CHAMPIONS SEASON PROGRAMME APRIL TO JULY 2023
Author Archives: Yegan Kander
CHAMPIONS SEASON 2023
Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets are pleased to announce that Champions Season 2023 will boast more than R29-million in prize money for the Feature race programme, which comprises 13 Grade 1 races, 12 Grade 2 races and a host of Grade 3 and Listed events. In addition, an amount of R24-million will be paid out for the minor races during this period.
Speaking on behalf of Gold Circle, CEO, Michel Nairac said “At this time, when horse racing is facing many challenges, we are delighted that the status of our Champions Season has not only been retained, but it has also been enhanced. Of course, this would not have been possible without the generous support of our loyal headline sponsor and partner, Hollywoodbets. All stakeholders are indebted to Hollywoodbets for their continued backing and belief.”
With all the Covid protocols and regulations now firmly behind us, racegoers can look forward to a Champions Season of high-quality horse racing, with visitors descending on KwaZulu-Natal from all around the country. Annually, the Champions Season which brings the racing year to a glorious conclusion, attracts the best horses, jockeys, and trainers to compete in the “National Championship” of South African horse racing.
The R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July remains the most sought-after and valuable prize. However, there are significant increases for the following important Graded races:-
1. Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (Grade 1) from R1,25-million to R1,75-million
2. Daily News 2000 (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,50-million
3. HKJC Champions Cup (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,25-million
4. Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) from R1-million to R1,25-million
5. Woolavington 2000 (Grade 1) from R750 000 to R1-million
6. The Gold Cup 3200m (Grade 3) from R750 000 to R1-million
7. Premiers Champion Stakes 2yo’s (Grade 1) from R500 000 to R700 000
8. Thekwini Stakes 2yo fillies (Grade 1) from R500 000 to R700 000
In addition, the following Grade 2 races have had their stake increased from R400 000 to R500 000:-
1. World Sport Betting Guineas
2. Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes
3. Post Merchants
And the following Grade 2 races:-
1. World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas from R350 000 to R450 000
2. World Sports Betting 1900 from R350 000 to R400 000.
THE GOLD CUP RACE MEETING MOVES TO SUNDAY 30 JULY
Gold Circle wishes to advise that The Gold Cup race meeting has been moved from Saturday 29 July to Sunday 30 July. This has been agreed to because the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England has been moved to Saturday 29 July.
Both of these elite race meetings are “World Pool” events, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club has requested that the meetings take place on consecutive days rather than simultaneously.
“Given the status and value of hosting a World Pool race meeting, the decision to move the Gold Cup to Sunday 30 July was a no-brainer,” said Nairac.
WOOLAVINGTON 2000 OPEN TO ALL FILLIES AND MARES AT W-F-A
Gold Circle also wishes to advise that the conditions of the Woolavington 2000 have been changed with immediate effect. Formerly restricted to three-year-old fillies, the Woolavington 2000 will now be open to all Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age. The change in conditions was approved by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) and Gold Circle Racing Committee and the race will retain its Grade 1 status.
“The Woolavington 2000 was struggling to maintain the levels required by the APC for a Grade 1 3yo fillies’ race and we are confident that the depth of quality will improve significantly now that it is open to all fillies and mares,” said Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “In addition, the change of conditions adds a significant Grade 1 opportunity for older fillies and mares over a middle distance and fills a gap in our Champions Season programme.”
No HDJ run for Charles Dickens
David Thiselton
There will be no weight anomalies in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as the highest rated three-year-old in the country Charles Dickens will not be an entry.
Candice Bass-Robinson said the crack Trippi colt would be coming to KZN for the SA Champions Season, but added he would not be running in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
She said about the yard’s reading of his Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby second place finish, “I don’t think it is that he doesn’t stay, he still ran a very good race, but he is probably not at his best over 2000m at this stage.”
She envisaged the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m and the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m as possible targets.
Another horse who will likely be running here in the SA Champions Season is Marina.
Candice was not sure she was good enough to make the July field.
She is also probably going to go up to the Highveld first to run in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein Standside on April 15.
