Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Kempton and Musselburgh (UK) – 13 October 2025.

Andrew Harrison

Rachel Venniker finally made it out of the second box to get Pioneer Square home in the Michaelmas Handicap (Non-Black Type) that headed the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

Candice Dawson was in two minds whether to takes their chances from the widest draw but considering that the gelding had never finished out of the money, a place cheque would have paid for expenses.

It was a close-run thing however as Venniker took the brave decision to head for the lead. Drawn widest she first had to fight off Celtic Beauty and Go Grayson Go before settling into a rhythm.

Pioneer Square still had the lead at the top of the straight but threatened by a wall of horses. The son of Querari is not lacking in intestinal fortitude and kept finding with the result down to the wire where he kept his nose in front to hold off Johnny The Thief by the narrowest of margins with the ever consistent Cape Eagle another short head back in third.

Cognac looked to be one of the better bets on yesterday’s card in spite of his high merit rating garnered after his impressive maiden win and 61kg on his back. It was not all plain sailing but the Rafeef colt got the deed done and is now headed for the Cape Summer with Stuart Ferrie’s string that includes Gladatorian and the G1 Cape Guineas is possibly on the agenda.

Stable companion Luneluck set a blistering pace and although, according to Sean Veale having his first win back from suspension, the plan was to settle Cognac in the running. However, Veale seemed to be caught a little off guard at the start with El Dante playing up on his inside and consequently missing the break. Cognac appeared to be well out of his ground half-way up the straight with Luneluck still going great guns, but like a good horse, Cognac responded to Veale’s urging and put the race to be inside the final 50m.

I Am Giant confirmed the Gr1 Post Merchants form as he got the better of O’Tenikwa in the A Stakes, fifth race on the card over 1200m. With King Of The Gauls setting a solid gallop, Veale elected to settle in off the pace while O’Tenikwa was hung out to dry, racing three wide with Serino Moodley trying to make it to the rail and using up plenty of gas. This was possibly the difference between the two as I Am Giant quickened through a perfect split with O’Tenikwa flat to the boards on the outside. Cats Pajamas ran an eye-catching third, coming from close to last to finish a close-up third.

This was Veale and Ferries double for the day and Hollywood Racing third win.

Forward Motion went back-to-back in the Progress Plate over 1400m, sixth race on the card, with hot favourite Whispering Death a well-beaten fourth. KMV Retrofit set the pace with Muzi Yeni keeping a close eye on Whispering Death. When the gloves came off at the 400m mark Forward Motion hit the front and refused to give in getting the better of Bristol Hercules.

Whispering Death was the disappointment of the race but he is obviously not straight forward, missing a lot of last season through injury at home and the vet was called in. He went to the start in earmuffs and being off the track since March possibly took its toll. He was staying on well enough and should not be written off on the back of this run.

Given her form, Quickstepgal was the best bet on the card in the seventh and Tienie Prinsloo’s filly duly obliged. Under promising four-claiming apprentice Dezahn Louw, she pulled herself to the front early and was not for the catching as she booked her ticket for the Cape summer.

She was having her first run for the Wernars family and Harry Wilson who bought her for an undisclosed amount at the conclusion her two-year-old season that saw her win three of her five starts including a close-up second to the unbeaten Anotherdanceforme in the Gr2 Golden Slipper.

A well beaten second  but far from disgraced was Ladyofdistinction. A substantial daughter of Vercingetorix, she was carrying plenty of condition and should come on lengths with this run.

Friendless in the market, Johnny Boy belied his 10-1 odds, running out a good winner of the card opener. Drawn widest in the 13-horse field, Callan Murray had no hesitation in taking Peter Muscutts colt to the front where he had a comfortable lead.

Kicking for home early crossing the subway, Johnny Boy held on gamely with challengers aplenty. Second placed, the grey Eastern Highlands was closing relentlessly with Touched By Angels finishing best of all to take third, edging out hot favourite The Marquee. Serino Moodley missed the break slightly on The Marquee but was quickly onto the rail and then making up ground into a better position. At one stage he looked poised for a big challenge as the gaps opened, but although running on, he didn’t quicken enough for a major challenge.

 Different stable, same tactics in the second. Murray recorded back-to-back wins sending Pied Piper to the front leaving the field to follow. It was a finely time front-running ride by Murray who continues to impress since his return from Australia and is now one of the country’s leading riders. Also impressing is Vengi Masawi who trains the Hollywood Racing string out of Ashburton. He learnt his trade under Mike de Kock and it was back to his mentor for advice on Pied Piper. The cheek Pieces were added and the result spoke for itself.

