Scheduled System Maintenance

We will be performing scheduled system maintenance

on Sunday 12 July from 00h00 to 14h00

During this time, we release new and enhanced functionality, security and system stability upgrades to improve operational efficiency and reliability for you and your business. Online Banking Enterprise will not be available during this period.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Stratford (UK) – 12 July 2026

RACE 1

5 OMKHULU BOSS    1 NAUTICAL FIRE   4 MOLTEN ROCK   8 FREE ROAMING

Preview: OMKHULU BOSS (5) takes to the poly for the first time but has been improving all the while. MOLTEN ROCK (4) is a filly taking on males. She has been consistently placed in her last three starts and the switch to poly could bring out the best. NAUTICAL FIRE (1) made a smart debut at lengthy odds. He gets 1.5kg relief from the saddle and any improvement can see him close. FREE ROAMING (8) found some market support first up on the poly but was a well beaten fourth. The stable has come to hand. (Andrew Harrison: 5-1-4-8).

RACE 2

4 THE SWAN SONG   7 OWNER OF CREATION   8 DONMAGOO   2 QUEEN OF DENMARK

Preview: THE SWAN SONG (4) showed up well on debut first up on the poly. He is likely to come on from that effort. DONMAGOO (8) has been knocking on the door of late and although he has the widest draw he should feature in this line-up. OWNER OF CREATION (7) is a battling maiden but his best recent form has been on the poly track. With a 4kg claimer up he can finally break his duck. QUEEN OF DENMARK (2) was not too far back on debut starting at long odds and can run into the money. (Andrew Harrison: 4-7-8-2).

RACE 3

4 AYZAL   2 GOLDEN DIOGO   1 GREEN COMMANDER   6 FORT USHER

Preview: The filly AYZAL (4) steps up to a mile at just her third start and makes her poly debut. The trip should suit and she only has 49kg to shoulder. GOLDEN DIOGO (2) was not far back at just his second start and he can still improve on that effort. GREEN COMMANDER (1) has been a beaten favourite at his last two on the poly. He was just behind Golden Diogo when last they met but the latter should have some improvement to come. FORT USHER (6) steps up in trip after making a fair debut behind the promising Benny And Paul. He is one to watch in the betting. (Andrew Harrison: 4-2-1-6).

RACE 4

7 CITY OF LOVE   5 POWERANDTHEGLORY   6 MAPHAKA   10 GOLDEN RULE

Preview: CITY OF LOVE (7) makes his poly debut but has been consistent over shorter and the step up in trip could see him home. POWERANDTHEGLORY (5) has a big weight but was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. He will be a big runner. MAPHAKA (6) also steps up in trip but he form on the poly is cause for concern. However, he has a handy weight and cannot be written off. GOLDEN RULE (10) has the widest draw to contend with but his best recent effort has been over course and distance although well beaten. (Andrew Harrison: 7-5-6-10).

RACE 5

2 LAST MARGARITA   4 MYSTIC DANCER   6 LA LANDONNE   1 MISS LADYATERIX

Preview: LAST MARGARITA (2) has won her last two on the poly and only has 49.5kg to shoulder. A third win is on the cards although she does take on much stronger. MUSTIC DANCER (4) was touched off in a tight finish last time out. She goes well on the poly and the extra furlong should not trouble her. MISS LADYATERIX (1) takes a big drop in class and although she has a fair weight to shoulder she does have the best of the draw. LA LANDONNE (6) was a beaten favourite over course and distance last time out.  She is never far off and should feature prominently. (Andrew Harrison: 2-4-6-1).

RACE 6

6 HOODIA   5 BLUE STEEL   2 THE GLIDING FISH   9 STATUS

Preview: HOODIA (6) has been dropping in the ratings and it has been some time since his maiden win. However, he made marked improvement when tried in a tongue-tie and is 1kg better off with BLUE STEEL (5) who was a game winner last time out. Candice Bass’ gelding is talented but not the easiest ride. Athandiwe Mgudlwa got the best out of him and he can follow up. THE GLIDING FISH (2) has been close-up at his last two on the poly.  He does take on stronger but only has 51.5kg to shoulder and a top rider. STATUS (9) has been rested and changed stables. He is lightly raced but does appear to be useful. (Andrew Harrison: 6-5-2-9).

