David Thiselton

The highest rated race at the nine-race Turffontein Inside meeting today is a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1600m and Money Heist could be the one to beat.

Money Heist is only half-a-kilogram worse off on official ratings than the best weighted Texas Red, but he comes off a good run in a Listed event over this trip at Hollywoodbets Greyville and he won his only run at this course, which was over 1450m in April 2024. This will be his third run after a year off and he should be cherry rip and he has a good draw of three. Fire ‘N Flames has plenty of class and says this trip, but things do need to go his way and having the widest draw of all will make it tough for him. Hotarubi is unreliable but has the ability to be in the shake-up and can’t be ignored. Navajo Nation found the Gold Cup trip beyond him and would prefer further than this trip, but he is in form and from a good draw could make his presence felt. Texas Red needs to bounce back from a poor run last time.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a Middle Stakes event over 1000m, Karate Kid has shown class in his career and ran a cracker last time after a lay-off, so he has a chance here from a fair draw of four out of seven as he should strip fitter and he is marginally the best weighted runner . Silver Tudor goes very well for Serino Moodley who knows all about his short run in and has timed his late charge to perfection in the past, so he should be involved from a good draw of three. Sheldon bounced back to form last time and from the pole position draw here should be in the shake-up over a course and distance he has won over before. Tsar Bomba enjoys the Inside course and should be running on over a tri too sharp from a wide draw. Red Bomber is well drawn and if producing his best in his second run after a six month layoff he could earn.

In the sixth race, a Novice Handicap over 1200m, Futurenaire looks to be a promising sort who can improve and he should do well here over a step-down in trip considering he won over 1160m. Top Division has run two good race and looks to have ability, but does have a tough draw. The Last Duke won well second time out and although it was not a strong race he has a good draw now and should be right there.

The seventh race is a MR97 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m and this course and distance in fast going should be ideal for Hierkommiebokkie. Her name will be topical on a day in which the Boks have their backs to the wall, a situation which usually brings the best out of them. Hierkommiebokkie has to carry topweight of 61kg, but Trent Mayhew aboard means she has a 1,5kg allowance and he rode her last time to a fine 2,20 length third over course and distance behind two useful sorts in Busstopinhounslow and Guy Gibson. She should be able to use her early pace to good effect from a good draw of three. Stars and Bra’s has some class and will be a big runner here if able to overcome a wide draw. Palace Dancer has the ability to be a player here as she is likely to enjoy the step down in trip. Destiny Of Fire improved last time when stepped back down to this trip and should be in the shake up. Across The Pond represents the in-form St. John Gray yard and is distance suited and has the ability to be involved, but she has not run for seven months.

In the eighth race over 1450m Valentina Balducci won well on debut and an 82 merit rating looks to be reasonable because the form has been franked. Cape Saffron is capable of doing better than last time and is well drawn on this occasion. Great Notion has a wide draw to overcome but is a capable sort and could earn. Heavenly Good won easily last time out and should be a contender. On A Jet Plane should enjoy the step down in trip.

In the ninth over 1450m Player is a capable sort who has been thereabouts in his last few starts and this is now a suitable course and distance. Plus Four is a capable sort and from a good draw he looks to be a livewire. Pressonregardless won well last time and should be in the shake-up. Presley is capable of running on after being dropped out from a wide draw. Potberrie has class and should be right there.

In the first leg of the PA Master’s Lady and Paradise Way are the best of those to have run.  Fish Hawk is by Fireaway and is a half-sister to the Grade 1 performer Feather Boa, so she is a fascinating runner here, while Tempranillo is by Querari and is a half-sister to the like of Barbaresco. Lasting Looks should improve and has a good draw.

Midnight Flyer should be too good in the first leg of the Bipot.

In the first race over 3000m Breeze Over should be able to dictate in this small field and is the one to beat.

