’t know. I blacked out at the top of the straight.

But added, “There’s no better feeling than winning it the first time but maybe second time with Do It Again, but it’s a great feeling. Just doing it in front of 50 thousand people at Greyville it’s such a feeling, the rush. I can’t explain the sound when everybody is shouting at you in the middle. It’s like being in a canyon. It was just a lovely race and was as sweet as it can be.”

Snaith heaped praise on his charge Note To Self. “I heard a couple of people say ‘what has he done up to now,’ and I knew he was going to come to the fore sort of at the right time but we were always wandering if it was one year early as he is a very immature horse.

“You saw him walking in the pre-race, he is unconscious, but this last week I said to everybody you can excuse the Daily News he was not right and had a temperature for two days after that and I had to really nurse him and do a lot of work and just making him feel better and get his coat right and all of a sudden this week in the last three days he took off. He was just a different horse and I knew that everyone was in trouble. He just walks around, he’s just a leopard, he is the most unassuming stunning individual and I knew that if he came right he was the horse to beat in this field.”

Not To Self was bred by Varsfontein Stud and owned by Jonathan Bloch, Jonathan Snaith and Nancy Hossack whose black and white colours where the first two past the post.

Tienie Prinsloo was not always confident that Quickstepgal would be at her best over 1600m when taking on the best but it was it was confidence misplaced as Qucikstepgal made short work of a high class field in the Gr1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes. It was always going to be a three-way contest and so it proved. Quickstepgal was always up with the pace and quickened smartly crossing the subway and was not for the catching. Double Grand Slam and Mon Petit Cherie were left fighting it out for the minor money.

Buffalo Storm Cody drifted alarmingly in the betting for the Gr3 Post Merchants and although beaten he was no disgraced as Jet Force put it all together in the Gr3 Post Merchants. Des McLachlan is a rare visitor to KZN and Grant van Niekerk, a top rider but seemingly out of favour these days, was having his only ride on the day that should have been the office for astute followers of the game. Taking on the Gr1 winning Questioning at his last two starts over further. He will have sharpened up for this race and duly arrived, bursting out of the pack with a furlong to run. Buffalo Storm Coday came wide into the straight but was not able to peg back Jet Force who had got first run.

Zak Lloyd, fresh from a win at Royal Ascot, was on the winner’s podium after just his second ride in South Africa as he scored a bloodless victory on Magic Verse in the Gr3 Magical Zulu Kingdom 2200m as Justin Snaith got his afternoon off to the best of starts, winning three of the first four races on the card. It got a lot better later.

In a race run at no great pace, Lloyd had Magic Verse well placed behind a pedestrian gallop and pressed for home early. The gelding responded willingly under minimum effort from the saddle and soon had the better of a game Johnny The Thief who stayed on ahead of Otto Luyken for the minor money.

It was the turn of the heavily supported Ahead Of The Facts in the 3000m Gr3 Durban Gold Vase as Richard Fourie produced the favourite with a telling late run up the inside fence to have the race sewn up inside the last furlong.

After modest early fractions The Mikado went to the front and set the pace for stable companion Shoot The Rapids who was hard-held in second ahead of Holding Thumbs. All fell away in the straight as Shoot The Rapids went clear but Master Redoute, who also found plenty of market support, came out to challenge, the two engaging in a ding-dong battle up the straight but Fourie slipped Ahead Of The Facts up the inside rail and had something in hand, saluting the crowd, as he swept past his rivals.

Favourites were the order of the day leading into the Gr2 Amusnet Golden Slipper where Alice B Toklas found plenty of support but it was not to be. Palace Of Arvenia, some time three wide on the turn, was given a confident ride by national log-leading rider Craig Zackey. Dean Kannemeyer seldom wants his runners up with the early pace and Palace Of Arvenia quickened well coming wide into the straight and was not for the catching Alice B Toklas was a tad unlucky as Too Fast To Fiesta hung in badly forcing Fourie to ease and switch which may well have cost him the race as Sean Tarry’s filly finished off her race strongly for second.

Vibe Check got the favourites back on track as Vaughan Marshall’s Vibe Check made all the running in the Gr2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe. Well supported in the betting Sean Veale made the most of the mayor’s office draw and was in the front from the jump. He had a good lead coming into the straight but suddenly the two international riders, Zak Lloyd and Chad Schofield made a race of it as Green Energy and the filly Secretary Bird shot out of the pack. However, Vibe Check held on and indications are that he will try his luck on the Gr1 World Pool Moment of the Day Champion Stakes on HKJC Gold Cup Day.

