Hollywoodbets Greyville Poly Friday Night 6 February 2026 – Comments by Andrew Harrison
PUBLISHED: February 5, 2026
1 4 HIGHER LOVE 7 SAUDI SWEEP 5 WHATASTAR 6 WINDING POWER Summary: HIGHER LOVE (4) has improved recently on the poly and was narrowly beaten last outing from a wide draw. SAUDI SWEEP (7) was disappointing on the Scottsville turf last start after three promising efforts for her new stable. WHATASTAR (5) makes her […]
1
4 HIGHER LOVE 7 SAUDI SWEEP 5 WHATASTAR 6 WINDING POWER
Summary: HIGHER LOVE (4) has improved recently on the poly and was narrowly beaten last outing from a wide draw. SAUDI SWEEP (7) was disappointing on the Scottsville turf last start after three promising efforts for her new stable. WHATASTAR (5) makes her local debut. Her recent Cape form has been over further but she looks capable of big improvement. WINDING POWER (6) showed some improvement last run and has a useful claiming apprentice aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 4-7-5-6).
2
7 SKYLINE BELL 1 PRAISE DE LA REY 2 SKIPPER O’MALLEY 3 DREAM DECISION
Summary: SKYLINE BELL (7) made marked improvement at just her second outing, both runs in the soft. She makes her poly debut but can show further improvement. PRAISE DE LA REY (1) is showing steady improvement and appears to have come to hand. SKIPPER O’MALLEY (2) finished narrowly ahead of Skyline Bell when they met but she is well exposed and one can expect further improvement from her younger rival. DREAM DECISION (3) is lightly raced and has not been far back at her last two. The step up in distance could suit. (Andrew Harrison: 7-1-2-3).
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11 BLACK PLATINA 12 LEVITATOR 10 TAKEYOURBESTSHOT 5 ROCK ME BABY
Summary: BLACK PLATINA (11) goes well over course and distance and should be involved in the finish. LEVITATOR (12) has the widest draw. He steps up in trip but is back on his preferred surface. TAKEYOURBESTSHOT (10) is overdue a win. However, he has been rested and has draw 10 out of 10 for the fourth consecutive time. ROCK ME BABY (5) showed some improvement with first time blinkers and the step up in trip could suit. (Andrew Harrison: 11-12-10-5).
4
1 RAHHABBA 2 HAPPY FORTUNE 3 YOUR LADYSHIP 6 DE VLUGGE
Summary: RAHHABBA (1) has come well at her last two since arriving in KZN. She has the best of the draw in what is a competitive handicap. HAPPY FORTUNE’S (2) last two win have been over the trip including one over course and distance. She is in good form and Rachel Venniker’s allowance will help her cause. DE VLUGGE (6) is seldom out of the money and switches to the poly. She should put in another forward showing. YOUR LADYSHIP (3) has been up and down in distance but showed up well last run over shorter and Callan Murray stays aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 1-2-3-6).
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7 AMAFORT 8 MYSTIQUE ROUGE 1 IZIBULO 6 STRUTTING
Summary: AMAFORT (7) is overdue and has run two promising races over course and distance at recent starts. MYSTIQUE ROUGE (8) was a close-up second behind IZIBULO (1) last time out. She is now 1kg better off in the handicap and can turn the tables. STRUTTING (6) was a recent maiden winner but has shown some potential. However, she does shoulder top weight. (Andrew Harrison: 7-8-1-6).
6
9 QUEUE WING 1 WILD AT WAR 6 CLEVER TREVOR 5 FUTURE FLO
Summary: QUEUE WING (9) has been in good form since being tried in blinkers. His last two have been over further but he has gone close over course and distance and has a handy galloping weight. CLEVER TREVOR (6) is lightly raced and has had one sprint since arriving from the Highveld. He can come on from that. WILD AT WAR (1) won over the distance last time out and has gone close on the poly. He should feature again from the best of the draw. FUTURE FLO (5) steps up in trip and is a solid handicapper. (Andrew Harrison: 9-1-6-5).
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9 UNITED NATION 3 UMZINGELI WENYATHI 1 GOOD TRAVELLER 4 JET LEGACY
Summary: UNITED NATION (9) is unbeaten in four starts on the poly. Darryl Moore looks to have picked the right race for five on the bounce as he carries a handy weight. UMZINGELI WENYATHI (3) won first up on the poly and has only once finished out of the money in nine starts. GOOD TRAVELLER (1) loves the poly and got up to win narrowly last run. He may prefer it a furlong further. JET LEGACY (4) won his last two over the trip in the Scottsville turf and is back on the poly in good form. (Andrew Harrison: 9-3-1-4).
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1 ACACIA’S BLOSSOM 5 ROCK MUSIC 6 ULTRA QUICK 7 INDECENT PROPOSAL
Summary: Tough race to close. ACACIA’S BLOSSOM (1) has dropped in trip at her last two and went close over course and distance at her penultimate start. A repeat effort could see her home. ROCK MUSIC (5) was a recent maiden winner on the Highveld. He has been showing steady improvement and now faces some well exposed older handicappers. ULTRA QUICK (6) has been racing over a little further but with De Melo staying aboard it may have been the advice to try shorter. INDECENT PROPOSAL (7) is in good form over course and distance. He has a slightly better draw this time around. (Andrew Harrison: 1-5-6-7).