Favourite Green Glow was given a chance to run on, as is the want from Dean Kannemeyer-trained runners, making up plenty of ground from well off the pace to finish a comfortable second. Definitely one for the notebook.

Things didn’t go according to plan with The Marquee in the first but the Plattner team made amends in the first leg of the PA as Miss Twinkle came through to follow up on her maiden win. A relatively late start to her career, KZN assistant to Andre Nel, Byron Forster alluded to the fact that the filly had shown an aversion to the starting stalls and it had taken time to get her settled. It was a wait well worth it and Miss Twinkle can go on as she steps up in trip.

Doug Campbell’s runner Sascha’s Dream was game in defeat with favourite Spinmyangelspin running on for third.

Buddy Boy started favourite for the final leg of the Pick 6 but raced very green around the turn and failed to turn it on in the straight. All this time Craig Zackey was biding his time towards the rear of the pack before unleashing Kanaal Skater in his first try over a mile to pick off the opposition in good fashion with Jazz Festival a game second.

Hollywood Racing rounded off a fine afternoon with Gotta Go Eddie going on to win the last giving Hollywood their fourth winner of the afternoon and Veale his third after returning from an enforced two-week holiday.

We are thrilled to announce a ground-breaking new chapter in your betting experience! We’ve partnered with Colossus Bets, a leading UK-based company, to bring you an exciting new product never before seen in the South African tote betting market.

What is Colossus Bets?

Imagine betting into massive, guaranteed prize pools, often reaching life-changing sums, with the added power of controlling your bet as the action unfolds. That’s the essence of Colossus Bets! It’s a revolutionary way to play, combining the thrill of traditional tote betting with unparalleled flexibility.

Understanding the Bet Types & Functionality:

Colossus Bets specialises in pool betting, where you bet against other players. The total money wagered is placed into a “pool”, and the prize money is shared among all winning tickets. The more people who play, the larger the potential jackpot! 

Some of the Bet Types on offer

• Pick 1×2: This is a straightforward pool where you predict the result of each match – Home Win (1), Draw (X), or Away Win (2).

 

• Correct Score: This is a more challenging but potentially more lucrative pool, where you must predict the exact final result of each match

 

• Both Teams to Score: This is for fans of goals and fast paced action. Your task is to simply predict whether or not both teams will score at least one goal in a selected series of matches

 

Innovative Functionality

• Cash Out: This feature allows you to lock in a profit before all matches (legs) in your ticket are completed. After each leg, Colossus bets will make you an offer to buy your ticket based on its current value. You can choose to accept the guaranteed payout or stay in the game for a chance at the full jackpot.

 

• Syndicate Betting: Colossus Bets offers a unique way to play through Syndicate Tickets, allowing Players to team up and increase their chances of winning. Creating a Syndicate – If you have a betting strategy or consider yourself a “Pro”, you can create a Syndicate Ticket and invite other Players to contribute towards the payment of the ticket. Joining a Syndicate – Alternatively, you can join a Syndicate Ticket that another Player has already created. When you contribute to a Syndicate Ticket, you will own a share of that ticket. This share is directly proportional to the amount of money you contributed. If the Syndicate Ticket wins, you will receive a proportionate share of any returns (such as dividends or cash-out proceeds) based on your contribution. In essence, Syndicate Tickets allows Players to pool their resources, share the risk, and share the rewards!

 

• Guaranteed Huge Sports Pools: Colossus Bets offers guaranteed prize pools often reaching life-changing proportions. This means greater potential payouts for a winning ticket!

 

• Consolation Prizes: For many pools, if you narrowly miss the jackpot by getting a number of the selections correct, you can still win a share of a consolation prize. This means that you can still get a payout even if your ticket isn’t a perfect winner.

How to find the Colossus Product

To access the Colossus soccer products, simply follow these steps:

• Log in to your TOTE account on www.tote.co.za
• Once logged in, look for the “Colossus” button on the main navigation bar.
• Click the button to be taken to a new page, displaying all the available Colossus products
• Start playing!

 

Why is this a game changer for South Africa?

Colossus Bets is renowned for pioneering the Cash Out feature in multi-leg pool betting, Syndicate Betting, and for offering some of the largest sports jackpots globally. This partnership brings that innovation and scale directly to you, providing a fresh and exciting way to engage with your favourite sports.

We are confident that Colossus Bets will transform your betting experience, offering bigger thrills and more control than ever before.

Ready to get in on the action? The Colossus button on www.tote.co.za is your portal to this revolutionary product. Don’t miss out!

Be sure to look out for the Colossus horse racing products – Coming Soon!

