David Thiselton

Summerveld trainer Gareth van Zyl was very excited by the third place finish of King Pelles in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July and added that the Equus Champion Stayer had come out of the race well, so will be defending his crown in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup on the 25th.

The result showed that the older horses were out at the weights with the three-year-olds and Gareth mentioned that before adding, “To have split the three-year-olds showed that he has improved, so it is very exciting.”

King Pelles was actually a touch unlucky as he was sitting in what was in retrospect the perfect position behind Wish List approaching the straight, but lost that position when Gladatorian switched outward off the rail.

Nevertheless, after being shuffled backwards and having to come around the horses in front he showed a fine turn of foot and became a threat to the three-year-olds Note To Self and Wish List.

He clung on to third place, beaten 1,55 lengths, just ahead of another three-year-old Viva’s Liberte.

Australian-based Chad Schofield, the son of former top Durban-born jockey Glyn Schofield, said afterwards he felt he had a chance of winning and added that he could feel that had the race been over a touch further he would have had a very good chance.

It was another heady day for chief owner Ravi Padayachee, with this being the passionate Durbanite’s first July runner, and in the last few hundred metres he and his fellow owners would likely have just about lifted the roof off the grandstand from his private box. To win the Hollywoodbets Durban July is every owner’s dream and would be an especially auspicious achievement for a hometown owner.

Ravi’s Lucky Vest 12 CC owns King Pelles in partnership with Dave MacLean, Gary Player and N V Parmanand.

King Pelles put all of them in the spotlight last season by landing four Gr 3 staying events including the KZN Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup and walking away with the Equus Champion Stayer award.

He has taken them on another exhilarating journey this Champions Season and will put the cherry on the top if successfully defending his Gold Cup crown, although he is going to have stiff opposition from this year’s Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase winner, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts.

David Thiselton

The Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase on Hollywoodbets Durban July day has always been a pointer to the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup and this year’s winner of the former race, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts, will have a fine chance of landing a treble of staying events in the latter race as he also won the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers.

An interesting fact about the Futura gelding is that he is the first horse to be running in the colours of Garth Musikanth, whose brother Dean is also a part-owner along with Zev Blieden, Ryan Copeland, Darren Smith and J Murcia.

Ahead Of The Facts, ridden by the peerless Richard Fourie, was backed as if he couldn’t be beaten and the flood of money saw him starting at 15/10.

Fourie dropped the 110-rated gelding out from a wide draw of nine.

He was content to sit near the back before improving position around the final bend.

Fourie went for a run down the inside and Ahead Of The Facts showed a turn of foot that was reminiscent of last year’s Equus Champion Stayer King Pelles.

He made up the ground in a matter of strides and went on to win by half-a-length from Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids, who were the winner and runner up in the Gold Cup two years ago.

The winning margins of 0,50 lengths and 1,30 lengths flattered Master Redoute and Shoot The Rapids as Fourie was easing Ahead Of The Facts up at the line.

However, Ahead Of The Facts was receiving 1,5kg from both of them and there will be a weight reversal in the Gold Cup considering Ahead Of The Facts was raised seven points to 117, while Master Redoute was raised three points to 115 and Shoot The Rapids remains on 117.

Fifth-placed Holding Thumbs, beaten 3,40 lengths, was lowered one point to 117.

The Gold Cup weights are subjected to the Operator’s Condition 2.1.2.10 which states:

Handicap Races of 2800m and further (including Graded, Listed and other Feature races): Weights may be compressed at the discretion of the Handicapper i.e. the Handicapper may depart from allocating 0,5 kg for each merit rating point.

Ahead Of The Facts will thus have it harder on paper, but Jonathan Snaith stated after Saturday’s race that the Gold Vase was actually just a stepping stone race to the Gold Cup.

He said, “The Gold Cup was his main mission. He has had three runs in Durban and the Gold Vase was the one in between. Hopefully his best run will be his third run.”

The owners were all ecstatic and Dean Musikanth said, “He is our first stakes winner and we have won Grade 3s with him on Met day and July day. He cost just R100,000 and considering his class that was for nothing! I am over the moon, I actually don’t know where to walk, but I do know where to have a drink!”