She said this Silvano filly’s chief KZN targets would likely be the Grade 1 Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes and the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet, which she won last year.
The Grade 1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes third-placed Golden Hostess is likely to be on the float.
The obvious first target for her is the WSB Fillies Guineas.
She will be an interesting contender in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, considering she is by Trippi stallion Gold Standard and is a half-sister to the useful stayer Silver Host, who has won three Grade 3s from 1800m up to 2500m and has also won a Listed race over 2400m.
Bass-Robinson said she would only bring feature horses and none for ordinary races, because Cape Racing’s new look program will cater well for the latter types this winter.
She was not sure whether the promising two-year-old Winter Cloud, who is a full-sister to the top class Clouds Unfold, would be on the float.
Meanwhile, Charles Dickens, whose only two defeats in eight starts have been narrow ones in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s PLate and the Grade1 SplashOut Cape Derby respectively, has gone to the top of the points table on the Equus Horse Of The Year log.
His closest rival is Jet Dark, who has been retired, so Charles Dickens has a good chance of holding on.
Scan…Register…Post
Trainer of the Month – January 2023
Wendy Whitehead
Tony Rivalland’s winners came at an impressive strike rate of 38%, five of his 13 runners finding the winner’s enclosure. However, Wendy Whitehead was leading trainer by number of winners, five of Wendy’s seven winners coming in one afternoon, a feat just good enough to edge out Tony for Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for January.
Wendy is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for January.
Jockey of the Month – January 2023
Siphesihle Hlengwa
Keagan de Melo is well on his way to his first National Jockey Championship and inevitably leads the local log by number of winners each month. January was no different, his 12 winners, three more than his nearest rival, apprentice Siphesihle Hlengwa. Siphesihle, or ‘Spare’ to his mates had the benefit of a 2.5kg claim but he was full value for that claim his nine winners coming at an impressive 18% strike rate. 52% of his mounts were in the money and a R1 wager on each of his 48 mounts would have returned a healthy R33.40 profit. Polite and well spoken ‘Spare’ is a credit to himself and the South African Jockey Academy.
Siphesihle is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for January.
Jockey of the Month – December 2022
Cole Dicken
Serino Moodley was the ‘hot’ rider last month with eight wins and seven seconds with a 56% win/place strike rate. However, he has the backing of some of the top yards. In contrast Cole Dicken, just recently out of his time as an apprentice, has to scratch for rides. Pleasant, hardworking and going to scale at just 49kg he only got 14 mounts last month from various yards but managed three winners and two seconds for a 50% win/place strike rate.
Cole Dicken is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for December
Trainer of the Month – December 2022
Carl Hewitson
There were a few trainers in good form over the festive season. Kom Naidoo led the charge with six winners closely followed by Garth Puller on five with Mike Miller and Carl Hewitson tied on four. However, given the relative size of his string, being one of the smaller yards in Summerveld, Carl’s strike rate was far superior to any of his rivals with a 22% winning percentage and 44% of his runners in the money from just 18 runners. Also, a R1 winning bet on each of his runners will have yielded a R9 profit.
Carl Hewitson is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for December.
Trainer of the Month – November 2022
GARTH PULLER
Garth Puller was streets ahead of his rivals last month as his horses visited the winner’s enclosure on 14 occasions with Alyson Wright his nearest rival with eight winners. Puller’s winners came at a 22% strike-rate and yielded a profit of R5 for a R1 win bet, a fine return considering that he sent out 63 runners. Puller also mentors Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month, apprentice Siphesihle Hlengwa.
Garth Puller is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for November.
Jockey of the Month – November 2022
SIPHESIHLE HLENGWA
Apprentice Siphesihle Hlengwa, ‘Spare’ to his mates, had a cracking month, winning seven races and in the process losing his 4kg claim as he passed 20 career winners. His wins came at a tidy 15% strike-rate, equal to that of log-leading rider Keagan de Melo who also had a good month locally with 11 winners. Siphesihle is largely being mentored by former top rider Garth Puller who was responsible for most of those wins and the likeable youngster is starting to repay with interest.
Siphesihle is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for November.