David Thiselton

The Gr 3 TAB Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m is the headliner at Turffontein Standside on Sunday and the exciting prospect Errol Flynn could make another step towards a likely Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup long-term target.

The Master Of My Fate gelding bounced back from his Gr 1 SA Classic flop, for which he had genuine excuses, with two impressive victories over 1600m in which he put daylight between himself and the opposition. He now has another chance to prove he stays this trip. He should get stamina from his sire and although his dam was by sprinter What A Winter the latter can throw some stamina and in this case the mare’s two wins were over 1400m and 1600m respectively. He has a fair draw of five in the eight horse field and Keagan de Melo is up.

Copper Eagle ran a fine second in the Gr 3 Jubilee over 1800m and if the winner Aladdin’s Lamp does well in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, then it will enhance his chances here, although he has a tricky draw of six.

Chronicle King has some class and should stay the trip, so has a shout from draw four under Gavin Lerena.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m Spirit Of Gabz is the form choice, but has a wide draw. The dangers could be Dear Doc and Snowblade, who are both well drawn.

In the fifth race over 1160m the one to beat in an uninspiring race could be Campo Formio, who wasn’t disgraced on debut behind a fair sort. WhatsdamatterwithU has been well beaten in all his starts but has faced quality opposition and has not been totally disgraced. Pole Position is a first-timer by Gimmethegreenlight out a Var mare who has produced  a couple of horses rated higher than a 100, so he could be a threat from a nice high draw.

In the sixth race over 1800m Hawkbill will enjoy the trip and is the selection in a wide open event with just six runners. Putting the whole field in the Pick 6 might be the way to go.

In the eighth race over 1160m the in-form pair Taxi To The Moon and African Pride could fight it out, with preference for the latter because he is on the up, while Taxi To Moon is likely using it as a preparation race for the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint.

In the ninth over 1400m Master Christmas is well drawn in three and should make a bold bid over a suitable trip. The fillies Kensal Green and Warning Sound, if she takes her place after running on Thursday, could be the chief dangers.

In the third race over 1400m Within Reach is the form choice. Impressive won in taking style over this trip last time and although officially having a hard task at the weights with Within Reach on their last meeting she looks to be on the up.

In the second race over 2400m Enflame has tremendous Highveld staying form and can carry topweight to victory from pole position under Gavin Lerena.

In the first over 1160m Irish Wilma can go close if able to reproduce her penultimate start.

In the tenth over 1600m the progressive War Reporter can continue on his winning ways from a plum draw.

David Thiselton

The South African racing industry fraternity reverberated with shock and disappointment shortly after lunchtime on Tuesday when news filtered through that the Hollywoodbets Durban July favourite Star Major had been scratched due to an elevated temperature.

This was a blow to trainer James Crawford as well as to owners Ravi Naidoo of Kalinga, Jonathan Bloch and Prakashni Pillay.

However, Ravi later looked at it philosophically and said, “I’m ambivalent about it. Part of me thinks it’s a blessing in disguise. We can chart a more purist route with our entire. If he is in outlandishly good nick, come month end, we could have a tilt at the G1 Champions Cup in open company, at weight for age. Otherwise,  like James said, we have accomplished our goal this season. We aimed for the Daily News. Mission accomplished. I feel privileged to be racing a horse of this calibre. He’s been a revelation. We must just catch our breath, recollect and refresh.”

As a Durban-born racing fan Ravi has long dreamed of winning the July and looked to have another fine opportunity with Star Major after being narrowly denied with Cousin Casey two years ago.

Jonathan Bloch still has a another chance this year as he is also part-owner of the new joint favourite Wish List.

However, it would have been a bitter blow to Star Major’s jockey Mickaelle Michel, who had an opportunity to make July history and continue a remarkable fairy tale story.

The scratching would have been greeted with different emotions in other quarters.

It means the first reserve, the Erico Verdonese-trained Choisaanada, comes into the race and gets an opportunity to prove a point as there was controversy after he was left out of the top 18 by the final field panellists.

Ironically, Rachel Venniker now steps into the plate vacated by Mickaelle Michel, because she is booked to ride Choisaanada.

Rachel has already made July history, becoming the first female to ride in the July in 2024, and she now gets the opportunity to be the first female jockey to win the iconic race.

The second reserve, the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained SA Derby winner Curious Girl, is now one step closer to getting in.

There must be another scratching before 08H15 on Friday for her to get in, although she is fancied for the Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase over 3000m and would have a very tough task at the weights in the July, being officially a whopping 6kg under sufferance. The 2200m trip of the July might also be a bit on the sharp side for her too.