RACE 7

9 CONNERY   10 INSIDE VOICE   1 BLAZING FURY   2 POSITION OF POWER

Preview: Wide open. CONNERY (9) gets the benefit of a useful 4kg claimer aboard but is seldom far back and can prevail from his wide gate. INSIDE VOICE (10) takes on males but was not far back first up on the poly and has only once finished out of the money in six starts. BLAZING FURY (1) has the best of the draw and has shown up well over course and distance. He has a handy galloping weight and should be competitive. POSITION OF POWER (2) is lightly raced but seldom out of the money. His last win was on the poly and he cannot be left out of anything. (Andrew Harrison: 9-10-1-2).

RACE 8

1 BILLY COOL   2 SUMMER WINTER   7 MOJO MAN   4 CHARA SANDS

Preview: BILLY COOL (1) has been rested since November last year but horses from this stable has been in red hot form since arriving in KZN and has a master trainer at the helm. SUMMER WINTER (2) has run two smart races on the poly and goes well this trip. MOJO MAN (7) is back on his preferred surface and although shouldering a big weight he should be competitive. CHARA SANDS (4) looks held at the weights by Summer Winter but goes well this course and distance and has found his best form of late. (Andrew Harrison: 1-2-7-4).

RACE 9

9 YOUR LADYSHIP   7 INNERBLOOM   2 WINTER BLESSING   8 SAUDI SWEEP

Preview: Wide open. YOUR LADYSHIP (9) has been dropping in the ratings but has been consistent of late. The trip suits and she should go close. INNERBLOOM (7) is lightly raced but won well first run on the poly and although she has a big weight she can follow up from an in form stable. SAUDI SWEEP (8) found her best form when winning comfortably last time out and a repeat performance should see her in the mix again. WINTER BLESSING (2) meets Saudi Sweep on equal terms and is 1.5kg better off in the handicap. There should be little between them again. (Andrew Harrison: 9-7-2-8).

Andrew Harrison

Punters face a competitive card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today and punters will need to do their homework with no standout runners on the card.

The first is a tricky maiden where Omkhulu Boss takes to the poly for the first time but has been improving all the while. Molten Rock is a filly taking on males but she has been consistently placed in her last three starts and the switch to poly could bring out the best. Nautical Fire made a smart debut at lengthy odds and now gets 1.5kg relief from the saddle. Any improvement can see him close.

Justin Snaith had a red letter day last Saturday and saddles the two-year-old The Swan Song in the first leg of the Bi-Pot. The colt showed up well on debut first up on the poly and is likely to come on from that effort. Donmagoo has been knocking on the door of late and although he has the widest draw he should feature in this line-up while Owner Of Creation is winless after 31 stars but his best recent form has been on the poly track. With a 4kg claimer up he can finally break his duck.

In the first leg of the PA the filly Ayzal steps up to a mile at just her third start and makes her poly debut for Glen Kotzen. The trip should suit and she only has 49kg to shoulder. Golden Diogo was not far back at just his second start and he can still improve on that effort. Green Commander has been a beaten favourite at his last two on the poly and was just behind Golden Diogo when last they met. However, the latter should have some improvement to come. Fort Usher is another that steps up in trip after making a fair debut behind the promising Benny And Paul. He is one to watch in the betting.

The first leg of the Pick 6 could rest between the trio of City Of Love, Powerandtheglory and Maphaka. City Of Love makes his poly debut but has been consistent over shorter and the step up in trip could see him home. Powerandtheglory has a big weight but was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out while Maphaka also steps up in trip but his form on the poly is cause for concern. However, he has a handy weight and cannot be written off.

In the fifth, Last Margarita has won her last two on the poly and only has 49.5kg to shoulder. A third win is on the cards although she does take on much stronger. Mystic Dancer was touched off in a tight finish last time out. She goes well on the poly and the extra furlong should not trouble her. Miss Laydaterix takes a big drop in class and although she has a fair weight to shoulder she does have the best of the draw. La Landonne was a beaten favourite over course and distance last time out but is never far off and should feature prominently.

