David Thiselton

A Pinnacle Stakes event over 2400m and a MR 96 Handicap over 1160m are the two highlights of the Turffontein Standside meeting today.

In the Pinnacle event Breeze Over is the best weighted runner and will be advantaged by his wide draw of seven out of eight. His problem is he is a front runner but misses the break virtually every race. He then has to come around them so a wide draw will be to his advantage. However, a problem he has in this race is Poet’s Warrior is a frontrunner and there will be competition for the lead. Poet’s Warrior was back to his best when winning three runs ago, although that was in a small field and last time out he was tailed off when fatigued. Bellerophon is officially 4,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted runner Breeze Over. However, in his last three staying races he has won two of them and finished a far from disgraced 8,25 length 8^th in the Gr 2 SA Derby. He looks to be a progressive stayer and a bonus is that Mickaelle Michel, who is in high-flying form, gets a 1,5kg gender claim. On the downside he has a tricky draw of eight. Deception Pass is an interesting runner despite being 11kg under sufferance as he is by stamina influence Ideal World out of a Caesour mare and tries a staying trip for the first time. Taxhaven is well drawn and has the ability to pop up. With so many question marks in this race Bellrophone is taken to follow up on his last win.

In the MR 96 Handicap over 1160m Sosoru looks to be a promising sprinter who can rise above his 93 merit rating and he has the highest draw of all, which tends to be the favourable side on the Standside track. Captain Selvie is in fine form and has won his last three races with something in hand, so he can go close again. Xenophon was most disappointing last time at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, but that has turned out to be a strong race and he could bounce back here from a nice high draw. Those are the three that make most appeal.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 the winner could be Master’s Lady who has been knocking on the door for a long time and gets a good opportunity in this uninspiring event. Irish Wilma has finished 7,25 lengths behind Heath House in a three horse field and was 8,65 lengths behind Secretary Bird on debut, so could earn in this line up. Apparition is by Gimmethegreenlight and is a half-sister to a Vercingetorix filly who won on debut. Penny’s Choice could earn here under Mickaelle Michel. Elegant Edge has 4,25 lengths to make up on Master’s Lady but could earn here.

In the next race over 1000m Isaac Stephan was just 2,75 lengths behind Sosoru in his third start and Craig Zackey now takes the ride so he will be a big runner. Kwaito was beaten 10,60 lengths on debut but the winner, Haute Couture, went on to win the Gr 1 Gold Medallion, so he must have a chance in this line up. Berry Lancer can also earn here if able to repeat his last start.

In  the fifth race over 1400m Be All You Can Be made a fine debut and looks set to despatch this field from a plum draw. Brave Waam put in a brave front-running effort last time and should have come on from the run, so if able to overcome his wide draw without using up too much energy he could go close in this line up. Jimmy Vega has a form chance of earning here.

In the eighth race over 1400m Korcula has the form to go close. Gimmesumluv is usually thereabouts and in this line up must have a chance under Craig Zackey, although she does have to overcome a tricky draw. Beautiful One could also be a contender here from a fair draw.

In the first race Miss Dutton looks to have moderate form at first sight but on collateral formlines she comes out on top of those who have run. Elusive Dragon has beaten Hoc Est Vita before and those two should earn. Rafeef’s Queen was well beaten on debut but it was against subsequent Gr 1 winner Haute Couture so she could earn. Caladrius only has 1,5 lengths to make up on Miss Dutton on their only meeting. Del’s World is by One World and is a half-sister to the 104-rated Don’t Cry For Me.

In the second over 1000m Snowblade can do well over the trip of his good debut having disappointed over 1600m on Thursday, although he might not run with this race coming just three days later. Mfulathela could go close in this line up. Bisou Bisou makes appeal being by Querari and a half-brother to Gr 1 winner Mighty High and to the Gr 2 winner Gobsmacked.