RACE 1

1 BREEZE OVER 4 MO MENT 3 KEY WORKER 2 ARUMUGAM

Preview: 1 BREEZE OVER is a classy stayer who sees out this trip and in a small field he will be able to set a steady pace and then be hard to catch in the straight. 4 MO MENT is a useful stayer who can still improve and he should be right there. 3 KEY WORKER was not disgraced in the Grade 3 Tote Oaks and could be a player here. 2 ARUMUGAM showed signs of a form return the last time he went over a staying trip, although he hasn’t won since November 2022. (David Thiselton 1-4-3-2)

RACE 2

5 MIDNIGHT FLYER 1 JET QUERARI 8 EMPRESS WU 7 MISS MUNROE

Preview: 5 MIDNIGHT FLYER made a good debut and should be too good for this field. 1 JET QUERARI has the form to be the main danger. 8 EMPRESS WU  is a hard-knocking sort who should be in the shake-up too. 7 MISS MUNROE has the ability to make her presence felt. (David Thiselton 5-1-8-7)

RACE 3

2 MASTER’S LADY 7 PARADISE WAY 3 FISH HAWK 8 TEMPRANILLO

Preview: 2 MASTER’S LADY ran well over this trip last time and could still improve. 7 PARADISE WAY made a good debut over this trip but on the downside she has draw 8 out of 8. 3 FISH HAWK is by Fireaway and is a half-sister to the Grade 1 performer Feather Boa, so she is a fascinating runner here. 8 TEMPRANILLO is by Querari and is a half-sister to the like of Barbaresco. (David Thiselton 2-7-3-8)

RACE 4

1 KARATE KID 5 SILVER TUDOR 4 SHELDON 7 TSAR BOMBA

Preview: 1 KARATE KID ran a cracker last time after a lay-off and with a repeat he should be right there. 5 SILVER TUDOR has some class and should be running on strongly under Serino Moodley who gets on well with him. 4 SHELDON bounced back to form last time and from the pole position draw here should be in the shake-up. 7 TSAR BOMBA is capable of running on strongly into the money. (David Thiselton 1-5-4-7)

RACE 5

5 MONEY HEIST 3 FIRE ‘N FLAMES 2 HOTARUBI 6 NAVAJO NATION

Preview: 5 MONEY HEIST is well drawn over an ideal trip and can build on his good performance in a Listed race on Gold Cup Day. 3 FIRE ‘N FLAMES  has plenty of class but things do need to go his way. 2 HOTARUBI has the ability to be in the shake-up here. 6 NAVAJO NATION would prefer further but from a good draw could make his presence felt. (David Thiselton 5-3-2-6)

RACE 6

4 FUTURENAIRE 3 TOP DIVISION 2 THE LAST DUKE 8 BLUSHING BLOOM

Preview: 4 FUTURENAIRE looks to be a promising sort who can improve and he should do well here over a step-down in trip. 3 TOP DIVISION looks to be a useful sort and should also have a chance but has a wide draw to overcome. 2 THE LAST DUKE won well second time out and from a good draw should be right there. 8 BLUSHING BLOOM ran a cracker last Saturday and with a repeat could be a player here. (David Thiselton 4-3-2-8)

RACE 7

1 HIERKOMMIEBOKKIE 7 STARS AND BRA’S 5 PALACE DANCER 3 DESTINY OF FIRE

Preview: 1 HIERKOMMIEBOKKIE loves this course and distance and should go close from a good draw. 7 STARS AND BRA’S  ran well last time and with a repeat can go close if able to overcome a tricky draw. 5 PALACE DANCER has the ability to be in the shake-up too. 3 DESTINY OF FIRE ran well last time over this trip and also has a chance. (David Thiselton 1-7-5-3)

RACE 8

8 VALENTINA BALDUCCI 4 CAPE SAFFRON 1 GREAT NOTION 9 HEAVENLY GOOD

Preview: 8 VALENTINA BALDUCCI won well on debut and an 82 merit rating looks to be reasonable because the form has been franked. 4 CAPE SAFFRON is capable of doing better than last time and is well drawn on this occasion. 1 GREAT NOTION has a wide draw to overcome but is a capable sort and could earn. 9 HEAVENLY GOOD won easily last time out and should be a contender.( David Thiselton 8-4-1-9)

RACE 9

8 PLAYER 12 PLUS FOUR 4 PRESSONREGARDLESS 5 PRESLEY

8 PLAYER is a capable sort who has been thereabouts in his last few starts and this is now a suitable course and distance. 12 PLUS FOUR  is a capable sort and from a good draw he looks to be a livewire. 4 PRESSONREGARDLESS won well last time and should be in the shake-up. 5 PRESLEY is capable of running on after being dropped out from a wide draw. (David Thiselton 8-12-4-5)

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Hamilton and York (UK) – 22 August 2025

David Thiselton

The BSA August Two-year-old Sale takes place today (Thursday) and tomorrow and all eyes will be on the ring and on the auctioneer when the Drakenstein Stud-vendored Lot 47 enters the ring.