In the sixth, Hoodia  has been dropping in the ratings and it has been some time since his maiden win. However, he made marked improvement when tried in a tongue-tie and is 1kg better off with Blue Steel who was a game winner last time out. Candice Bass’ gelding is talented but not the easiest ride but Athandiwe Mgudlwa got the best out of him and he can follow up. The Gliding Fish has been close-up at his last two on the poly and although he does take on stronger he only has 51.5kg to shoulder and a top rider. Status is a dark horse. He has been rested, changed stables and is lightly raced but does appear to be useful.

Connery gets the benefit of a useful 4kg claimer in the seventh but is seldom far back and can prevail from his wide gate. Inside Voice takes on males but was not far back first up on the poly and has only once finished out of the money in six starts. Blazing Fury has the best of the draw and has shown up well over course and distance. He has a handy galloping weight and should be competitive. Position Of Power is lightly raced but seldom out of the money. His last win was on the poly and he cannot be left out of anything.

Veteran trainer Ricky Maingard had no stars in the string that he brought up to KZN but they have all paid their way. Billy Cool has been rested since November last year but horses from this stable have been red hot have a master trainer at the helm. Summer Winter has run two smart races on the poly and goes well this trip. Mojo Man is back on his preferred surface and although shouldering a big weight he should be competitive. Chara Sands looks held at the weights by Summer Winter but goes well this course and distance and has found his best form of late.

The last is another wide open handicap Your Ladyship has been dropping in the ratings but has been consistent of late. The trip suits and she should go close. Innerbloom is lightly raced but won well first run on the poly and although she has a big weight she can follow up from an in form stable. Saudi Sweep found her best form when winning comfortably last time out and a repeat performance should see her in the mix again while Winter Blessing meets Saudi Sweep on equal terms and is 1.5kg better off in the handicap. There should be little between them again.

Soccer13 Carryover R 972 540 Sunday 12 July 2026. R 2.5 Million  (All 13 Correct Jackpot Pool). Pool Closes at 13h30. Sport 12 Pool 1.(If only One 13 of 13 Winner)

David Thiselton

Rising young jockey sensation Zac Lloyd has been booked to ride the Justin Snaith-trained Happy Verse in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The Vercingetorix gelding looks to be one of the most progressive horses in the country.

The three-year-old has always been packed with potential, but became a bit disappointing,

However, he is now clearly coming to hand with gelding and should be spot on for the July.

Zac will be hoping to break the famous July trend of his legendary father Jeff, who never won the big race but finished third on no fewer than nine occasions, although he did finish second on his final mount in 2018.

Zac Lloyd has ridden 6 Group 1 winners in his career already.

The 22-year-old secured three Group 1 victories within the span of a single month in early 2026.

The highlight of his career to date has been winning Australia’s biggest sire producing race, The Aus$5 million Golden Slipper this year on Guest House.

He is currently on a busman’s holiday in the UK and rode a double at Doncaster on Saturday in his first meeting in the country.

Happy Verse is set to carry 54,5kg in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as things stand and is at a price of 6/1 with the sponsor.

David Thiselton

Star Major is the second favourite for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and this progressive Querari colt has been in fine fettle at Randjesfontein after his superb win in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.

Tim Woodruff is the Randjesfontein assistant to trainer James Crawford and he said about the Maine Chance Farms-bred bay, who is owned by passionate Durban-born owner, Ravi Naidoo, together with Neville Isdell, Mr J I Bloch and Mrs Prakashni Pillay.

Tim said, “He is all good, we have just tried to freshen him up because it is a quick turnaround between races, but he is doing good. You do get your things between races you sometimes have to deal with, but I do think he will be alright for the Daily News.”

Star Major jumped from a wide  draw in the WSB Guineas and was dropped out.

He turned for home in last place with a number of lengths to make up, but then produced a good turn of foot followed by an impressively resolute finish coupled with an eyecatching late gear change that saw him surging to a 0,90 length victory over the hot favourite Tin Pan Alley.

 Of course sectional timing invariably shows that apparent late surges or apparent flying finishes are usually an optical illusion caused by the other horses slowing down at a more rapid rate than the apparently strong-finishing horse. Invariably the surging horse is actually also slowing down.

Indeed the sectional timing of the WSB Guineas shows Star Major’s 100m to finish time to be his slowest sectional of the entire race.