Race 1

ELUSIVE DRAGON and HOC EST VITA have the form and experience to be competitive. However, this will likely go the way of a newcomer so the betting should be monitored closely. Respect any market support for debutantes BEAUTIFUL ROSIE, BELLFLOWER, DEL’S WORLD, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL and SOCIAL GRACES who are all bred to be useful. (Brendan Gaillard 1-14-9-10)

Race 2

SNOWBLADE outran market expectations on debut and will have benefitted from that experience. With natural improvement expected, he will be hard to beat. Well-bred ALL TIME LEGEND had excuses on debut and should be respected. MFULATHELA has shown enough to make his presence felt, though a bigger threat to the selection will likely come from one of the newcomers. BISOU BISOU, KING SOLOMON and RIVERA are of particular interest and warrant respect before any market clues. (Brendan Gaillard 9-11-2-7)

Race 3

MASTER’S LADY is overdue and likely to play another leading role but could be vulnerable to unexposed rivals. ELEGANT EDGE and MISS RIVER DANCER have the form and experience to make their presence felt too. Youngster IRISH WILMA was 2nd over track and trip last time so should have a say if building on that improvement. Newcomers APPARITION and MINERVA FAE won’t have to be special to run forward races on debut so betting support would be significant. (Brendan Gaillard 1-8-3-11)

Race 4

KWAITO was a well-beaten 3rd on debut over track and trip behind a subsequent Grade 1 winner and the strength of that form could be good enough in this lineup, especially with natural improvement on the cards. ISAAC STEPHAN and ECHOES OF WAR have shown enough to pose a threat to the youngster. Newcomer TORPEDO, well-related EVENING PARADE and Highveld newcomer GIVE ME A CHANCE complete the shortlist. (Brendan Gaillard 10-1-2-9)

Race 5

BE ALL YOU CAN BE was touched off on debut over this trip by a more experienced rival and she won’t have to improve much, if at all, to go one better. MASTER SMOKER fits a similar profile and will likely fight out the finish. THE REASON has the form and experience to stake a claim but will have to bounce back from a disappointing last start. BRAVE WAAM, JIMMY VEGA and SUTTER’S MILL also have the means to get involved. (Brendan Gaillard 5-7-6-10)

Race 6

BELLEROPHON won over this trip under a big weight at a slightly lower level last time so a class rise under a 4-point penalty, with the aid of his rider’s 1.5kg allowance, is unlikely to prevent another bold showing. POETS WARRIOR had excuses for a disappointing last start. He is unbeaten over track and trip so could bounce back to pose a threat. BREEZE OVER, HOTARUBI and MO MENT are proven stayers. They could get into the picture along with DECEPTION PASS who is dangerous to dismiss trying the trip for the first time. (Brendan Gaillard 4-1-8-2)

Race 7

SOSORU was only narrowly denied in his hat-trick bid in a similar contest over 1000m and a 4-point rise for that last-start 2nd might not be enough to prevent him from resuming winning ways. Last-start winner CAPTAIN SELVIE, course-and-distance specialist VIBE SA, and recent course and distance second MAX THE MAGICIAN should be competitive on current form. BANFF, STONEYWOOD, XENOPHON and DANTE’S BOND appeal most of the remainder. (Brendan Gaillard 7-5-3-1)

Race 8

KORCULA was desperately unlucky not to open her account last time out. She was subsequently rested and switched stables so is good value to make a winning start for new connections. GIMMESUMLUV and NICOLSON LANDING are those most likely to expose any chinks in the selection’s armour. HEAVENLY LACE and BEAUTIFUL ONE also have the means to stake a claim. (Brendan Gaillard 1-3-2-9)

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Leicester and York (UK) – 13 June 2026.

David – Thiselton

Tenpenny has a crucial race on today in the Gr 3 Lucky Fish Winter Stakes over 2400m as he will probably need to win it to earn a berth in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

If he does get in he will become the second runner trainer Paddy Kruyer has had in the big race in his career.

Tenpenny has been one of the most progressive horses of the season, rising from a 90 merit rating to 105 with four wins from 1600m to 2500m.

His win over the latter trip was in the Listed Masks Of Fire Kenilworth Cup.

He followed that with a 1,40 length third in the Gr 3 Variety Club Mile, beating the like of Viva’s Liberte and Legal Counsel, although he was receiving 6kg from the latter and only beat him by a longhead.

In his last run he was beaten by 12,24 lengths in the Gr 3 Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m.

However, Kruyer said, “The ground was very bad, it was very, very heavy, and he also came back with a little bit of a dirty scope post race.”

He continued, “But we are very happy with where he is at the moment. There is a little bit of pressure as I am trying to get him into the July with a light weight. He has been with Michael Roberts at Summerveld for two weeks and I’ve been here too. He traveled very well and his workouts have been very good. Everything is in order and we are hoping for a nice run. He is a very nice horse, but this is a last chance saloon, he will need to win to get into the July.”

