David Thiselton

The 2026 WSB Cape Town Met day will always be remembered for events unfolding like a fairytale with the central characters being Andrew Fortune, Justin Snaith, Nick Jonsson, Aldo Domeyer and Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud.

The bare facts were the six-year-old Drakenstein Stud-bred Twice Over gelding See It Again being backed into 5/2 favourite and running out a 0,75 length winner in his third attempt at Cape Town’s biggest race.

The win gave both trainer Justin Snaith and owner Nick Jonsson a fourth successive victory in the Gr 1 WFA 2000m event and, incredibly, they have done it with four different horses.

The four were Jet Dark, Double Superlative, Eight On Eighteen and See It Again.

Of those only Double Superlative was not bred by Drakenstein Stud.

Mike Bass won the Met four years in succession between 2007-2010 but only did it with two horses.

Multiple successive wins of Gr 1 races are rare, but do happen around the world to trainers and jockeys. However, it is unheard of for an individual owner to do it simply due to the numerical odds involved. To put it into perspective Snaith’s charges have collectively had 556 runs this season, while Jonsson’s have had exactly 100 runs.

See It Again’s victory gave 58-year-old Andrew Fortune a first ever win of one of South Africa racing’s three “majors”, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, the WSB Met and the Betway Summer Cup.

His son Aldo Domeyer was on one of the biggest outsiders in the race, the Snaith-trained Regal Counsel, and he finished second.

It is not known whether this was the first ever father-son participation as jockeys in the big race, but it was certainly the Met’s first father-son exacta.

That exacta came 45 minutes after Andrew and Aldo had finished first and second in the only other Gr 1 race of the day, the Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes over 1600m with the Snaith-trained Double Grand Slam and the Candice Bass-trained Rainbow Lorikeet.

In the Met winner’s enclosure, Fortune brought many to tears when going down on his knees and lifting his hands to the heavens before thanking God.

He had just put the cherry on one of the finest sporting comebacks in history and it followed his even greater comeback as a human-being.

The talented Fortune fought back from being virtually down and out through drug addiction about 19 years ago to be crowned champion jockey in the 2008/2009 season and what made that feat even more incredible was he was a heavyweight jockey.

Fortune retired from the saddle in 2017 with many highlights to look back on, although the absence of a win in any of South African racing’s three “majors” was glaring.

A few years later his weight had ballooned to 90kg.

His position on a thoroughbred farm in Australia was quite physical and he lost plenty of weight, but he was still scoffed at by some when talking of a comeback to the saddle.

The process of regaining his license was a long one and he had almost given up and was going to fly back to his family in Australia when it finally came through, allowing him to resume race-riding on March 1, 2025.

Fortune has a nutrition regime which he does not call dieting, but rather “fasting”, and having battled with weight throughout his career he now, incredibly, rides at 53,5kg and has revealed he has a frightening amount of energy.

He accumulated a lot of suspension time in his first few months back in race-riding, but he did land the Gr 2 Golden Horse Sprint on Tenango and then won the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province on Double Grand Slam.

However, since putting his suspensions behind him he has bounced back to his best and it is unlikely he has ever ridden as well in his career as he has in the last month or two.

It is a thing of beauty to watch horses settling in his sublime hands and then finding extra with minimal use of the whip and, ever the showman, he invariably entertains by standing up in the saddle and pointing to the crowd before he has crossed the line.

His legendary interviews are full of humour, but they are sometimes not for the faint-hearted, although on Saturday even the biggest prude would have forgiven him a couple of swear words.

Fortune won four races in all on Saturday, three of them for Snaith, including the two Gr 1s.

Snaith had five wins in all, including the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m.

See It Again had won the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 for Summerveld trainer Michael Roberts as a three-year-old and went close in the July that season.

He had knocked hard for more Gr 1s, but this season was under a cloud as he refused to load in his first two starts at Hollywoodbets Greyville and this scuppered the plan to run him in the Summer Cup.

He was still running under Roberts’ name when charging home for a close third in the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on December 13 after losing a couple of lengths at the start. That was his first race under Fortune.

However, he has been at the Snaith yard since early November and his starting stall issues have been worked on by renowned ‘horse whisperer’ Malan Du Toit.

Jonsson put him in Snaith’s name at the end of December and in his first start for the champion trainer he came flying from well back in the field for a narrow third in the Gr 1 WFA L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m.

