RACE 1

1 NADIA NERINA ran a great race on debut, with natural improvement expected from this well-bred filly, she will be hard to beat. This race is packed with some nicely bred newcomers, keep an eye on the betting trends, any market confidence could prove crucial.

RACE 2

3 WHIRLWIND quickened up like a smart filly in the making when beating her field impressively on the 1st of April, she was given five points for that good win up the straight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, even though she tackles a stronger field here, she looks progressive and should go very close to winning again. 6 PINK PIGEON never runs a bad race, she is honest, and she tries hard, on her current form, she must have a serious each way chance. 5 BERRY’S BOOGIE won a gutsy race on the 27th of April, she was given three points for that win last time, if the conditions turn up on the soft side, she will run a massive race, watch her closely. 1 SHESGOTCLASS is much better than her last run, in hope that she bounces back to her best form, she will be competitive.

RACE 3

5 CRAZY LITTLE THING travelled like a winner when finishing third behind Vercicat on the 27th of April, the form of that race has worked out well with Lava Strike winning recently, if she brings her recent form to the races again on Sunday, she will go close to winning. 4 SWIFT SERENITY is in great form, she steps up in trip now to 1200m, on her current form, she must have a good place chance. 1 AUTUMN RUSH is much better than her recent start behind Kituba, the drop in trip might help her improve, watch her closely at a fair price. 7 LOVE HER MADLY has run three nice races in succession, she will be just off the speed early, and she will be doing some good work late.

RACE 4

4 SPARKLING SKY has run two excellent races in succession, she is a big filly with a big action, this looks to be the perfect race for her to exit the maiden ranks, she will be hard to beat from a good draw. 7 UP IN FLAMES ran a great race with the blinkers fitted last time, if she gets some luck in running from a tricky draw, she will be competitive, include her into all bets. 5 LIEFLING improved to run a much better race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 15th of April, she will love the step up in trip to 1600m. 3 GIDDY UP GRACE never runs a bad race, the blinkers have been fitted, and she steps up in trip again to 1600m, she will be right there in the finish from a neat draw.

RACE 5

1 JOU LEKKER DING has been rested for 62 days, she quickened up well to win a good race on the 30th of March, she will be just off the speed early, and she will be storming home late, watch her closely from a good draw. 3 PENTOLINA is much better than her recent run, top jockey Richard Fourie sticks with this filly, she should have no excuses from a good draw on Sunday, include her into all bets. 6 MY ONLY WEAKNESS didn’t have much luck late in running last time, she is consistent at this level, if she finds herself in a good position turning for home, she will have a nice winning chance. 9 CUTIE PATOOTIE won a super race on the 18th of April, she is still improving, if she beats the bad draw, she will make them all work for victory.

RACE 6

1 HAMPSTEAD HEATH is much better than her last run, she has dropped even further in the ratings, jockey Calvin Habib knows this mare well, in hope that she bounces back to her best form, she will go close to winning. 11 CLAIR DE LUNE has run two lovely races in succession, she is very speedy out of the gates, she will be right there in the finish again on her current form. 7 GIRL LIKE US could be the value play in this tricky race, her form is solid, if the gaps open at the right time for this individual, she will be competitive in the finish. 4 GIN PALACE needed her last run, she will enjoy the 1200m trip.

RACE 7

9 SHEZARIPPER ran a great race in the Grade 3 Winter Nursery on the 3rd of May, the yard thinks highly of this filly, with the right run in transit, she will go close to winning. 3 TAG AND RELEASE won a super race last time, he is very quick out of the gates, even though he carries top weight for this listed race on Sunday, he has lots of quality, he will try and lead them from start to finish. 4 GRAPES OF WRATH has been rested for 92 days, she quickened smartly to win a good race on debut, there is no doubt that she will love the extra 200m, she looks like a serious filly in the making. 8 REEF RUNNER powered away from his field impressively on the 16th of May, Richard Fourie sticks with this unbeaten colt, he could be anything, watch him closely here.

RACE 8

7 MEG’S LEGACY was given a terrific ride by Jockey Calvin Habib on the 1st of April, she was given four points for winning a good race last time, she looks progressive, if she brings her last run to the track again, she will go close to winning. 6 BLUE LAGOON was just touched off in a driving finish by Easy Money last time, she is in a good space, and her form is super consistent, there is no doubt that she will be right there in the finish. 13 ENTICEMENT won her maiden impressively on the 18th of April, she has a good cruising speed, if she has made further improvement at home, she can win again. 10 FOG IN FINLAND has improved with every start, she won with absolute ease on the 3rd of May, her chances must be respected in this tricky race.

RACE 9

12 STARTING POINT has been rested for 62 days, she was mighty unlucky in her last start, if she gets some cover early, and the gaps open at the right time, she will go very close to winning. 6 LOVE SHACK has been rested and changed stables on the 27th of March, she has dropped nicely in the ratings, if she doesn’t need the run badly after a small break, she will be competitive at a decent price. 7 HERITAGE RIDGE moved up well to run a good race behind Easy Money on the 3rd of May, she will be cherry ripe for this race on Sunday, include her into all bets. 11 COUNTRY TIME is in great form at the moment, Trainer Paul Reeves has done a wonderful job with this mare, she always has a money chance at this level.

