Race 1

5 GODRIC GRYFFINDOR ran a great race on debut, he was only beaten just over four lengths by Champagne Castle on the 13th of December, with natural improvement expected from this colt, he should go very close to winning. 1 VERCICAT stayed on well for fourth behind Catwalk King on debut, he finished just over five lengths behind the winner, he should improve tons, watch him closely, there is no doubt he will be competitive in this field. 11 OMKHULU BOSS found some betting support on debut, he was a touch disappointing behind Champagne Castle on the 13th of December, if he can improve from that performance, he could sneak into the places. 2 ST HARRY and 13 NAVASNINE are well-bred first timers, keep watching the market, and watch them move down to the gates. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 1 – 11 – 2)

Race 2

11 TRAILFINDER ran a cracker on debut, he finished second behind Digby on the 3rd of December, the form of that race has worked out well, he will improve tremendously going into his second start on Tuesday, watch for a big performance from this good looking colt. 14 PANJANDRUM ran a good race for second behind her stable companion (Whirlwind) on the 17th of December, she is honest, and she tries hard, she will be right there in the finish. 10 TURBULENT ran a much better race on the 21st of December, he ran second in a driving finish behind Influence, if he can bring that run to the track again on Tuesday, he will go close. 7 FORT YUKON is much better than his recent run behind Give It Laldy, he will be just off the speed early, and he will be doing some good work late, include him into all bets. (Brandon Bailey: 11 – 14 – 10 – 7)

Race 3

5 SEVEN NO TRUMP must have a big winning chance in this field, she ran a good race for fourth behind Kubu on the 17th of December, the drop in trip is key for this filly, she will run a big race. 10 HAZEL GREEN is as honest as they come, she never runs a bad race, she stayed on well for second behind Wyze Declaration on the 17th of December, she will be right there in the finish again. 1 SWIFT SERENITY ran a lovely race for second behind Black Erika on the 10th of December, she certainly enjoys the sprinting trips, on her best form, she definitely has a place chance. 11 WINTER IN AUCKLAND has some fair form, she stayed on nicely for fourth in the same race as Swift Serenity last time, she might be able to sneak into the Quartet late. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 10 – 1 – 11)

Race 4

5 SUGAR DADDY caught the eye late for second behind Give It Laldy on the 6th of December, he should love the step up in trip to 1400m on Tuesday, from a neat draw, he will have a serious winning chance. 2 GALLIC KING ran a great race for second behind Rockanrollin on the 13th of December, he is a beautiful looking colt with a great action, he has a big winning chance now that he steps up in trip to 1400m. 14 PRAIRIE DAWN had absolutely no luck in running last time, he flew home late to finish second behind Sommerstern on the 3rd of December, if he gets some luck in running from a bad draw, he could be hard to beat in this field. 11 I AM SAM disappointed terribly in his second start on the 21st of December, ignore that run completely, he is a big individual with a big action, he should improve now that he steps up in trip, watch him closely. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 2 – 14 – 11)

Race 5

2 WOMAN IN GOLD ran a lovely race for second behind La Patrona on the 17th of December, she was touched off in a close finish, from a neat draw on Tuesday, she will be hard to beat. 11 LOUI’S STAR finished strongly for second behind Cassandra on the 10th of December, unfortunately the wide draw in this race will make it tough for her, but she will be powering home late, watch her closely at a decent price. 10 UP IN FLAMES never runs a bad race, she stayed on well for third behind La Patrona on the 17th of December, if she gets some luck in running from a tricky draw on Tuesday, she will be competitive. 3 HOMING PIGEON ran a nice race for third behind Her World on the 10th of December, she steps up in trip again, and she gets the blinkers fitted on Tuesday, there is no doubt she will run a big race. (Brandon Bailey: 2 – 11 – 10 – 3)