However the fact that he was able to have the fastest 100m to finish time of the whole field, despite having had to make up many lengths to get there, seems to show that he has got some stamina.

He did win the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m and finished a fair 3,20 length fourth in the Gr 1 Lucky Fish Cape Derby over 2000m, both at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. In the latter race he ran on despite having been a bit keen in the running.

That would illustrate he has the stamina, but hopefully he will be able to settle better this time.

He settled very well in  the WSB Guineas and due to his wide draw Tim Woodruff said the same tactic of being dropped out will be employed.

He added, “Obviously it’s a short straight so it’s obviously not ideal. But just looking for a good run  and then obviously the July afterwards.”

He gave his opinion on the 2000m distance, “He should get the trip.”

Querari won a Gr 1 over 2000m and Star Major is out of a mare by stamina influence Silvano and this mare not only won over 1900m, but was an own sister to Follow The Star, who won the Listed Glenair Trophy over 2800m.

So on pedigree he will easily stay the trip.

Mickaelle Michel retains the ride and if winning it she will become only the second woman in SA history to win a Gr 1, the only one to date to have won one being Lisa Prestwood on the Buddy Maroun-trained Al Nitak in the Golden Horse Sprint on June 1, 2023, almost exactly 23 years ago.

Mickaelle has been in excellent form and Tim confirmed that if everything went well in the Daily News she would keep the ride for the Hollywoodbets Durban July too.

Tim agreed she had been outriding many of her male weighing room colleagues and added, “She has got the touch.”

It would be somewhat ironic if Mickaelle did win the Daily News with a horse conditioned by assistant trainer Woodruff, because Tim’s mother Carol (nee Millard) was the first woman to have a professional license in SA. She had started riding work for her legendary father Terrance Millard at the age of 12 and from age 14 started riding in and winning many amateur races. She was apprenticed overseas and rode in the tough school of England and Germany in professional races. However, the SA authority of the time refused to allow her to ride in professional races in SA, gross unfairness. To get around the legalities the authority installed a rule that overseas apprentices wee not allowed to ride here. This came back to bite them because years later a top apprentice from Europe came over only for everybody to discover he was not allowed to ride here. Carol was able to ride in Cape Hunt races against professional jockeys, ironically a more dangerous discipline than flat racing, and she was able to ride in Zimbabwe under a “Day” license, which was usually utilised when there were not enough professional riders available. She remembers winning a Cape Hunt race on Hawkins, who had formerly been one of Terrance Millard’s many Gold Cup winners. She also finished second in “The Schweppes” in Zimbabwe.

But back to Star Major, who is still a colt meaning a Daily News win will look very good on his stallion CV.

Tim said, “If you win the Guineas and the Daily News it is just next level.”

Tim said Star Major had a fine chance of realising the dream of Ravi Naidoo and no doubt all the other owners too, a win in the R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He concluded, “He is ticking all the boxes, He’s a machine.”

David Thiselton

The July build up of 60 years ago was like no other before it and It is fitting that this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July, carrying a record-breaking stake of R10 million, falls on such an auspicious anniversary date

In the month of May 60 years ago the great Sea Cottage began his July preparation by running in a race often used by Syd Laird as starting point for his best July contender, the Gr 1 Newbury Stakes over 1200m.

Sea Cottage beat another famous horse in the 1966 Newbury renewal, the previous year’s Gr 1 SA Guineas winner William Penn, whose story bears repeating.

Willaim Penn had won six Grade 1s up until being retired to stud in 1969 and was a July runner up by half-a-length in 1968, carrying topweight and giving the winner Chimboraa 24 pounds.

His wins included the 1968 J&B Met with topweight. He was two-one up in meetings between himself and his more celebrated half-brother Hawaii, who went on to become USA’s Champion Grass Horse as well as a successful sire, standing at Claiborne where he produced 25 stakes winners including Epsom Derby winner Henbit. William Penn proved infertile at stud, siring only nine foals, although they included three stakes winners. He was brought out of retirement as a ten-year-old and the first run of his comeback was in the J&B Met of January 1972. He flew up for second, three lengths behind the winner Force Ten to whom he gave 18 pounds. He went on to race successfully until he was eleven, the best performance of his final season being a 0,2 length second to the great In Full Flight in the Grade 1 Champions Stakes over 2000m at Greyville, beating another champion, Mazarin.