But Fortune was supremely confident of winning the Met. From a tough draw of ten of eleven See It Again was caught three wide in the running, but he had cover behind Garrix and was settled.

He produced his usual turn of foot in the straight before wearing down the gallant Legal Counsel to win easily with Fortune saluting the grandstand.

The Real Prince ran on from last for third with Okavango and Native Ruler next best.

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.

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!

All systems go on 1 January 2025

Horseracing in KwaZulu-Natal took the next step to the dawn of a new era with the publication on Thursday of a revitalized racing programme and the news of the introduction of incentives and stakes adjustments that will align the province with the status quo in the Cape.

The introduction of the new-look programme and policies on the East Coast comes into play as a result of the proposed acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group, which now hinges on the required approval of the KZN Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA).

Whilst the outstanding approval of the KZNERA is critical to the transaction, and will be the final step in transferring ownership, Hollywoodbets and its appointed Chairman Designate of Gold Circle, Greg Bortz are in management and strategic decisions during the interim period, with Hollywoodbets investing funds at its own risk to ensure the continuity of horse racing in KZN, and the survival of Gold Circle.

Programme and related reading matter, click here.

Subject to the fulfillment of other outstanding conditions precedent, the deal effectively unlocks a R500 million rescue injection from Hollywoodbets, and a takeover of the sport in the holiday province, which is set to include track upgrades and other infrastructural and operational initiatives.

The new KZN programme covers the period 1 January to 28 February 2025 and introduces the stakes-boosted class racing structure to the province, while unveiling financial incentives via the RaceCoast incentive scheme with the ultimate aim of improving racehorse ownership in KZN and achieving enhanced field sizes with the knock-on vital lifeblood of increased betting turnovers.

Down South, the RaceCape incentive programme has proven a winner and has underscored the unprecedented turnaround in Cape horseracing by providing further opportunities for the local racing community and increased employment prospects for grooms and work riders, as well as raising the bar for all related and ancillary horse racing services.

“We are very excited about future plans for KZN racing,” Cape Racing Executive: Racing & Bloodstock Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post on Thursday, as he outlined broad plans to revolutionise the appeal of the sport across the board for all stakeholders in KZN.

“We need to provide owners and trainers with an even and attractive playing field that makes them want to race. Stakes and rewards need to be meaningful. That ultimately leads to better field sizes, more exciting racing and improved betting turnovers. Punters are key to the success of the process. We are implementing a first world reform in terms of transparency when it comes to information. Items like horse weights, for example, will be published. They are, after all, a form assessment tool. Horses working at our training centres and tracks will all have easily identifiable bar-coded saddle-cloths. So, there are no secrets. If Oriental Charm or One Stripe is on track, the public will share in it,” added Vermaak, who confirmed that barrier draws after acceptance was another operational change which would be implemented on 1 January 2025.

Veteran KZN trainer Garth Puller, who attended a recent stakeholder’s meeting at Summerveld hosted by Greg Bortz, Justin Vermaak, Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets officials, enthused that he was thrilled by the news of the takeover by business-minded racing people who were brave and bold enough to step in and turn the ship around.

“This has come very late for me at my age, but it’s a lifechanger and the future is brighter than it was yesterday,” reflected a delighted Puller as he told the Sporting Post that the adjusted stakes and ‘very welcome’ incentives would boost cash-flows,  while also making it so much easier to help him and his colleagues market the basic ownership product.

“And we are getting draws after acceptances. Wonderful! I was calling for that 25 years ago at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Bigger fields mean a faster pace, means better form, means better truer results. It’s an ecosystem of positivity. It all feeds on itself,” added the horseman who is never scared to pass an opinion.

Puller said the repair of the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville was ‘definitely quite overdue and welcome news’.

“That’s our stage. The track must be safe for horse and rider, be true and competitive, and have credibility with all role-players. That’s not a negotiable.”

On the ‘abolition’ of the committee structure to facilitate decision making and policy, Puller said that he was so pleased to hear that all reasonable suggestions will be considered by management.

“Wonderful! So there are no more long-winded committees to hide behind and to dither over. How refreshing.  I believe every stakeholder in this sport in KZN needs to doff a cap to Hollywoodbets and Mr Bortz. This investment and takeover is a brave move. But we know that with the passion for horse racing of the local population in this province, we can make it work. And by putting the structures in place they are making sure we have no excuses. Let’s look forward and get on with rebuilding KZN racing. I am absolutely thrilled. This is good news,” he concluded.