Race 6

5 YAMAZAKI finished like a train on the 13th of December, he ran a great race for third behind Mente Et Manu, he was a long way back early, and he really powered home late to finish just over one length behind his stable companion, he should love the step up in trip to 1800m, he will be hard to beat. 6 WEHAVEASITUATION won impressively on the 17th of December, she was given three points for that win, jockey Andrew Fortune gets a good tune out of this mare, she will be storming home late, include her into all bets. 7 SIGNOR DANTE won a terrific race on the 6th of December, he was given three points for that victory, he could be anything, if he brings that last performance to the track again on Tuesday, he can win again. 10 ARBITRATION is extremely honest, he stayed on well for fourth behind Noble Hero on the 21st of December, even though he has a big weight on his back for this race, he will be switched off early, and he will be running home strongly late. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 6 – 7 – 10)

Race 7

7 UMFULA ran a fair race for fifth in the Cape Summer Stayers Handicap on the 6th of December, he was beaten just under five lengths by Holding Thumbs, the drop in trip is key for this gelding on Tuesday, on his best form, he can definitely win. 4 TENPENNY caught the eye late for second behind Major Master on the 3rd of December, he has lots of ability this gelding, the step up in trip to 1800m will be no problem at all, he will be hitting the line hard, include him into all bets. 1 LANDOFTHERISINGSUN finished just under eight lengths behind Regulation in the Grade 3 Peninsula Handicap on the 13th of December, he is a beautiful looking gelding, if he bounces back to his best form, he will be amongst the places from a good draw. 10 BETTER MAN ran a lovely race in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup on the 22nd of November, he finished just under three lengths behind Good For You, if he gets some luck in running from a tricky draw on Tuesday, he will be right there in the finish. (Brandon Bailey: 7 – 4 – 1 – 10)

Race 8

9 WORLDLY finished like a rocket last time behind Demanding Dave on the 10th of December, he was almost last early, and he stormed home late to finish third in a tight finish, if he gets some cover early in this race, he will be hard to beat. 6 HIAWATHA GOLDBERG won a good race on the 21st of December, he was given two points for that win, with no weight on his back, he should be competitive in this field. 4 RHYDIAN ran a fair race behind Pomp It Up on the 22nd of November, he was only beaten just over three lengths in a competitive race, he will be just off the speed early on Tuesday, and he will be running on strongly late, watch him closely. 3 SHIFTING PATH will need to improve a few lengths to win a race like this, but he has dropped quite a bit in the ratings, he could sneak into the places at a big price. (Brandon Bailey: 9 – 6 – 4 – 3)

Race 9

3 MARITZBURG MEMORY caught the eye late for fourth behind Shesgotclass on the 21st of December, she would have needed that run back from a small break, even though the 1000m trip is on the short side for this filly, she will be switched off early, and she will be attacking the line hard late, watch her closely at a fair price. 9 DAME OF TRIX stayed on nicely for third behind Catch A Penny on the 6th of December, she is honest, and she tries hard, include her into all bets, she will go close to winning again. 1 PEACE OF MIND finished just over five lengths behind Palace Gift on the 24th of December, she is lightning fast, with no weight on her back, she will be hard to fetch late. 4 OCTOBER FEST must have a good each way chance in this field, she was touched off in a close finish behind Dame Of Trix on the 15th of November, her form of late is very good, she will stalk the speed early, and she will be running on strongly late, there is no doubt she can win a race like this quite easily. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 9 – 1 – 4)

Race 10

6 THE US OF A ran a great race in the Grade 2 Cape Merchants on the 13th of December, the race didn’t quite go according to plan, and he still managed to finish just over two lengths behind Outlaw King, he is a smart sprinter, the cheek pieces have been fitted for his race on Tuesday, he will run a cracker. 2 ONE LINER quickened up like a smart horse to win a good race on the 26th of November, he was given seven points for that impressive win, he is packed with ability, jockey Muzi Yeni sticks with this gelding, he can definitely win again. 8 DEMANDING DAVE could be anything, he won a top race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 10th of December, he was given five points for that win, the form of his last race has worked out well, his chances must be respected here. 1 GOLDEN DESTINY has run two excellent races in succession, he will be doing some good work late, watch him closely. (Brandon Bailey: 6 – 2 – 8 – 1)

David Thiselton

The sectional timing of the L’Ormarins King’s Plate appears to show that the horse who could be deemed to be the true pacemaker, Sail The Seas, went at a pace that allowed the best horses in the race to run to their best. The best were also fitter than they had been in the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes and that also helped.