Back To Sea Cottage who was back at Greyville a week after the Newbury Stakes to win the Gr 1 SA Guineas by 3,5 lengths, his eleventh career victory in just 12 starts.

Six days later the country woke up to shocking news.

On that bright Friday morning Sea Cottage had been shot while walking under the Blue Lagoon bridge on the way to the Syd Laird ring on the beach.

The story is well documented with the shooter Johnny Nel being apprehended later the same day. The well-known gangster had foolishly used his easily recognisable yellow-coloured convertible to drive to the shelter on the south side of the bridge, which is still the same structure today as it was back then, to perform the dastardly deed.

He was allegedly acting on behalf of bookmaker Sonny Chislett, who had allegedly approached the owner of the Monaco Club, Monty Labuschagne, with the news that if Sea Cottage won the July he would have to close his business and therefore he demanded the debt he was owed by the latter be paid up.

Labuschagne’s alleged response was what would it be worth if they stopped Sea Cottage from winning the July and Chislett’s alleged response was that he would forego the debt.

It was Nel, a bouncer at the Monaco club, who hatched the plan.

If Nel can be forgiven to any extent it was in his later testimony that he had found it difficult to shoot an animal and had deliberately aimed for the soft flesh of the hindquarter in order to not kill him.

Syd Laird was still able to nurture Sea Cottage through the worst of the injury and he had him ready to run in the July three weeks after the shooting.

The big bay unfortunately suffered interference at a crucial stage and ended up running a four length fourth.

It was a bitter-sweet day for Laird because Sea Cottage’s six-year-old stablemate Java Head won the race.

However, the following year saw the July’s most celebrated renewal.

The 1967 SA Guineas winner Jollify, who was receiving 27 pounds from Sea Cottage, stole a march at the top of the straight under a fine ride by John Gorton.

Sea Cottage had a lot of ground to make up, but began eating up the ground.

He had to get around King Willow, who was going straight, before the natural instinct of shifting towards the leader, was able to happen.

A flying Sea Cottage with his enormous stride bore down on the three-year-old, despite the latter showing no signs of stopping.

The two Birch Brothers-bred horses flashed past the post together.

But had Sea Cottage got there in time?

Commentator Ernie Duffield thought not and said, “I think Jollify has held on.”

Minutes later the on course crowd let out a roar when the numbers were put up together to declare a dead-heat.

But the rest of the country apparently had to endure an agonising wait for news as the radio commentary ended and they went back to the  studio.

Craig Peters, who has by the way commentated 39 Julys, ten more than Ernie Duffield’s previous record of 29, recalled that day, at which time he was a young boy living with his parents in Mayfair, Johannesburg.

He said, “It was only sometime later on Pat Carr’s Forces Favourites program that we heard it was a dead-heat and I was absolutely elated (especially considering he had shed tears after Sea Cottage’s defeat the previous year). We saw the photo in the Stop Press and about two weeks later we watched the African Mirror footage of the race at the Drive-In. I remember also being at Sea Cottage’s last ever race, the Cutty Sark at Gosforth Park, which attracted a massive crowd. I watched by standing on the bonnet of my father’s car.”

“The immortal” Sea Cottage won twenty of his 24 races and there was still a reminder of him nearby at Hollywoodbets Greyville until recent years.

Syd Laird had always been terrified somebody would “get to” Sea Cottage and had metal plates fitted over the air vents on the road side of his stable.

His old stable served as a vendor stall in recent times at The Stables Lifestyle Market next to the Hollywoodbets KIng’s Park rugby stadium.

His stable was the third one down from the main entrance.

Those rusty metal plates were still in place across the air vents on the roadside of the stall until the closure of the market in March 2020.

Sadly, the building soon became completely dilapidated and an intriguing piece of Durban history went down with it.

Scheduled System Maintenance

We will be performing scheduled system maintenance

on Sunday 17 May from 00h00 to 14h00

During this time, we release new and enhanced functionality, security and system stability upgrades to improve operational efficiency and reliability for you and your business. Online Banking Enterprise will not be available during this period.