Andrew Harrison

Punters face a competitive card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville this evening where a close eye on the betting market could prove to be your best guide with a number of lowly handicap races on a programme that sees Glen Kotzen loaded for bear.

However, one of the better bets could come in the eighth and last where Tienie Prinsloo saddles the Argentinian import Saragossa Cat. She won two of her five starts on the Highveld although there were lapses sandwiched in between those wins. Prinsloo is a master at preparing horses that have issues and a change of environment and a switch to the poly could bring out the best. Gary Rich has two lively runners in Dawn Surprise and De Vlugge. Dawn Surprise has the best of the draw and whose last win was over course and distance. She also has a useful claimer aboard. Stable companion De Vlugge has won her last two on the poly but has jumped in the ratings. However, she gets 1.5kg relief from the saddle in the form of top class Mickaelle Michel. Wengi Masawi saddles the consistent Qhawekazi and although he has drawn wide he goes well over course and distance and should be a contender.

 The meeting kicks off with two maidens. In the first the lightly raced Prins Jaspar steps out for Andre Nel. He was much improved at just his third start at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and looks the part. Kom Naidoo’s gelding Donmagoo looks the most likely threat as he was much improved in first time blinkers and first up on the poly. He has a light weight and gets 10kg from Prins Jaspar.

Glen Kotzen looks set for an eventful night that can start with Vixen’s War in the first leg of the PA. The filly was a beaten favourite last time out at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and has shown consistent form. She rates the one to beat in this field. Should she not run up to expectations Vaan Spirit should be a threat as she was outpaced over a sprint last run but is back over what looks to be a more suitable trip. Of the balance, Chaos Queen showed some improvement second time out while AMC Rose only had her first run as a four-year-old and was not too far back.

Kotzen could hold the keys with three runners in the opening leg of the Pick 6. Stable rider Chad Little partners Gimme The Truth who has been making steady improvement in cheek pieces but stable companion Wonderful Tonight is also improving and has a useful 2.5kg claimer aboard. The betting could be your best guide here. Devil’s Peak is another that appears to be coming to hand and his best recent effort has been on the poly. Fire Force is a battling maiden but has shown some recent improvement and can earn.

Kotzen saddles the filly Sesame in the fourth who was running on strongly behind the useful Master Du Rouvray last time out and has run two smart races on the poly. She can go one better. Fine Wine makes her way onto the poly but is in smart form and narrowly beaten at her last two. Prom Queen was well fancied to win her last outing but was a narrowly beaten. A repeat showing could see her home. Psyche showed up well first run out of the maidens but was a length back to Fine Wine when last they met so does look held. In an open affair, the Duncan Howells pair of Zena Rose and Ms Galore are others to consider.

The fifth is another competitive handicap but the grey Professor Lupin goes well over course and distance and has the best of the draw. Sweeper Keeper is likely to start at decent odds as he has his third run after a break for Wendy Whitehead. He has improved with each outing and has a chance. Lou The Legend has been consistent of late and goes well over course and distance while Sail To The Moon is down in class and was not far back last time out. The sixth is a tricky handicap but Ultra Quick seldom runs a bad race and is 3.5kg better off with Indecent Proposal on their last meeting. Gorgeous Dude has a light weight and goes well over course and distance while Quinn’s Time is showing signs of returning to form after a close-up third last run and has a 4kg claimer aboard.

To round off in the seventh, Masterofthedesert was a close-up second at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time out. He makes his poly debut but drops in class with a useful 2.5kg claimer aboard. Ibutho is over his best course and distance and tries for his 11^th win. He has been in the money in 50% of his races. Super Fast was not far behind the ultra-consistent Good Traveller on the poly last time out. He drops in class although he does go a furlong further. Freedom Fighter ran no race first up out of the maidens but he got a hefty rating for his maiden win and so has a big weight to shoulder. He does have the best of the draw and is another Kotzen runner to watch in the market.