Alistair Cohen

There is a fine mix of competitive, tricky races where punters should cast their nets wide and some races that look more straightforward prompting a little less budget to navigate at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday. After the action at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last Saturday, the two-year-old department has taken prime discussion. The Listed Somerset 1200 has attracted a field of promising youngsters. Shezaripper is well treated at the weights and she could score an important win.

She was a candidate for the RCS Slipper last month but trainer James Crawford opted to keep her at home and target races on her doorstep. She hopefully has a long career ahead of her.

Her debut was stellar when she kept Sparkling Star at bay over 1000m at this course in February. They pulled far clear of third. Crawford handed her a gallop a few weeks before her potential trip to Durban for the Slipper but he clearly thought better of the riches and she was given a three-month layoff as a result of their decision to aim elsewhere. Her return was a good 0,75-length second behind Tag And Release over 1100m at this course. She is now 3kg better off with Tag And Release so that should give him the advantage over a horse with plenty of potential.

Mickaelle Michel is carded to take the ride. She visited Cape Town for the first time last week and went home with a winner. With an appetite and education for the course, she will have some confidence to navigate her way around.

Reef Runner was rumoured to be top drawer when he made his debut and he led with a dominant performance for a start to finish triumph. He weighs 530kg so he looked out of place with his two-year-old rivals. This is a big step forward from a shallow maiden to feature race level, but he could not have been more impressive for his three-length success. This race will not define him or his career, but a win would make him noteworthy for bigger features in a few months.

Tag And Release has to be respected by virtue of being the only feature race winner in the field. He won the Winter Nursery when he toppled Shezaripper. He is now hunted and his disadvantage at the weights is documented but it is hard to knock a confident horse with ability.

Grapes Of Wrath has been off since February but she was emphatic when she won on debut. She has more to beat. She is a half-sister to the brilliant Charles Dickens. A lot will be learned about her. A forward run would be a huge foundation for her career.

World Of Secrets showed enough improvement from her debut to her second start and she could claim race 1 over 1000m, the trip of her two runs to date. It was just natural progression halving her eight-length deficit to four lengths. Michel takes the ride for Paul Reeves. Nadia Nerina sticks out as the main threat after a fair debut when beaten by six lengths into third. Keep an eye on betting moves about the first timers.

Whirlwind is evidently climbing the divisions and she could stamp her progress in race 2 over 1200m. This will be her toughest task to date taking on class droppers like Call Me Secret, Pink Pigeon and Wild Applause but Whirlwind is lightly raced and she is establishing herself. She has a few appealing attributes like a high cruising speed and she can kick off that. This is her seventh career start and Richard Fourie (although obliged) is sweating to 54kg to take the ride.

Swift Serenity has finished runner-up in her last three starts. She is well overdue and she could finally exit the maidens in race 3 over 1200m. She has surely found the right field to beat. Her only danger is this trip. One would be more confident over 1000m because of her natural speed.

Race 4 over 1600m is a race that will not take much winning. This is a great opportunity for something battling to do the job. A chance of taken on Giddy Up Grace. She has hinted that she is better than her overall form. She hails from an in-form Candice Bass yard. Aldo Domeyer takes the ride. Her career best was over this course and distance when she was narrowly turned over by Lady Orbit.

My Only Weakness has not won for just over a year but her form has had her running just off winners. Adam Marcus has his string in good heart at the moment. She is 2,5kg better off with Cutie Patootie for a 1,6-length beating when they last met so that form should turn around. Plus, Cutie Patootie has pulled a deep draw of No 9. Calvin Habib takes the ride.

Girl Like Us is not a confident choice in race 6 over 1200m. This is one of the races on the card where just about anything can win. Again, her consistency leads one to believe that a win is just around the corner. Keagan de Melo has been riding superbly well especially over the last three months and his engagement will do no harm.

Blue Lagoon put up a pleasing post-maiden effort when she was a short head behind Easy Money over 1200m at this course. She is back over the same course and distance. She looked limited having taken six runs to win a race. She has some credit in the bank after her last run and she could be the horse to beat in race 8.

When Love Shack is given the verdict to win a race, one must be sure there are plenty of dangers. She is given the verdict in race 9 over 1000m because she drops to the minimum trip where she shows the most life. Nothing in this field is going to reach any great heights and it is the type of event that could have different results if the race was run a few times. De Melo rides for Paul Reeves who is the new trainer having relocated from Candice Bass.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Carlisle and Lingfield(UK) – 30 May 2026.

Please Note:The Eliteserien match between Lillestrom and Viking FK (Match 4) that was originally scheduled for 30th May 2026, has been postponed.

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.