The reason Sail The Seas can be deemed to be the true pacemaker is that in both the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes and the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate the bulk of the field were stacked up behind him and there was a gap ahead of him to the leaders.

Sail The Seas’ first six 200m sectional times in the Green Point Stakes were 14.65 seconds, 11.76 seconds, 12.48 seconds, 12.35, 12.14 and 11.58.

In the King’s Plate his first six times were faster in every instance and were 14.27, 11.53, 12.08, 11.77, 11.61 and 11.32.

He paid the price for going faster, because in the Green Point his last two sectionals were 11.53 and 12.42 whereas in the King’s Plate they were 11.90 and 12.62.

Every single one of the The Real Prince’s sectional times were faster in the King’s Plate than it was in the Green Point, meaning trainer Dean Kannemeyer had him tuned to perfection and he was able to run a highly efficient race and win it.

His most notable sectional time was his quickest one between the 600m and 400m, a time of  11.15 seconds, which shows his exceptional turn of foot.

He had many lengths to make up at that time and Craig Zackey made the correct decision to start chasing.

The Real Prince managed to run every single section in the King’s Plate at a faster than average time (except for the first sectional when eased back on to the rail), showing just what an efficient race Craig Zackey rode and what a good horse the Gimmethegreenlight gelding is.

A sectional that reads 90% is exceptionally fast as it is 90% of the average time for that section.

A sectional that reads 100% is identical to the average time and if it is above 100 it is slower than average.

The Real Princes’ sectional times in the Green Point and his percentages were 15.07 (120), 11.99 (95), 12.67 (101), 12.22 (97), 11.90 (94), 11.32 (90), 11.47 (91) and 12.55 (100).

His sectionals in the King’s Plate were 14.95 (119), 11.39 (90), 12.07 (96), 12.00 (95), 11.66 (93), 11.15 (89), 11.37 (90) and 12.43 (99).

It is interesting to note that Dave The King’s time for the Green Point, in which he more or less shared the lead and just held on from a blanket of fast-finishing horses, was actually slower than his time in the King’s Plate, where he finished a 9,50 length 13th.

He went fast in both races, so was going to pay the price in the straight.

However, in the King’s Plate he went significantly faster than he had in the Green Point, so his sectionals in the entire straight were going to suffer.

However, the key is that Sail The Seas had maintained more or less the same gap to him than he had in the Green Point, so had also gone faster, and this meant the best horses could come into the straight with some momentum and their superior engines were going to have an impact as opposed to sprinting after a horse who still had some reserves.

To highlight Dave The King’s race when winning the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge his percentages were 118. 93, 95, 98, 99, 96, 92, 98.

His sectionals in the Green Point were 91, 96, 98, 94, 92, 96, 104.

However, his sectionals in the King’s Plate were 90. 91, 90, 93, 94, 101, 111.

It is clear jockey Ryan Munger went too fast and Dave The King was a sitting duck for top class horses.

The biggest disappointment of the race, Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Jan van Goyen, sat in joint second behind Dave The King, a few lengths behind, but found little in the straight.

His Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas percentages were 111, 89, 98, 99, 101, 92, 92, 99.

His King’s Plate percentages were 114, 90, 94, 93, 91, 91, 99, 110.

It is clear he also went at fractions that were going to be difficult to maintain and he finished a 9,10 length 12th .

The question though is why was the lowest rated horse in the race, the 113-rated Legal Counsel, able to produce better sectionals in the straight than the twice Gr 1 winner Jan Van Goyen despite having been together with him in the running.

The country’s most travelled trainer Corne Spies once observed, “Going from the altitude to the sea is advantageous due to the increased oxygen content of the air. However, if the horses stay at the coast after their runs they tend to go flat. It would take six weeks to two months to acclimatise and they would then begin to thrive.”