RACE 1

4 PRINS JASPAR   1 DONMAGOO   7 IMPERIAL VALOR   6 OWNER OF CREATION

Summary: PRINS JASPAR (4) is lightly raced and was much improved at just his third start at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. He looks the part. DONMAGOO (1) was much improved in first time blinkers and first up on the poly. He has a light weight and gets 10kg from Prins Jaspar. OWNER OF CREATION (6) is better than his recent form suggests. He is back over a sprint on the poly where he has done well. IMPERIAL VALOR (7) showed some improvement second time out in a competitive maiden. Makes his poly debut and likely to improve. (Andrew Harrison: 4-1-7-6).

RACE 2

6 VIXEN’S WAR   5 VAANS SPIRIT   3 CHAOS QUEEN   7 AMC ROSE

Summary:  VIXEN’S WAR (6) was a beaten favourite last time out at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. She has shown consistent form and should go close in this field. VAANS SPIRIT (5) was outpaced over a sprint last run. Back over what looks to be a more suitable trip. CHAOS QUEEN (3) showed some improvement second time out while AMC ROSE (7) only had her first run as a four-year-old and was not too far back. (Andrew Harrison: 6-5-3-7).

RACE 3

5 WONDERFUL TONIGHT   4 GIMME THE TRUTH   2 DEVIL’S PEAK   3 FIRE FORCE

Summary: Glen Kotzen could hold the keys with three runners. Stable rider Chad Little partners GIMME THE TRUTH (4) who has been making steady improvement in cheek pieces. Stable companion WONDERFUL TONIGHT (5) is also improving and has a useful 2.5kg claimer aboard. DEVIL’S PEAK (2) is another that appears to be coming to hand and his best recent effort has been on the poly. FIRE FORCE (3) is a battling maiden but has shown some recent improvement and can earn. (Andrew Harrison: 5-4-2-3).

RACE 4

5 SESAME   8 FINE WINE   10 PROM QUEEN   2 PSYCHE

Summary: Wide open. SESAME (5) was running on strongly behind the useful Master Du Rouvray last time out and has run two smart races on the poly. She can go one better. FINE WINE (8) makes her way onto the poly but is in smart form and narrowly beaten at her last two. PROM QUEEN (10) was a narrowly beaten favourite last start on the poly. A repeat showing could see her home. PSYCHE (2) showed up well first run out of the maidens but was a length back to Fine Wine when last they met so does look held. ZENA ROSE (3) and MS GALORE are others to consider. (Andrew Harrison: 5-8-10-2).

RACE 5

1 PROFESSOR LUPIN   5 SWEEPER KEEPER   4 LOU LOU THE LEGEND   10 SAIL TO THE MOON

Summary: Competitive handicap. PROFESSOR LUPIN (1) goes well over course and distance and has the best of the draw. SWEEPER KEEPER (5) has his third run after a break. He has improved with each outing and has a chance at possible long odds. LOU LOU THE LEGEND (4) has been consistent of late and goes well over course and distance. SAIL TO THE MOON (10) is down in class and was not far back last time out. (Andrew Harrison: 1-5-4-10).

RACE 6

3 ULTRA QUICK   8 GORGEOUS DUDE   11 QUINN’S TIME   1 INDECENT PROPOSAL

Summary: Difficult handicap. ULTRA QUICK (3) seldom runs a bad race and is 3.5kg better off with INDECENT PROPOSAL (1) on their last meeting. GOREOUS DUDE (8) has a light weight and goes well over course and distance. QUINN’S TIME (11) is showing signs of returning to form after a close-up third last run and has a 4kg claimer aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 3-8-11-1).

RACE 7

6 MASTER OF THE DESERT   7 SUPER FAST   1 FREEDOM FIGHTER   4 IBTHO

Summary: MASTEROFTHEDESERT (6) was a close-up second at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time out. He makes his poly debut but drops in class with a useful 2.5kg claimer aboard. IBUTHO (4) is over his best course and distance. He tries for his 11^th win and has been in the money in 50% of his races. SUPER FAST (7) was not far behind the ultra-consistent Good Traveller on the poly last time out. He drops in class although he does go a furlong further. FREEDOM FIGHTER (1) ran no race first up out of the maidens. He got a hefty rating for his maiden win and has a big weight but he does have the best of the draw and one to watch in the market. (Andrew Harrison: 6-7-1-4).