Introducing Colossus Bets

We are thrilled to announce a ground-breaking new chapter in your betting experience! We’ve partnered with Colossus Bets, a leading UK-based company, to bring you an exciting new product never before seen in the South African tote betting market.

What is Colossus Bets?

Imagine betting into massive, guaranteed prize pools, often reaching life-changing sums, with the added power of controlling your bet as the action unfolds. That’s the essence of Colossus Bets! It’s a revolutionary way to play, combining the thrill of traditional tote betting with unparalleled flexibility.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Guaranteed Huge Sports Pools: Colossus Bets offers enormous, guaranteed prize pools. This means bigger potential pay-outs for a winning ticket!

• Multi-Leg Challenges: Test your sporting knowledge by predicting the outcome of multiple events (legs) within a single pool. The more legs you correctly predict, the closer you get to that colossal jackpot!

• The Power of Cash Out: This is where Colossus Bets truly revolutionises your play! For the first time in South African tote betting, you will be offered the option to Cash Out your bet before all legs of your ticket are complete. If some of your early selections (Legs) are winning, you could secure a profit even if the later legs are still in doubt. You can choose to cash out a portion of your ticket or wait for the completion of all the legs for a possible larger prize, giving you unprecedented control over your potential winnings.

• Syndicate Betting: Colossus Bets offers a unique way to play through Syndicate Tickets, allowing Players to team up and increase their chances of winning. Creating a Syndicate – If you have a betting strategy or consider yourself a “Pro”, you can create a Syndicate Ticket and invite other Players to contribute towards the payment of the ticket. Joining a Syndicate – Alternatively, you can join a Syndicate Ticket that another Player has already created. When you contribute to a Syndicate Ticket, you will own a share of that ticket. This share is directly proportional to the amount of money you contributed. If the Syndicate Ticket wins, you will receive a proportionate share of any returns (such as dividends or cash-out proceeds) based on your contribution. In essence, Syndicate Tickets allows Players to pool their resources, share the risk, and share the rewards!

Why is this a game changer for South Africa?

Colossus Bets is renowned for pioneering the Cash Out feature in multi-leg pool betting, Syndicate Betting, and for offering some of the largest sports jackpots globally. This partnership brings that innovation and scale directly to you, providing a fresh and exciting way to engage with your favourite sports.

We are confident that Colossus Bets will transform your betting experience, offering bigger thrills and more control than ever before.

Ready to get in on the action? The Colossus button on www.tabgold.co.za is your portal to this revolutionary product.

Don’t miss out!

Durban, South Africa – The countdown has begun! The 129th edition of Africa’s premier horse racing and social spectacular, the Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ), is set to take place on Saturday, 5th July 2025, at the iconic Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse. As the most anticipated fixture on South Africa’s racing calendar, the event seamlessly blends world-class horse racing with high fashion, entertainment, and a memorable social experience.

Staying true to the theme of “Marvels of Mzansi,” this year’s racing extravaganza promises an iconic line-up of South African talent, featuring a diverse array of artists set to captivate all attendees throughout the day. The national anthem will be beautifully performed by one of the country’s leading songstresses – look out for the reveal in May. With these performances, the thousands of attendees expected at Hollywoodbets Greyville will have a memorable experience. Stay tuned for the full artist line-up. All ticket holders can look forward to a day filled with live entertainment that will be talked about for years to come, as this year’s HDJ celebrates Mzansi’s vibrant spirit. 

Tickets for this outstanding event are now officially on sale via Ticketpro (www.ticketpro.co.za). Priced at R230 for general admission, your ticket grants access to a day of thrilling racing action, live entertainment, fashion showcases, gourmet food experiences, and an array of engaging activations from event partners. For added convenience, onsite parking is available for R170 per vehicle.

For those seeking an elevated experience, the VIP hospitality packages provide exclusive access to luxurious enclosures, premium viewing areas, and top-tier catering. These options can be explored on the official event website (www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za). Please note that VIP hospitality packages do not include general admission tickets, which must be purchased separately via Ticketpro.

This year’s theme, “Marvels Of Mzansi”, was unveiled in late February, marking the official commencement of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion Experience, presented by Durban Fashion Fair. The fashion programme includes the much-anticipated HDJ Young Designer Award, showcasing the best up-and-coming talents from KwaZulu-Natal. The winners will share the spotlight with the HDJ Invited Designers and DFF Rising Stars at the HDJ Fashion Preview Gala, set to take place at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in late June.

Racing enthusiasts can also look forward to the announcement of the first official entrants on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. With last year’s champion, Oriental Charm, emerging as the early ante-post favourite, excitement is already building. 

Secure your tickets today and experience Africa’s greatest horse racing and social event, the Hollywoodbets Durban July!