So going too fast and being flat could explain Jan Van Goyen’s disappointing run and the latter eventuality has actually been seen in Jo’Burg horses before with all of Hawwaam, Malmoos, Tail Of The Comet, Queen Supreme, Buy And Sell etc disappointing in their second Cape Town starts. When raiding Durban, horses are able to return to the Highveld before their next Durban start, but obviously can’t do the same in Cape Town.

Questioning was a short-head runner up in the King’s Plate and his sectional times and percentages were 14.71 (117), 11.78 (94), 12.23 (97), 11.83 (94), 11.67 (93), 11.18 (89), 11.31 (90), 12.30 (98).

Vaughan Marshall had him in magnificent shape, especially considering his status of never having previously quite produced his best over further than 1400m. He was a neck ahead of The Real Prince in the Green Point, but was 2kg worse off in the King’s Plate.

The fastest final sectional was third-placed See It Again’s 12.08 (96) with seventh-placed Gladatorian second fastest in 12.18 seconds.

Alistair Cohen

Tenpenny has steadily climbed the ranks with honest performances that have taken him from looking quite average to a good, honest campaigner that trainer Patrick Kruyer is considering a tilt in KwaZulu-Natal with during Champions Season. He tries 1800m for the first time today at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and if he reaches the trip, he has every reason to win race 7.

The steady improvement is admirable but his formlines and the direction horses around him have headed add to expectations. The horse who beat him last time, Major Master showed a huge effort in the Grade 3 Ownpay Peninsula Handicap over this distance a month ago. He ran second pushing Regulation all the way to the line. That points to the capability of Tenpenny.

He loved his stint up the road at Hollywoodbets Durbanville in spring with a good win and a good place and that seems to have opened up his confidence.

He is KZN-bred, and there is a thought that he will have a tilt at the KZN Breeders’ Race mere days before the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Regular rider Juan-Paul van der Merwe is carded to take the ride. He has partnered him in all but one of his 11 career starts. Interestingly, he has only missed the money twice in his career.

Landoftherisingsun has had an interesting career and one cannot help but think that trainer Justin Snaith is plotting the rest of the season carefully. He won the Listed Woolavington over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville in eye-catching fashion but he was rested and then came back flat last time. He has always given the impression that he has something in hand from the handicapper but he could ultimately kick on over further. The heavy mass of 60kg will not be easy against this opposition but there could be any amount of potential to unlock. Andrew Fortune takes the ride.

Fortune might have had the option to ride Pinot Grigio who arrives in good form and he is not without a chance. He rides plenty of horses for trainer Ricky Maingard and he has done some good business on this gelding. His last start came behind Regulation over this course and distance. That was where Regulation started his push through the divisions. The mercurial hands of Grant van Niekerk is carded to take the ride.

Vercicat is tipped to win race 1 over 1000m in a field packed with horses who have scope to improve after some fair introductions or first timers. Guesswork is at play until the market opens. Vercicat finished fourth, 5,15 lengths behind Catwalk King on debut over this course and distance. Drawn in gate No 1 is a help as is Nichola Yuen’s 1,5kg claim.

Trailfinder put up a sparkling debut last month when he found his feet right at the end of the race to finished second, close-up behind Digby at this course over 1000m. Digby won again earlier this month with 65kg on his back. Trailfinder is back over the same trip in race 2 and Gavin Lerena gets a leg up. He should improve enough to win.

Seven No Trump gets the services of Fortune for Maingard in race 3 over 1200m. She is overdue her maiden victory and this looks the best opportunity to have her day. Having stacked up some honest performances since clearly educating herself in his first two starts, she has to be ready. Her last start came over 1400m when she was beaten by Kubu. The drop in trip looks like the secret. If one looks past her, anything could win.

There are a few lively chances in race 4 over 1400m. Gallic King, Sugar Daddy, I Am Sam, Joueur De Flute and Prairie Dawn all have winning claims. They are tipped in that order. Gallic King ran third in his penultimate start behind Foudre, who won subsequently. He was narrowly touched off by Rockandrollin in his last start. Those runs were over 1200m and the extended trip could be what he is seeking.