RACE 8

4 SARAGOSSA CAT   1 DAWN SURPRISE   9 DE VLUGGE   11 QHAWEKAZI

Summary: SARAGOSSA CAT (4) has her first run for a new stable. She has won two of her five starts but patchy form in between. The change of environment could bring out the best. Gary Rich has two lively runners in DAWN SURPRISE (1) who has the best of the draw and whose last win was over course and distance. She has a useful claimer aboard. Stable companion DE VLUGGE (9) has won her last two on the poly. She has jumped in the ratings but gets 1.5kg relief from the saddle. QHAWEKAZI (11) has drawn wide but goes well over course and distance and should be a contender. (Andrew Harrison: 4-1-9-11).

RACE 1

Watch betting on unraced runners. (5) RUNGSTEDLAND is knocking on the door and will have a massive winning chance with the experience under the belt. (2) CHATTERBOX was fancied on debut and ran well enough, she would have benefited from her debut effort and is sure to be sharper now, massive chance here. (4) KITANA’S JOY ran well at huge odds on debut and will be right there. (7) THIS OR THAT gets an eye catching jockey booking in the form of Kyle Strydom, she comes from a yard who do extremely well with juveniles and any betting support should be respected. (Devonne Govender 5-2-4-7)

RACE 2

(1) MONKEY’S WEDDING wasn’t far in his last start, he now goes over the 1600m trip which should be exactly what he’s looking for and possibly further in time. (7) MONT TREMBLANT has been well tried but is holding consistent form and another honest run is expected. (3) SIXTYZERO is holding good recent runs and should be in the mix once again. (4) BUGLE hasn’t been far in recent starts and can run into the money once again. (Devonne Govender 1-7-3-4)

RACE 3

(5) SATELLITE WORLD ran well in the last start and will be a massive contender here. (10) TOTAL ERUPTION ran a cracker in the last start at big odds. (2) PICK A POMODORO can do much better and should be included in all bets. (8) STRAIGHT RED is capable of running into the quartets. (Devonne Govender 5-10-2-8)

RACE 4

(1) INSTAWORTHY returns after a short break however has class on her side, she will be a serious contender here and needs to be respected. (2) DANISH DYNAMITE is on the up and has competed in strong company, it will be no surprise to see her go very well here. (4) HOT SAUCE gets Richard Fourie aboard which speaks volumes, she ran a cracker in the last start and will be in the firing line. (3) VIRGIN RIVER is holding solid form, her last win was very impressive and is another who can certainly challenge here. (Devonne Govender 1-2-4-3)

RACE 5

(4) MASTER MTOTO looks to be a very smart colt in the making and will be the firm first selection, he is expected to remain unbeaten here. (5) U S RANGER will be the obvious second selection based on collateral form. (1) FIRST OFFICER ran well in his last start and can be included for the placings. (2) INTO RED SPACE was very impressive on debut and could be anything here, it will be interesting to see how he goes in this contest. (Devonne Govender 4-5-1-2)

RACE 6

(6) PORFIRIO is holding solid form overall and will be the top selection here. He gets a decent enough draw and should go very close. (8) NEW MEXICO is very capable on his day and needs to be respected, he is capable of a big finish on his day and things could map out well for him. (4) NELSON BAY ran a cracker in the last start and repeat showing will see him in the firing line here. (3) BEYNAC is a horse that cannot be discounted based on his recent numerical form, he capable of much better and can pop up. (Devonne Govender 6-8-4-3)

RACE 7

(3) INGQWELE is holding excellent form and will be massive runner here. (6) GLOBETONIC was very impressive in his last win and is capable of repeating that, he will be a serious contender if things map out well for him. (7) PRINCE FLORIAN won a gutsy race in the last start and another bold run is expected. (2) TRIPPING THUNDER is capable of much better and can get involved. (Devonne Govender 3-6-7-2)