There have been rumours flying around that this Vercingetorix colt is going to potentially challenge a South African thoroughbred auction record price, which is R9 million, first achieved in 2019 for a Silvano colt at BSA Nationals and matched at this year’s Race Coast Sales March Day 1 Sale for a Drakenstein Stud-bred Vercingetorix colt out of the Captain Al mare Snowdance i.e a half-brother to Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot.

Lot 47 at today’s Sale is also a Vercingetorix colt and is out of the twice Gr 1 Majorca Stakes winner Clouds unfold, who is by What A Winter. Clouds Unfold won nine times, including the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m twice as well as two Gr 2s and also a Gr 3 as a two-year-old.

Vercingetorix is the reigning champion sire and he achieved it by smashing records, with his progeny earning a probable record amount of stakes in a season and breaking a record for the  number of stakes winners in a season i.e. 23.

Vercingetorix has also smashed records at the Sales and is surely the most successful Sales sire in South African history having averaged R1,661,364 at the Race Coast Sales March Day 1 Sale this year for 22 lots before averaging R1,435,000 at this year’s BSA Nationals.

What A Winter is the son of Western Winter, who was champion freshman sire, three-times Champion Sire and also a Champion Broodmare Sire.

What A Winter himself has finished second in the sires championship before and is perennially high up on the table.

Drakenstein Stud are the national Breeders Champions and their progeny earned a record amount of over R40 million last season.

 Lot 47 is called Le Soleil, which means The Sun, and he is a stunning individual.

He is tall and stands over a lot of ground and looks well balanced.

He is a November foal, which is likely why he is appearing at this Sale and did not appear at the Race Coast Sales March Day 1 Sale or the BSA Nationals.

However, he has everything in his favour and there is sure to be some fireworks around the ring at roundabout 12 noon today.

There will only be four Vercingetorix’s at the Sale and the other three are all fillies.

The Ascot Stud-bred lot 89 is an interesting Vercingetorix filly as she is a out of a six time-winning Jet Master half-sister to the Durban July winner Bold Silvano. She looks to have plenty of scope and should also attract a lot of interest.

Ascot’s other most interesting entry is Lot 42, who is a Heavenly Blue half-brother to the likely East Cape Champion Two-year-old colt, the Alan Greeff-trained King Prawn. Ascot Stud’s Ashley Parker confirmed this colt was a “very nice colt”.

Lot 9 is a Varsfontein Master Of My Fate colt who is closely related to Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch as they have the same sire and the same grandam, the Irish-bred Alexandra B (Darshan), which means he is from a prolific black type family which includes Main Defender, Alexandra Rose and World Of Alice.

Lot 24 is an interesting Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred colt by the former Mike de Kock-trained multiple Gr 1-winning son of Silvano, Hawwaam, and he is out of the De Kock-trained Irish-bred daughter of Danehill Dancer, Berry Blaze, who finished second to Beach Beauty in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, among other good performances.

Lot 154 from Klawervlei Stud is a One World filly out of the twice Listed-winning Querari mare Maria Querol and this filly is from the family of a Canadian Horse Of The Year called Never Retreat (Smart Strike).

There should be a lot of action at this Sale, which has produced plenty of champions over the years.

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Soccer10 Friday 22 August 2025. ADD-IN R150 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 19h30.Sport 15 and Pool 1.

Soccer10 Saturday 23 August 2025. ADD-IN R150 000. Estimated Pool: R1.8 Million. Pool Closes at 15h00.Sport 7 and Pool 1.

Soccer13 Saturday 23 August 2025. R18 Million (If only One 13 of 13 Winner). Pool Closes at 15h30. Sport 10 Pool 1.

Soccer Any13X on Saturday 23 August 2025. ADD-IN R200 000. Estimated Pool: R 500 000. Pool Closes at 13h30. Sport 13 and Pool 1.

Soccer SCORES on Saturday 23 August 2025. ADD-IN R74 642. Pool Closes at 15h00. Call Bet V73

Soccer CORNERS on Saturday 23 August 2025. Carryover R1 886. Pool Closes at 15h30. Call Bet V74.