Homing Pigeon has been costly to follow but another chance is taken on her when she runs in race 5 over 1800m. She has hit the boards in her last three runs and she is finishing closer with every start. Craig Zackey gets aboard for Justin Snaith. There is some evident form in the race so punters should keep safe of Up In Flames and Woman In Gold.

Yamazaki must have a good chance to win race 6 over 1800m, much like Tenpenny, if he sees out this trip. He has found some high quality three-year-olds too good in his last three starts over slightly shorter. Viva’s Liberte and Beware clearly have the tools to become top sorts. There is no sign of that untapped quality here despite many rivals holding form. He had a rough draw of No 11 last time behind Mente Et Manu when he ran a length behind in third. Van Der Merwe has elected to ride this over Arbitration who seemingly does not have his legs tied up either.

Worldly finished off his race in superb fashion when he was last seen last month. He flashed up to finish behind subsequent winner Demanding Dave who runs a few events later against a field about two divisions stronger. A few more strides he might have run down Demanding Dave over 1000m. He reappears in race 8 over 1200m. The extra distance should suit his running style. Yuen is carded to take the ride.

A few are needed to in race 9 over 1000m. October Fest must have a good chance being 1kg better off with Dame Of Trix who she reopposes. Winning does not come easily for October Fest which is a concern but she seems to be in the right place at the right time. Most of her family improved as their careers went on and that looks possible with her.

So much potential lines up in race 10 over 1000m. Golden Destiny could be the horse to side with on the back of a very useful recent performance at this course over 1200m. He hit the line with plenty in hand. This is his third run after a break and he could lead them home.

Andrew Harrison

Some horses are similar to wayward children. Just when you think that you have talked some sense into them and they have mended their ways, they give you the middle finger.

Royal Victory has no end of talent with two Gr1 wins to his name and Nathan Kotzen’s efforts to get him back on an even keel after a plethora of wayward antics appeared to have delivered the required results. However, Royal Victory reverted to old ways by refusing to jump in the Michael Roberts Handicap that headlined the 10 race card at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

But take nothing away from the winner, Down By The River. Kom Naidoo would dearly love to move back to home base at Ashburton but he had Down By The River in good form and light-weight Cole Dicken, who is currently riding confidently, made no mistakes.

Capsaicin set off in the lead under Rachel Venniker but was a spent force early in the straight. Dicken avoided the ‘sheep’ crowding the inside rail and headed for home strait down the middle. Down By The River was clear a long way out and never challenged with Queue Wing running on best of all but still two lengths back.

David Thiselton

In racing there is the saying, “It takes just one horse” and the one horse in the ownership career of owner/breeder Lady Christine Laidlaw is the current Equus Champion Broodmare mare Real Princess, who on Saturday became the mother of two multiple Gr 1 winners when the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimmethegreenlight gelding, The Real Prince won the country’s most prestigious weight for age mile, the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

It was a fourth L’Ormarins King’s Plate/Queen’s Plate win for the Kannemeyer yard and his last two have been for Lady Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables, although unlike her 2014 winner Capetown Noir this one was homebred.

The Real Prince will now attempt to become the eighth horse in history to have won both the Hollywoodbets Durban July and Cape Town’s traditional biggest race, the Gr 1 wfa WSB Met over 2000m, although Kannemeyer called the King’s Plate South Africa’s greatest wfa event after Saturday’s victory and not many would disagree with him, especially considering it now carries a “win and you’re in” condition for the Gr 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Kannemeyer said in the build up to the King’s Plate that The Real Prince had come on from his run in the Green Point and had come on further with an 800m sharpening gallop at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the Tuesday, twelve days ahead of the race.

He said there was still the Met to come, but reckoned he had done enough work to run a big race in the King’s Plate.

He initially shortened on Saturday to become second favourite behind the hot favourite Jan Van Goyen, but he then began drifting out alarmingly and started 25/2.

The betting drift was not a reflection of stable confidence, because Craig Zackey afterwards said that he had no doubt The Real Prince was the best miler in the country.

There were many who believed he would win the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge last season after his eye-catching 1,35 length fourth from a wide draw in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes, not knowing that Kannemeyer and Khaya Stables racing manager Jehan Malherbe would decide to protect his Hollywoodbets Durban July weight by missing the Gold Challenge and going straight for the July.