RACE 8

(5) KLEINZEE won a gutsy race in her last start and could take come beating here in this field respectfully. (11) AMANATTO hasn’t been far in recent runs and another honest run is expected. (10) SUN SPECTACULAR is capable on her day and can go into larger perms. (7) NIGHTJAR gets the claimer up but has a tough draw to negotiate, with some luck in running he can get closer. (Devonne Govender 5-11-10-7)

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Newmarket (UK) – 16 April 2026

Soccer10 Friday 17 April 2026. ADD-IN R200 000. Estimated Pool: R2 Million. Pool Closes at 19h30.Sport 12 and Pool 1.

Soccer4 Saturday 18 April 2026.  ADD-IN: R25 000. Estimated Pool: R 150 000. Pool Closes at 16h00. Sport 20 Pool 2.

Soccer6 Saturday 18 April 2026. ADD-IN: R75 000. Estimated Pool: R500 000. Pool Closes at 15h00, Sport 4 Pool 1.

Soccer10 Saturday 18 April 2026. ADD-IN: R200 000. Estimated Pool: R2 Million. Pool Closes at 15h00. Sport 17 Pool 1

Soccer Any 13Xtra Saturday 18 April 2026. Carryover R200 000. Estimated Pool: R500 000. Pool Closes at 13h30. Sport 13 and Pool 1.

Soccer13 GUARANTEED JACKPOT Saturday 18 April 2026. R17.5 Million (If only One 13 of 13 Winner). Pool Closes at 15h30. Sport 10 Pool 1.

Soccer10 Sunday 19 April 2026. ADD-IN: R200 000. Estimated Pool: R2 Million. Pool Closes at 15h00, Sport 14 Pool 1.

Alistair Cohen

Before seasonal rain arrives in Cape Town due in the coming weeks, horses with sheer speed will hope to take advantage of fast track conditions. Candy Town is one of the quickest around. She has not been easy to keep racing regularly but she seems to be into the swing of things. These factors could take her to victory in race 6 over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday.

She once topped some of the best around. In January 2025, she turned over subsequent Grade 1 placed and Grade 2 winner Questioning over this track and trip. She broke them coming out of the stalls with her natural pace and the light weight she had to carry helped her propel across the line. When she is in the mood, she can run nearly anything off their feet.

She did not race for three months between December and March but she returned to the course with a pleasing 0,75-length second behind Sardinia Bay over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. She drifted in the market giving signs that she was expected to need the run. There was layers of speed in that race and her sharpness might have been tested. She still came through that effort without losing any marks and she should be able to build on that effort under Richard Fourie for Andre Nel. It is a good sign that she races a few weeks later considering her usual sequence of usually months between outings.

Elusive Winter is such a good-doer and he too had tons of speed. His outside gate of No 8 is a slight worry because he might have to track across and once he does, Candy Town could get a useful early advantage. Trainer Michelle Rix has shrewdly used Sifiso Bungane on this horse to lighten the load but senior jockey, Corne Orffer takes over. He is stable rider for the Rix yard. The weights in the race behind Sardinia Bay do not read ideally being 4kg worse off for being nearly a length behind Candy Town. Whenever Elusive Winter runs over 1000m at this course, he is given close attention.

North Point has been slightly below his best lately but he could come bouncing back at any stage simply because he is a good sort. He ran behind Candy Town at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and they meet on identical terms. One could argue that North Point was less assured at Hollywoodbets Durbanville than he is down the straight. He has also had a run in between which was not his best in the Easter Sprint when he finished two lengths behind Dance Variety. He cannot be taken lightly.

Andrew Fortune is back in the saddle with two rides for Justin Snaith. Both of them must have serious winning chances. From The Island runs in race 3 over 1400m. The weights suggest that he has 3kg against him for beating Hero’s Journey by a short head over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last month. They should fight this out unless a Vaughan Marshall-trained debutant is of fair quality. He trains Hero’s Journey so check the market for clues.