The Capetonian group of friends were looking forward to a celebratory toast to their champion and revealed that Richard had been very confident before the race.

Garth Musikanth confirmed he had got his colours completed about two years ago especially for this horse, who made his debut as a two-year-old on August 31, 2024, although he did own a handful of horses before that.

Ahead Of The Facts in fact finished a tailed off last on debut over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, beaten 17,95 lengths and it was only when stepping up to 2000m in his fourth start that he began to show what was to come.

That is not surprising considering he is by stamina influence Futura out of a one-time-winning mare by stamina influence Silvano.

 Saturday was his fifth career win.

Jonathan Snaith found Ahead Of The Facts at the 2023 National Yearling Sale and said, “We were fans of Futura. We had a good Futura in our yard at the time called Future Swing who was shaping up to be a stayer. Ahead Of The Facts was a magnificent horse, beautiful conformation and he moved like a dream. He was a bit light and immature and I think that is why no-one liked him. But he had the frame and he had the action and he had a beautiful temperament, which we noticed at the Sale. He’s been a wonderful buy and I think he’s a massive runner in the Gold Cup as well. Considering this was not his main mission it was an impressive win and it was the way he won … he went from second last to first in a matter of strides, an impressive turn of foot. Richard, more so than Justin, was very confident. He said he had been unlucky in his previous start when he ran second and he actually said in the parade ring to the owners, ‘What are you nervous about? He is going to win whether I go to the front or stay at the back. I’ve got this!’ He was extremely confident from weeks ago and I think it was reflected by the money that poured on and everybody bankered him in the Pick 6 … he was a lot of people’s Pick 6 banker, so we are delighted that the public have benefited.”

Andrew Harrison

With the Hollywoodbets Durban July done and dusted it’s back to bread and butter racing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today where the card is headed by the Tote For The Win B Stakes over 2000m.

Gareth van Zyl thought enough of Salani Kahle to run him in the Gr2 SA Derby but he came up short against the filly Curious Girl who was a runner in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Given the weights in the July, Curious Girl was an unlikely winner being 6kg out on the official handicap but that said, Salani Kahla takes on a lot weaker and although he has a big weight he shows lots of potential. This will be an acid test.

Dean Kannemeyer has stepped Uzwano up in trip but the gelding is in good form over shorter. He will see this out and should go close. Stuart Ferrie saddles the smart filly Hodgepodge who stays well and has a handy galloping weight. She should be competitive.

 Of the others, Queue Wing seldom runs a bad race. He is up in class and also in distance but has a light weight. One to watch.

Mike and Mathew de Kock can open the afternoon with Putthelightsout  who was a beaten favourite on the ploy last run but faces modest company here and should go close back on turf.

In the first leg of the Bi-Pot Christmas Rose was touched off second time out and has made steady improvement and should go close. She is the pick of the Glen Kotzen stable trio. Danger is Blenheim Palace who is making steady improvement and has found market support in the past. This trip should suit. America First took on older runners in an Open Maiden last start and can do better.

The opening leg of the PA has some well-bred first timers so keep an eye on the betting but Lenoxx  found all sorts of traffic last time out and shows some promise. He should put in a big effort. Tiger Cody has improved in blinkers and is back to shorter and looks the biggest threat.  First timers Hot Blooded and Bullet Catch are ones to watch in the market.

Charlie Bucket can kick off the Pick 6. Paddy Kruyer’s gelding has consistent Cape form over the distance and was a beaten favourite at his last two. He gets a 1.5kg allowance from the saddle and can make amends. Deonarie has shown up well in both starts and steps up in trip but has the best of the draw while Redoubt Express found market support when making a smart debut on the poly. The turf should not be an issue and he rates a strong winning chance.

In the fifth, Peeping Tom has been knocking on the door for some time for Doug Campbell. He stays the trip and should be one of the better bets on the card. Bourbon’s Beast tends to lack finish but is never too far back and should go well in this company. Augrabies was a beaten favourite last run. His best recent form has been on the poly but he is in modest company.