Paddy’s only previous July runner was At The Savoy (Dancing Champ), who finished 6th and 14th in 1994 and 1995 respectively and he was ironically ridden by Michael Roberts in the latter race.

Paddy said Tenpenny will love the faster ground he will get today compared to last time.

He is quoted at 5/1 in the nine horse field for today’s race and he is 75/1 with the sponsor for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

David Thiselton

The South African racing fraternity woke up to the sad news yesterday that the legendary Hall Of Fame trainer Ormond Ferraris had passed away after a short illness.

He passed away peacefully at his retirement home in Plettenberg Bay yesterday morning, 10 June, surrounded by people he loved dearly, his sons David and Paul, grandson Luke, granddaughter Caroline and stepdaughters, Kim and Leigh.

Ormond was inducted into the South African Hall of Fame on Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday, 29 March 2025, two days  before his 93rd birthday.

He had saddled no fewer than ten Oaks winners, including Pretty Border, St Just and Lambarina.

He also prepared eight Derby winners, including the outstanding Distinctly, Newmarket Triple Crown winner Fine Regent, and The Monk, and he won the 2013 Triple Tiara with Cherry On The Top.

Another of Ferraris’ great legacies will be the role he played as a mentor. He played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of champion trainers David Ferraris, Mike de Kock, and Michael Clements, as well as leading trainers Weiho Marwing, Weichong Marwing and Sharon Kotzen.

Yet, what he held dearest was his founding of the Trainers Benevolent Fund, which he personally managed from 1970 to 2022 before handing it over to a private accountant.

Ferraris said about the fund just over a year ago, “The saddest thing I’ve seen in all my years in racing is the passing of many good horsemen without a penny to their names. We tried to help as many as we could, despite limited funding from racing authorities. Resources are now at a minimum, but we built a reserve that I hope will last a few more years.”

Ferraris briefly worked as a trainee antiques dealer in downtown Johannesburg before becoming workrider and then assistant trainer to George Weale in 1949 and 1950 respectively.

In 1954, he was granted his own trainer’s licence and saddled his first winner, Shenandoah, at Gosforth Park on 14 August of that year.

Ferraris went on to train approximately 2,600 more winners before retiring in May 2019, never handling a string of more than 60 runners.

Racing scribe Charl Pretorius ghost wrote Ormond’s autobiography “Thoroughly”.

The book reaffirmed Ferraris’ reputation as a dedicated trainer who put his horses first.

Ormond developed expertise in all facets of training and his most rewarding finds at the Sales ranged from a R200 purchase to the brilliant Australian-bred Tracy’s Element.

His dedication to his profession was in fact emphasised on the day he spotted Tracy’s Element.

It followed an exhausting flight to Australia, but rather than rest in the hotel and wait for the next day he went straight to the Sales grounds where he spotted the filly walking by soon after arriving there.

He was beside himself with excitement and upon returning to the hotel he informed owner Paddy Hinton that he had seen perfection. His expert eye and intuition proved to be a hundred percent correct. Tracy’s Element had 19 starts for 11 wins, four of them Gr 1s and three of those were against the boys, the Gold Medallion, the Computaform Sprint and the Star Sprint and she also won the SA Fillies Sprint.

The book confirmed Ormond to be a forthright man.

The first time a wealthy owner pushed him too far the twenty-seven year-old Ormond drove to the latter’s office, jumped over the receptionists desk and barged into his office.

“Get your horses out of my yard!”, or something to that effect, were the last words he said to a few owners, including that one.

However, this never stopped him progressing steadily and the reason for this was emphasised through another incident.

Ormond was warned by a colleague, after he had given one particular owner the “Get out!” command, he should perhaps have been more circumspect because this particular man had a reputation as one not to be messed with.

Ormond believed his end might be nigh when he came to a lonely bridge on the way to the track early in one of the ensuing mornings to find this man’s car blocking the path.

However, after approaching the car with trepidation, it turned out the owner was only there to beg Ormond to take his horses back.

Ormond was training at The Vaal at the time of that incident and had moved there after a stint at Newmarket.

His career in fact truly took off at the Vaal.

His reasons for the move, i.e. the training tracks had no clay underneath them and thus drained well, proved spot on.

Ormond had up and down relationships with jockeys, but developed flourishing partnerships with the good ones, with fierce loyalty being a determining factor.