Fortune gets aboard Future Free in race 8 over 1600m. He has to get the better of Show Off who has been terribly unlucky in his last few runs. Show Off could simply be best suited to this trip while Future Free could crave slightly further. It is an intriguing contest because both look capable of stepping up a division in the coming months. Show Off has the services of Richard Fourie for James Crawford. His last run came behind Prairie Dawn who is upwardly mobile. He finished a neck behind over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Prairie Dawn gives the impression that he is narrowly ahead of Future Free over this trip. Anything further, Future Free could have his measure.

Magma Flow easily has the best form on offer in race 1 over 1000. Keagan de Melo takes the ride. In four starts to date, he has run in two feature races. Although not a threat to the judge, he still ran fairly. Unless a first timer is quite good, Magma Flow should exit the maiden ranks.

Peach Cobbler is not a confident choice in race 2 over 1200m. Despite good improvement from her debut to her second start and coming from a frighteningly in-form yard of Candice Bass, her last run behind Preacher Man might not be the most solid piece of form to follow. She was beaten into third by 4,5 lengths over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. There is simply little else to be confident with on paper. It will not take much for a first timer to do the business so another market check is advised.

Theleia stands out as the best bet on the card in race 4 over 1400m. She was tipped out so narrowly in her last run by Little Nimbus over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when she tried to steal the race. She easily has the best form on offer. Craig Zackey is serving a weeks’ suspension so Keagan de Melo takes the ride for Andre Nel. If she fails to win this, she might battle to get a deserved win.

If From The Island succeeds in race 3, that will enhance the claims for Le Concierge in race 5 over 1200m. He finished 4,55 lengths behind when they met last month over 1400m. Le Concierge seems to be back to a more suitable situation in a sprint with his speedy pedigree. Again, the opposition seems to be taking its time to find a rhythm and consistency. There is always a disclaimer with two-year-olds facing older opponents but he looks set for a big effort.

Candice Bass has a good hand in race 7 over 1400m and it could be a tip from the saddle that Aldo Domeyer has opted for South Of France who has an obvious chance as opposed to the upwardly mobile Peaches And Cream. Both carry heavy weights so that would not be a reason. South Of France has finished runner-up in her last two runs behind the useful Star World and the solid Gin Palace.

Masterofthemoon could be an appropriate winner of race 9 over 2000m if he sees out this extra distance. He hit the line with plenty in hand last time over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when he had his second run after a 10-month rest. If he is not stretched or this run comes too soon, he should triumph under Fourie for Crawford.

Please Note: Following the completion of gallops, a decision has been made to postpone today’s Vaal meeting (14 April 2026) to Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

This decision was taken due to both tracks being inconsistent and unsafe, coupled with further rainfall predicted throughout the day.

David Thiselton

The professional handicappers of South Africa have sent out a press release urging stake holders who are attending the South African Trainers Association (SANTA) handicapping workshop on Wednesday, April 15, at the TBA Sales Complex at Gosforth Park, to only consider those decisions made at the workshop that are guided by data and evidence rather than by anecdotal or observational claims.

The handicappers themselves will abstain from the Workshop “for reasons that include the avoidance of becoming persuasive to the attendees, given that all evidence suggests that the current system and its application is statistically functioning as intended and designed.”

However, they sent out the press release to ensure “that all stakeholders have access to current information ahead of policy discussions at the forthcoming SANTA held Workshop.”

It is certainly an understandable lament in South African racing that superior horses find it more difficult to rattle off a number of wins at the beginning of their careers, as they were reportedly able to do under the old Race Figure system, before being weighted according to their true ability.

However, the NHA press release pointed out the dangers of embracing a system that favours superior horses and it also pointed to the current statistics which show that three-year-olds are not at all unduly punished compared to other age groups.

Whilst, purists of any sport like to watch the best against the best, the handicappers have to operate in a way that best sustains the entire racing population as well as the players associated with it.

In the press release they referred to the Handicappers’ mandate which is “to, by handicapping, distribute the stakes pot as equitably as possible.”

They said making changes to aid better horses carried the risk of favouring big yards and effecting field sizes.