Ricky Maingard’s runners have won four of the six races that they have contested in Champions Season and Tunguska comes off some smart recent Western Cape form in the seventh. The stable has hardly missed since arriving in KZN. Blizzard Boy has shown up well in two starts on the poly since arriving in KZN. He shed his maiden on the turf and should run well in this field. Red Cardinal is down in class and handicap. If he stays the trip he will be a contender.

The eighth is wide open. Red Coral is a filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run on the poly and can make amends. Let It Roll was a recent maiden winner and takes on older runners. However, he has improved with each outing and has a handy galloping weight. Dancing On A Cloud was much improved last run after switching yards and has always shown promise while Radu has been consistent of late and now gets a 2.5kg claimer aboard.

In the last, Preacher Man is a two-year-old filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run. She is down in class with first time blinkers and looks the part. Diamond Maker won at long odds last start in first time blinkers and is back over a sprint. He could follow up. Yannakis has won his last two over course and distance and his 4kg claimer retains the ride. Princess Goldie is back on turf. Her poly form is consistent but she can do better here.

RACE 1

2 PUTTHELIGHTSOUT   4 ANATOLY   7 PEACE SIGN   6 AFTER THE FIRE

Preview: PUTTHELIGHTSOUT (2) was a beaten favourite on the ploy last run. In modest company here and should go close back on turf. ANATOLY (4) has made steady improvement. Close-up second last run. AFTER THE FIRE (6) takes on males but made some improvement in blinkers last run. PEACE SIGN (7) makes his debut. Stable jockey rides and one to watch in the betting. (Andrew Harrison: 2-4-6-7).

RACE 2

3 CHRISTMAS ROSE   8 BLENHEIM PALACE   2 AMERICA FIRST   6 SO INDI

Preview: CHRISTMAS ROSE (3) was touched off second time out. She has made steady improvement and should go close. She is the pick of the stable trio. BLENHEIM PALACE (8) is making steady improvement and has found market support in the past. This trip should suit. AMERICA FIRST (2) took on older runners in an Open Maiden last start. She can do better here. SO INDI (6) has found market support in the past. Up in trip and one to watch. (Andrew Harrison: 3-8-2-6).

RACE 3

4 LENNOX   3 TIGER CODY   14 BULLET CATCH   13 HOT BLOODED

Preview: Some well-bred first timers so keep an eye on the betting. LENNOX (4) found all sorts of traffic last time out and shows some promise. He should put in a big effort. TIGER CODY (3) has improved in blinkers. He is back to shorter and looks the biggest threat.  ARKADIN (7) has made steady improvement. Back to a sprint with a four-claimer up. AFRICAN RUBY (1) has not been far back starting at long odds. He can do better here. First timers HOT BLOODED (13) and BULLET CATCH (14) are ones to watch in the market. (Andrew Harrison: 4-3-14-13).

RACE 4

10 CHARLIE BUCKET   1 DEONARIE   5 REDOUBT EXPRESS   11 IMPERIAL VALOR

Preview: CHARLIE BUCKET (10) has consistent Cape form over course and distance. Beaten favourite last two over the distance and with a 1.5kg allowance from the saddle he could make amends. DEONARIE (1) has shown up well in both starts. Steps up in trip but has the best of the draw. REDOUBT EXPRESS (5) found market support when making a smart debut on the poly. The turf should not be an issue and he rates a strong winning chance. IMPERIAL VALOR (11) has the widest draw to contend with but improved with a tongue-tie and has a claiming apprentice up. (Andrew Harrison: 10-1-5-11).

RACE 5

6 PEEPING TOM   8 BOURBON’S BEAST   7 AUGRABIES   5 CAPTIVE PRINCE

Preview: PEEPING TOM (6) has been knocking on the door for some time now. He stays the trip and is the one to beat. BOURBON’S BEAST (8) tends to lack finish but is never too far back. He should go well in this company. AUGRABIES (7) was a beaten favourite last run. His best recent form has been on the poly but he is in modest company. CAPTIVE PRINCE (5) is lightly raced but has shown some promise. The step up in trip should suit (Andrew Harrison: 6-8-7-5).