Many felt the latter was a high risk decision that could well backfire, considering The Real Prince had a stamina doubt over the 2200m trip, being a full brother to the champion sprinter Gimme A Prince, and he would also be having his second run after a rest in the July. However, the two stalwarts were vindicated.

Today the decision looks full of wisdom, because as a gelding there was always going to be plenty of opportunity for The Real Prince to win Gr 1 weight for age miles and other wfa races,  whilst there was only ever going to be once chance for him to go into the July with a relatively light weight.

The Real Prince was held back by Zackey on Saturday after jumping from draw six out of 14 and this allowed him to find the rail near the back. Dave The King set a strong pace with Jan van Goyen and Legal Counsel a few lengths behind him.

There was then a gap of a few more lengths back to the rest, who were led by Sail The Seas with The Real Prince traveling comfortably about five lengths behind the latter.

Dave The King and Jan Van Goyen were soon spent forces with The Real Prince eating up the ground on the inside rail and it appeared that he just needed the gaps to open to win the race. It looked like he was going better than Sail The Seas, who was about to hit the front.

However, the confidence in The Real Prince’s winning chances momentarily dissipated when 50/1 shot Questioning suddenly appeared on the outside, having come from near the back.  Questioning looked all over the winner going through the 200m as he was closing fast.

However, The Real Prince had managed to thread his way between the tiring Legal Counsel and Sail The Seas and having done so he then found extra.

He managed to somehow repel Questioning to win by a shorthead and thus deny Vaughan Marshall a second successive King’s Plate.

See It Again flew from near the back of the field to be beaten just 0,25 lengths into third, a neck ahead of Sail The Seas.

The  67/1 outsider Cosmic Speed was a 3,45 length fifth narrowly ahead of Sugar Mountain and Gladatorian.

The best decision of the Kannemeyer and Malherbe brains trust was to buy the Trippi filly The Real Princess for R2.7 million, because not only was she a Gr 1 winner, but to date she has produced the three-time Gr 1-winning champion sprinter Gimme A Prince, the twice Gr 1 winner The Real Prince and one other Graded winner plus the highly promising Gimmie Rules and there are more to come.

There was a dream result in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship as the East Cape raider Kingdundee, a Clive Murphy-homebred  four-year-old gelding, blitzed them from the highest draw of all in the 14 horse field to lead from start to finish under Calvin Habib.

He gave Dean Smith his first Gr 1 winner just a few months after he had taken over the yard from his late father Gavin and it was also a first Gr 1 winner for the Galileo sire The United States.

Kingdundee beat home the Stuart Ferrie-trained I Am Giant by 0,75 lengths with Outlaw King next best followed by Asiye Phambili, Surjay and Cafe Culture, while the hot favourite Buffalo Storm Cody could only manage a 2,35 length seventh.

The Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes saw the Justin Snaith-trained Maine Chance Farms-bred Legislate filly Wish List producing a sustained finished under veteran jockey Andrew Fortune to prevail by half-a-length from fellow three-year-old Reet Petite. Rainbow Lorikeet, Double Grand Slam and Minogue were next best. Wish List is owned by Nancy Hossack and JI Bloch and it was an eighth win in this iconic race for Justin Snaith and a second Gr 1 winner for Legislate.

David Thiselton

The national trainers championship is particularly intriguing this season, because it is closer than it was last season at this stage and the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July also has the potential to bring about a dramatic change in the standings in just one race.

Last season Justin Snaith was well over R7 million clear of his chief rival for the title every season, Sean Tarry, at this same stage, while another perennial contender, Mike de Kock, was R8 million behind and the championship-winning Peter yard were more than R6 million behind.

This season Snaith is only about R2.8 million clear of both Peter and Tarry and the Mike and Mathew De Kock yard are less than R100,000 behind the latter pair.

Snaith has an even money chance, with Hollywoodbets, of adding R593,750 to his tally with Double Grand Slam in the Gr 1 R1 million Cartier Paddock Stakes on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Tony Peter has a 25/20 chance of adding R890,625 in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship with the highest rated horse in the land,  Buffalo Storm Cody.