They pointed to the experiment of the “Assessment Plate” and put it under the headline of “the risk of uninformed decisions”.

A conclusion on a study of overall racing stats and a study of Assessment Plate stats was that Assessment Plates contained smaller fields and favoured superior horses and they were thus dominated by bigger yards.

The late guru analyst Jay August commented, “If the Handicapper’s assessment of the highly rated horse ex their maiden win was wrong (too high), then the stats should show that. They do not, which leads me to believe that Assessment Plates have little to do with assessment but more to do with helping superior animals to win a few races before their ability is penalised too much.’’

Moving on, three-year-olds have been shown to actually have a higher strike rate in handicap races than any other age group, which falsifies the claim they are punished unduly.

In the current season three-years have had 1448 runs and a strike rate of 13%, four-year-olds have had 2431 runs and a strike rate of 11%, five-year-olds have had 1876 runs and a strike rate of 10% and six-year-olds and older 1,398 runs and a strike rate of 7%.

Statistics have also shown that the top five yards have had 973 runs in handicaps and a strike rate of 13.6%, while they have had 1,637 runs in non-handicaps and a strike rate of 15.3%.

The handicappers are thus concerned that any further adjustment to the existing handicapping system would disproportionately benefit trainers with access to higher-quality horses. Given the limited number of handicap races available, such changes could severely disadvantage trainers outside the top ten on the trainers’ log, creating an uneven playing field and undermining competitive balance.

The Handicapping Team believes that the current system is functioning exactly as designed and the data contained the following key indicators:

Participation: Higher acceptance rates in Handicaps and Merit Rating based races.

Elimination Data: High demand for entry in premier events such as the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Golden Horse Casino Sprint, Betway Summer Cup and the Charity Mile confirm the system’s integrity at the pattern level.

Program Stability: Programmers frequently rely on Handicap formats to ensure adequate field sizes.

Open Betting Market: These races consistently produce closer finishes and a more robust betting market, which ultimately extends the racing careers of the horse population.

Competitive Density: Data indicates that the average beaten finisher in a Handicap is 3.5 lengths behind the winner, compared to 4.8 lengths in non-handicap races. This suggests the system is achieving its primary goal of narrowing the gap between competitors.

Systemic Balance: The National Merit Ratings Update continues to ensure a balanced distribution of ratings across all age groups, preventing structural bias within the population – the handicappers believed any skewing of the current table which shows 45% of horses to be rated 74 and higher (as compared to 2019 when only 27% were 74 and higher) would result in programming difficulties.

Merit Rating Appeals: Since the cancellation of the previous guidelines in 2019, Handicappers have assessed approximately 188,500 performances. Remarkably, during this entire review period, only 14 appeals were lodged of which 11 were dismissed.

They added this was despite operating under some constraints, which included:

The program is currently already skewed towards higher rated horses as there has been a reduction in true handicaps and an increase in merit-rated band races (Pinnacles, A, B, C and D Stakes Races, Middle Stakes Races). These races are not true handicaps and favour horses at the top of each rating band. This creates a structural bias with many horses entering races where they have little chance of success. The handicapper then face a dilemma, with an example being a horse that does not earn because it was at the bottom of a merit rating band and ran accordingly, but does not get dropped in the merit ratings, because at the weights it still did actually run to its rating. Earners, on the other hand, might be at the top of the bands but are not unduly punished because they were firstly at a weight advantage and, furthermore, merit rated restrictions are placed on these races anyway. This results in a cycle where winning horses continue to win, while others are relegated to “field fillers.”

They pointed out that owners and trainers often equate competitiveness with victory, but as there are more horses than handicap races, the handicappers are judged against an unrealistic benchmark i.e. in every season there will be many horses (1365 to be exact for the current season if only handicap races are considered) who will have the same number of career wins that they began the season with, no matter which handicap system was adopted.

In summary the handicappers overall message was that any changes made should be accompanied by a factual analysis that supports it being workable considering the horse population and the nature of South African racing in which turnover and owner participation are important considerations.

The press release can be read on the nha.co.za website under Press Releases.