RACE 6

8 SALANI KAHLE    7 UZWANO   9 QUEUE WING   1 HODGEPODGE

Preview: SALANI KAHLE (8) has a big weight but shows lots of potential. This will be the acid test. UZWANO (7) steps up in trip but is in good for over shorter. He will see it out and should go close. HODGEPODGE (1) is a smart filly who stays well. She has a handy galloping weight and should be competitive. QUEUE WING (9) seldom runs a bad race. Up in class but also in distance and has a light weight. One to watch. (Andrew Harrison: 8-7-9-1).

RACE 7

4 TUNGUSKA    2 BLIZZARD BOY   10 RED CARDINAL   6 HIGH QUEUE

Preview: TUNGUSKA (4) comes off some smart recent Western Cape form. The stable has hardly missed since arriving in KZN. BLIZZARD BOY (2) has shown up well in two starts on the poly since arriving in KZN. He shed his maiden on the turf and should run well in this field. RED CARDINAL (10) is down in class and handicap. If he stays the trip he will be a big contender. HIGH QUEUE (6) is always consistent and with some luck in running he is in with a chance. (Andrew Harrison: 4-2-10-6).

RACE 8

4 RED CORAL   3 LET IT ROLL   5 RADU   10 DANCING ON A CLOUD

Preview: RED CORAL (4) is a filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run on the poly and can make amends. LET IT ROLL (3) was a recent maiden winner and takes on older runners. However, he has improved with each outing and has a handy galloping weight. DANCING ON A CLOUD (10) was much improved last run after switching yards.  He has always shown promise and can follow up. RADU (5) has been consistent of late and now gets a 2.5kg claimer aboard. (Andrew Harrison: 4-3-5-10).

RACE 9

1 PREACHER MAN   4 DIAMOND MAKER   7 YANNAKIS   8 PRINCESS GOLDIE

Preview: PREACHER MAN (1) is a two-year-old filly taking on males but was a beaten favourite last run. Down in class firs first time blinkers she looks the part. DIAMOND MAKER (4) won at long odds last start but in first time blinkers back over a sprint. He could follow up. YANNAKIS (7) has won his last two over course and distance and his 4kg claimer retains the ride. PRINCESS GOLDIE (8) is back on turf. Her poly form is consistent but she can do better here. (Andrew Harrison: 1-4-7-8).

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Pontefract and Wolverhampton (UK) – 7 July 2026

David Thiselton

Cape trainer Des McLachlan scored the first KZN Graded race win of his career on Saturday when landing the Gr 3 Post Merchants with Jet Force and it was his best KZN result since his Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner Ethno Centric placed in the Gr 1 SA Guineas in 2001.

McLachlan had formed a prolific partnership with Grant van Niekerk before the latter left to ride in Maurtitius and Van Niekerk flew over to ride Jet Force on Saturday.

It was Grant’s only ride on the day and he rode a pearler.

Jet Force was backed in from 20/1 to 5/1, which was not surprising as he came in with a record of two wins in three starts over the 1200m trip and his recent form over further was either wins or performances where not disgraced against the best of the best.

Jumping from a good draw of four Jet Force did not get the best of breaks but Van Niekerk managed too get him forward enough to find a position just backward of midfield.

After lifting his head momentarily he did settle well once he had cover.

At the top of the straight he still had plenty to do and had about five lengths to make up.

However, a nice gap opened for him and he ran on well through it to hit the front 100m out before fending off Buffalo Storm Cody and Tenango, beating them by half-a-length and 0,55 lengths respectively.

He had earlier overtaken the 7/2 favourite Buffalo Storm Cody as the latter was battling to get going on the outside. However, when Buffalo did find his big stride he was eating up the ground and, like last year, he put in a good preparation for the Gr 1 wfa Mercury Sprint over the same course and distance.

Des said he would also consider running him in the Mercury Sprint, which takes place three weeks after the Post Merchants on the 25^th of July.