The De Kocks have a 2/1 chance of adding a big R1,781,250 to their tally with Jan Van Goyen in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate (LKP).

Of course there can be upsets and the De Kocks also have the 10/1 chance Dave The King in the LKP, while the Snaiths have a strong hand with 5/1 chance Eight On Eighteen and 6/1 shot See It Again as well as 10/1 chance Sail The Seas and 33/1 chance Legal Counsel.

Sean Tarry has the 33/1 Cosmic Speed in the LKP and he could be fair value as he is a Gr 1 weight for age winner over a mile and has champion jockey Gavin Lerena up. His form in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and Gr 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over this 1600m trip also puts him close to Sail The Seas, Eight On Eighteen and See It Again. Cosmic Speed was a 2,95 length tenth in the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes but that was his second run after a five-and-a-half month layoff and his first run in Cape Town, so he was entitled to need it.

In the Cape Flying Tarry has the 25/1 and 67/1 outsiders Lucky Lad and Quantum Theory.

Snaith has the 20/1 shot Snow Pilot, while the De Kocks have the exciting three-year-old Constellation, who is rated a 25/2 chance.

In the Paddock Stakes Snaith also has the 25/2 shot Wish List and the 33/1 chance Little Suzie.

The Gr 1 wfa WSB Met carries a R5 million stake and Snaith could get a massive boost towards retaining his championship in that race.

He has the defending champion Eight On Eighteen, who will be hard to beat.

Eight On Eighteen will have some competition from a plethora of stablemates i.e See It Again, Sail The Seas, Regulation, Happy Verse and Native Ruler.

Dean Kannemeyer will have a strong hand in the Met with the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince and his talented full-brother Gimmie Rules.  Kannemeyer does not have the numbers to be a fancied championship contender, but he does have a lot of quality and as he has the potential to do the  Met/July double he has to be an outsider to take note of.

Tarry’s Met challenge relies on Legend Of Arthur, who has been disappointing since his SA Derby win, and Cosmic Speed, who might be stretched by the 2000m trip, although this Querari gelding’s dam is by Silvano, which makes it interesting.

The De Kock’s Dave The King will be stretched by the Met trip.

Tarry’s perennial opportunity to plunder comes in the Highveld feature season and the De Kocks could also rake in a lot of stakes money there.

Tarry has an exciting unbeaten three-year-old in the Vercingetorix colt Grand Empire and he has plenty of hard knockers for the Highveld season.

Tarry is famously prosperous at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting and his promising two-year-old colt Turn It Up, a half-brother to Gr 1 Gold Medallion winner Proceed, is an obvious candidate, as is the like of Mia Moo, who will be out to defend her SA Fillies Sprint crown, while stablemate One Fine Winter will be one of Mia Moo’s chief dangers. The like of Lucky Lad will be a Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint contender and Tarry is likely to have contenders for the top two-year-old fillies race, the Allan Robertson.

Jan van Goyen is not an entry for the WSB Met and the De Kocks might be eyeing the Highveld Triple Crown events with him.

They have plenty of promising three-year-olds like Miami Mountain, One Eye On Vegas, Constellation, Splittheeights, Trombolines and fillies like Drumnadrochit.

Tony Peter could also have a good Highveld season with his established stars being joined by the like of exciting two-year-old Heath House.

However, the July is going to be the big one and it looks like the Snaith yard will hold the aces for that race with a host of contenders like Eight on Eighteen, Native Ruler, See It Again, Regulation, Okovango, Happy Verse, Legal Counsel, Magic Verse, Randolph Hearst etc.

The Snaith yard have the numbers and the all round strength in all divisions and crucially they are likely to have to have the strongest hand in the July.

Hollywoodbets have them at 4/10 to defend their title and that looks to be a fair price for those brave enough to take it.

Sean Tarry and the De Kocks are at 6/1 and the Peter yard is at 8/1 with James Crawford and Dean Kannemeyer next best on 25/1 respectively.

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.