South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Huntingdon and Southwell (UK) 5 February 2026
PUBLISHED: February 5, 2026
Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Huntingdon and Southwell (UK) 5 February 2026.
Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Huntingdon and Southwell (UK) 5 February 2026.
Sectional timing master class
PUBLISHED: February 4, 2026
David Thiselton The 2026 WSB Met run in 123 seconds was the fastest Met since One World’s 122.48 seconds of 2020. The race record of 122,1 seconds set by Bunter Barlow in 2001. Before analysing the 226 sectionals let’s just look at the running order. Okavango was the early pacemaker before The Equator took it […]
David Thiselton
The 2026 WSB Met run in 123 seconds was the fastest Met since One World’s 122.48 seconds of 2020.
The race record of 122,1 seconds set by Bunter Barlow in 2001.
Before analysing the 226 sectionals let’s just look at the running order.
Okavango was the early pacemaker before The Equator took it up just as they entered the first turn.
Next best was Legal Counsel and then Native Ruler who was caught wide.
Behind that was Sail The Seas and Eight On Eighteen was on the rail inside of the latter.
See It Again was three wide down the back straight, but fortunately Native Ruler had been kept wide and he was able to follow him.
When Native Ruler managed to get into a two wide position alongside Legal Counsel rounding the turn See It Again was not inconvenienced because Fortune managed to slot in behind Sail The Seas, although not without apparently inconveniencing Garrix slightly.
The stipendiary stewards read that incident differently and have the best view of things. Garrix was rousted when See It Again began moving across and he cramped Cosmic Speed on his inside before being snatched up to avoid See It Again.
The Stipendiary report simply read: At the 1000m COSMIC SPEED (G Lerena) took an awkward stride when tightened for galloping room between the inside running rail and GARRIX (K de Melo).
Behind Cosmic Speed was Gladatorian, who had jumped slowly and lost a length.
The Real Prince was sitting in last place and Craig Zackey had likely read it correctly, because the sectionals had been fast.
Using a sectional timing method of viewing each sectional as a percentage of the average speed for that section, Okavango did the first sectional in 116% and followed with fast sectionals of 90%, 90% and 91%, which took him to the 1200m mark.
With The Equator in front it slowed down either by accident or design as Okovango’s next three sectionals were 96%, 98% and 96%, which took them to the 600m mark.
If Callan Murray’s role on Okavango had been to set a pace for See It Again and Eight On Eighteen, who are from the same Snaith yard and under the same Nick Jonsson ownership, then he had done a fine job as he had gone fast enough early to ensure that stamina was going to be one of the chief credentials required in the run in, and he had not gone so fast that any of the others could afford to ignore him and dictate their own pace.
This was unlike the Hollywoodbets Durban July in which they had gone at a crawl, and had thus favoured a horse who stayed but who also had speed, which was better for The Real Prince than Eight On Eighteen, especially at the weights.
It was also unlike the L’Ormarins King’s Plate in which the pacemaker Dave The King had gone so fast that he and those who had followed him, like Jan Van Goyen and Legal Counsel, were sitting ducks for the class acts in the field.
Soccer Updates and Carryovers – 4, 6 , 7 and 8 February 2026
PUBLISHED: February 3, 2026
Soccer 4 : SFF V1 P2 – 04 February 2026 Match 1(M1): ABERDEEN vs CELTIC. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD. Soccer 6 : 6JJ V1 P2 – 04 February 2026 Match 1(M1): DUNDEE FC vs MOTHERWELL. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD. Soccer 10: 1SS V2 – 04 February 2026 […]
Soccer 4 : SFF V1 P2 – 04 February 2026
Match 1(M1): ABERDEEN vs CELTIC. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD.
Soccer 6 : 6JJ V1 P2 – 04 February 2026
Match 1(M1): DUNDEE FC vs MOTHERWELL. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD.
Soccer 10: 1SS V2 – 04 February 2026
Match 1(M1): DUNDEE FC vs MOTHERWELL. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD.
Soccer 10: 1SS V2 – 04 February 2026
Match 4(M4): ABERDEEN vs CELTIC. Match abandoned due to waterlogged pitch, New date TBD.
Soccer10 Friday 6 February 2026. Carryover R150 000. Estimated Pool: R1.7 Million. Pool Closes at 19h00.
Sport 12 and Pool 1.
Soccer6 Saturday 7 February 2026. Carryover R50 000. Estimated Pool: R 400 000. Pool Closes at 17h00. Sport 2 and Pool 2.
Soccer10 Saturday 7 February 2026. Carryover R150 000. Estimated Pool: R 1.7 Million. Pool Closes at 17h00. Sport 15 and Pool 1.
Soccer Any 13Xtra Saturday 7 February 2026. Carryover R100 000. Estimated Pool: R400 000. Pool Closes at 14h30. Sport 13 and Pool 1.
Soccer13 Saturday 7 February 2026.ALL 13 CORRECT JACKPOT POOL: R 18 Million (If only One 13 of 13 Winner). Pool Closes at 16h30. Sport 10 Pool 1.
Soccer10 Sunday 8 February 2026. Carryover R150 000. Estimated Pool: R 1.7 Million. Pool Closes at 15h00. Sport 7 and Pool 1.
London News July centenary victory
PUBLISHED: December 22, 2025
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 […]
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.