The pressure was high on trainers in the old days when they did not get a percentage of the prize money and had to rely on betting. In fact this pressure was so great that in the mid 1960s Ormond packed up training and turned to sheep farming.

Luckily for SA racing, the latter stint did not last long!

There were then the boom years of the 1970s,1980s and first part of 1990, when massive crowds attended the races and the quality of the thoroughbreds competing was outstanding, as it had also been in the 1960s.

They horses were bred tougher in those days and this is emphasised when Ormond states matter-of-factly that his top class colt Distinctly made his debut over 800m on October 10 of his two-year-old season!

Of course Distinctly is at the centre of Ormond’s most disappointing day on a racecourse in the 1975 July, where he believes, but for interference from Gatecrasher, Distinctly would have won by four to five lengths.

Another aspect mentioned by Ormond is that throughout the dark days of apartheid peace and harmony existed between the various races of South Africa on the race course, even in the times when they were forced on to separate grandstands.

Former jockey and now Summerveld trainer Dennis Bosch summed up Ormond is one sentence yesterday morning.

He said, “In racing Mr Ferraris said it as it was, there was no beating around the bush, but out of racing he was the nicest, kindest man you could ever meet. He not only started the benevolent fund for trainers. but I believe he also built a beautiful church for the previously disadvantaged. He was a super guy and a great trainer.”

Ormond was still active into his 90s assisting trainer Weichong Marwing at Turffontein, where the pair once formed a lethal partnership with Ormond as trainer and Weichong as jockey.

David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer spoke on Monday morning at Summerveld about the scratching of the reigning champion The Real Prince from the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He was one of a number of big scratchings from the big race on either Sunday or Monday, but the two horses who won the traditional July pointer races, the Gr 3 Betgames Cup Trial and the Gr 3 TAB Jubilee Stakes, Zeitz and Aladdin’s Lamp respectively, were both supplemented.

Kannemeyer said about The Real Prince’s 2,95 length fourth in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on Saturday, “The jockey said it was a slow run race, but he was sitting behind Questioning and then they made a bit of a sprint up the straight. Well I’m making excuses, but he had to wait, wait, and then move out, move out, but then 300m out I thought he is now going to come and get them with his turn of foot. He did quicken up and he was running up to them, but I just thought that in that last 75m he may have just flattened out.”

When asked whether the run would put him spot on for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, he replied, “Well there’s a great possibility he won’t run in the July and may go straight into the Champions Cup. He won it last year because of the right weight and the right draw and everything and this year having won the July and the King’s Plate and coming third in the Met he has a big weight and I have a big doubt he will run in the July, but he’s doing well and is definitely going for the Champion’s Cup.”|

The Real Prince was duly scratched from the July later in the morning.

Not only is The Real Prince out, but so is his runner up from last year Eight on Eighteen, whilst the 2023 runner up and incumbent topweight See It Again was also a casualty and so was the Gr 1 SA Classic winner Grand Empire, last year’s Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack and also former Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch.

Other scratchings include Parisian Walkway, Aristotle,  JP’s Palace, Wild Intent, Buster Barnes and Otto Luyken.

There are 29 horses still standing with the Gr 1 winners among them being Wish List (X2), Gladatorian, Mocha Blend, Hazy Dazy and Star Major.

The Andre Nel-trained Zeitz and the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Aladdin’s Lamp have both been supplemented and both are on merit ratings of 110 following their good wins over the weekend, with Zeitz being raised three points and Aladdin’s Lamp four points.

They will both be carrying 53kg as things stand with Legal Counsel the new incumbent topweight on 62kg off his 128 merit rating following the scratching of See It Again.

David Thiselton

King Pelles is an under the radar horse for the Hollywoodbets Durban July who might just be fair value in the ante-post market at 20/1 with the sponsor.

He put up a good gallop at Hollywoobets Greyville on Saturday before the races and will be back there for the Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallops.

Trainer Gareth van Zyl said, “The gallop went well and he is doing very well.”

He is not having another race before the July as there is nothing suitable for him, so he will go into the race running off a merit rating of 122.

That means he will carry 59kg in the big race as things stand with Legal Counsel as the topweight on 62kg off a 128 merit rating.

Gareth said about King Pelles’ suitability to 2200m, “I don’t think it is going to be a problem, I think he will be alright over the trip.”