The new joint favourites for the race are the Justin Snaith-trained pair Wish List and Note To Self, who are now both 5/1  with the sponsor. In fact Snaith, who has five runners in the race, now has the top three in the betting as his charge Regulation is joint 6/1 third favourite will the well-backed Viva’s Liberte.

David Thiselton

Star Major is the second favourite for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and this progressive Querari colt has been in fine fettle at Randjesfontein after his superb win in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.

Tim Woodruff is the Randjesfontein assistant to trainer James Crawford and he said about the Maine Chance Farms-bred bay, who is owned by passionate Durban-born owner, Ravi Naidoo, together with Neville Isdell, Mr J I Bloch and Mrs Prakashni Pillay.

Tim said, “He is all good, we have just tried to freshen him up because it is a quick turnaround between races, but he is doing good. You do get your things between races you sometimes have to deal with, but I do think he will be alright for the Daily News.”

Star Major jumped from a wide  draw in the WSB Guineas and was dropped out.

He turned for home in last place with a number of lengths to make up, but then produced a good turn of foot followed by an impressively resolute finish coupled with an eyecatching late gear change that saw him surging to a 0,90 length victory over the hot favourite Tin Pan Alley.

 Of course sectional timing invariably shows that apparent late surges or apparent flying finishes are usually an optical illusion caused by the other horses slowing down at a more rapid rate than the apparently strong-finishing horse. Invariably the surging horse is actually also slowing down.

Indeed the sectional timing of the WSB Guineas shows Star Major’s 100m to finish time to be his slowest sectional of the entire race.

However the fact that he was able to have the fastest 100m to finish time of the whole field, despite having had to make up many lengths to get there, seems to show that he has got some stamina.

He did win the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m and finished a fair 3,20 length fourth in the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m, both at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. In the latter race he ran on despite having been a bit keen in the running.

That would illustrate he has the stamina, but hopefully he will be able to settle better this time.

He settled very well in  the WSB Guineas and due to his wide draw Tim Woodruff said the same tactic of being dropped out will be employed.

He added, “Obviously it’s a short straight so it’s obviously not ideal. But just looking for a good run  and then obviously the July afterwards.”

He gave his opinion on the 2000m distance, “He should get the trip.”

Querari won a Gr 1 over 2000m and Star Major is out of a mare by stamina influence Silvano and this mare not only won over 1900m, but was an own sister to Follow The Star, who won the Listed Glenair Trophy over 2800m.

So on pedigree he will easily stay the trip.

Mickaelle Michel retains the ride and if winning it she will become only the second woman in SA history to win a Gr 1, the only one to date to have won one being Lisa Prestwood on the Buddy Maroun-trained Al Nitak in the Golden Horse Sprint on June 1, 2023, almost exactly 23 years ago.

Mickaelle has been in excellent form and Tim confirmed that if everything went well in the Daily News she would keep the ride for the Hollywoodbets Durban July too.

Tim agreed she had been outriding many of her male weighing room colleagues and added, “She has got the touch.”

It would be somewhat ironic if Mickaelle did win the Daily News with a horse conditioned by assistant trainer Woodruff, because Tim’s mother Carol (nee Millard) was the first woman to have a professional license in SA. She had started riding work for her legendary father Terrance Millard at the age of 12 and from age 14 started riding in and winning many amateur races. She was apprenticed overseas and rode in the tough school of England and Germany in professional races. However, the SA authority of the time refused to allow her to ride in professional races in SA, gross unfairness. To get around the legalities the authority installed a rule that overseas apprentices wee not allowed to ride here. This came back to bite them because years later a top apprentice from Europe came over only for everybody to discover he was not allowed to ride here. Carol was able to ride in Cape Hunt races against professional jockeys, ironically a more dangerous discipline than flat racing, and she was able to ride in Zimbabwe under a “Day” license, which was usually utilised when there were not enough professional riders available. She remembers winning a Cape Hunt race on Hawkins, who had formerly been one of Terrance Millard’s many Gold Cup winners. She also finished second in “The Schweppes” in Zimbabwe.

But back to Star Major, who is still a colt meaning a Daily News win will look very good on his stallion CV.

Tim said, “If you win the Guineas and the Daily News it is just next level.”

Tim said Star Major had a fine chance of realising the dream of Ravi Naidoo and no doubt all the other owners too, a win in the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He concluded, “He is ticking all the boxes, He’s a machine.”