The Drakenstein Stud-bred five-year-old Duke Of Marmalade gelding is stoutly bred being out of a Galileo mare.

He is the reigning Gold Cup (3200m) Champion and the reigning Equus Champion Stayer.

However, he is derfinitely not a dour staying stype and when landing four Gr 3s last season over trips between 2400m and 3200m he showed an exceptional turn of foot.

He has also been shown this season to be effective over shorter trips with good performances over distances of 1200m to 1950m.

He was strongly fancied for the Betway Summer Cup over 2000m and disappointed, running a 16,25 length 12th.

However, a number of horses ran below par in that race on a day in which the humidity was high.

King Pelles bounced back after the Summer Cup to win the Umthombothi Stakes over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. He showed a good turn of foot to win it by 1,30 lengths, despite carrying topweight of 62.5kg. Among the horses he beat was July entry Isivivane, who went on to win the Gr 3 WSB 1900. In the July he will be 1,5kg worse off with Isivivane for a 1,80 length beating, which puts King Pelles marginally ahead of him. King Pelles will also relish the step up to 22000m, a trip which will be new territory for Isivivane.

Followng the Umthombothi Stakes King Pelles ran in the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m and finished a fine 0,60 length seoond to Okavango recieving just 1kg. The lattter went on to run second in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challege before winning a Conditions Plate over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville in which he beat the like of Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen and the crack three-year-old Note To Self, who is one of the favourites for the July.

King Pelles’ Hollywoodbets Durban July Gallop will be keenly observed by his supporters and he will provide his passionate owner Ravi Padayachee with a dream come true, a runner in the country’s biggest race in his hometown of Durban. The horse is not without a chance of winning it either.

Ravi owns King Pelles in partnership with Dave MacLean, Gary Player and N V Parmanand.

Gareth said there were one or two contenders to ride King Pelles, but added he did not want to divulge anything about the riding arrangements yet as nothing had been confirmed.

David Thiselton

The Andre Nel-trained Vercingetorix gelding Zeitz won the Gr 3 Betgames Cup Trial over 1800m on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Greyville and has been supplemented for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The Vercingetorix gelding ran off a 107 merit rating on Saturday  and carried 56,5kg to a cosy 0,70 length victory over two July entries, I Salute You and JP’s Palace.

Summerveld assistant to the Nel yard, Byron Forster said, “He is a horse you have to give a lot of TLC to but I am very happy with the way he has pulled up.

“He said about his stamina capacity, considering the July is run over 2200m, “There are some questions marks but he is laid back and he has shown in his work that he settles beautifully. Obviously we will consider taking the blinkers off. In the second dam there is a lot of staying pedigree there and I think he will stay. The furthest he has run over was in last year’s Cape Derby over 2000m and he was well beaten (12.25 lengths behind Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen), but he pulled up sore after that run, I believe, so I think a line can be drawn through that run. He is two from three over 1800m. He won last year’s Politician Stakes and he was running on strongly in last year’s Cup Trial but had a wall of horses in front of him and had nowhere to go. He has now backed up the potential of that run with his win in the Cup Trial on Saturday.”

Byron believes he has the class to be a contender in the July too. A precedent was set for him by a Nel-trained horse last year, Selukwe, who finished third in the big race.

Selukwe, like Zeitz, had won a traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 WSB 1900, running off a 103 merit rating and carrying 54kg and had followed up with a strong-finishing 2,65 length third in the Hollywoodbets Durban July off a 111 merit rating. Under last year’s conditions Selukwe was actually 2kg under sufferance.

The interesting point there is Zeitz might not be as badly in as Selukwe was with the new weight structures and yet Byron does not think there is much between them.

He said, “I don’t think there was much between them last season. He just gave us that hint that he could be on a par with a horse like Selukwe and we know what the latter went and did.  He has obviously got to prove it at Gr 1 level now, but he has got all the makings to be a nice horse. He has shown it in his form. If you go and look closely at his form he has run with some quality horses and he hasn’t been far off them or has been in front of them.

“The ideal merit rating for a four- year-old July runner to have is 108, which means coming in with bottom weight of 52kg and not being under sufferance. Zeitz should be close to that mark after the handicappers have assessed the race.

The Maine Chance Farms-bred gelding entered the Hollywoodbets Durban July betting with the sponsor at 25/1 and has already shortened to 20/1.