He will only be 2kg worse off than Buffalo Storm Cody in the Mercury, so on paper will have a chance.

He has duly been nominated and is sitting with a fair draw at the time of writing of nine out of 26 horses still standing their ground, although there is a draw reversal against him with Buffalo Storm Cody as the latter was drawn nine on Saturday and is now drawn eight in the Mercury.

Jet Force will also be 2kg worse off with Tenango, who ran on superbly on Saturday from the back after jumping from draw five.

Tenango has landed a plum draw of two in the Mercury.

The Beaumont Stud-bred four-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding Jet Force was the last lot on the November Two Year Old Sale of 2023 and Des landed him for R350,000.

Des always goes to the stud farms before the Sales to look at horses and revealed, “I liked him all along and he just grew on you and grew on you, there was improvement all the time.”

He added, “Horses find you.”

He said, “He took a while to get going as he was very difficult, so we decided to cut him. We just gave him time to mature, we weren’t in a rush and he has done us proud up till now.”

Jet Force started his career in the February of his three-year-old year with a win over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and has won seven out of his 13 starts to date, including the Listed Jet Master Stakes over 1600m and the Gr 3 Variety Club Mile.

Van Niekerk has ridden him to five of his victories.

Des’s long term aim for Jet Force is to go give him a break in Cape Town and then go for the Green Point and the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

He concluded, “He was still a little bit immature in this year’s Green Point and King’s Plate, he was very, very green, he didn’t know what it was all about as the Green Point was only his third run around the turn. It was quite difficult for him, a lot for him to take on and he didn’t disgrace himself. I think he has got the ability to be competitive in features.”

Jet Force is owned by Messrs Denis Le Breton & A L Taylor, Mr K & Miss K Geemooi & Mrs G C Hutchinson.

David Thiselton

The Vercingetorix filly Quickstepgal has been superbly handled by former Kimberley trainer and now Summerveld trainer Tienie Prinsloo and she landed the second Gr 1 of her career at the Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting at Holywoodbets Greyville on Saturday when winning the prestigious Gr 1 wfa Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes over 1600m.

She came out of the race very well, but the Greenacres Trust (Marsh Shirtliff)-bred filly, who is owned by the Laurence Wernars family and Harry Willson is now going to be given a deserved holiday.

The big question is what she will do in her four-year-old season?

That is presuming she will stay in training, although there is not much left for her to prove, considering she has won seven of her 13 starts, including two Gr 1s, a Gr 2, a Gr 3 and a Listed race, and she has also had five Graded places for total earnings of R2,642,187.

The best option looks to be to stick to the three Gr 1 wfa miles around the country, the Maine Chance Farms Majorca at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, the TAB Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein and the Garden Province at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Tiene said she would not stay the 1800m of the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes.

He also revealed that sprints were likely out of the question as she liked to use her natural speed to run in a relaxed manner before quickening over 1400m to 1600m trips, while the flat out nature of a sprint fired her up a bit too much and did not do her any good in the preparation for her main game.

Prinsloo had been very confident in the buildup to Saturday and viewed her as a banker.

He became even more confident as the race panned out.

She can always be relied on to break well and she duly did.

Jockey Keagan de Melo then sat in a one out and one back position on the 7/2 shot and had her nice and relaxed with the fancied 5/2 chance Mon Petit Cherie

behind her and the 11/10 favourite Double Grand Slam behind that one.

De Melo did not chase the pacemaker Whistle The Tune when the latter went two or three lengths clear.

She was in the exact position Prinsloo liked to see her and he said, “When she quickens nobody is going to catch her.”

He added, “She doesn’t need to lead.”

She won the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas from the front, but Tienie said her burst was even more effective if held up just off the pace.

De Melo could afford to just sit on her until the 300m mark before getting to work and it was soon clear that the running on Mon Petite Cherie and Double Grand Slam were not going to catch her.

She crossed the line 1,30 lengths clear of Mon Petite Cherie with Double Grand Slam a head further back in third.

“That was the Quickstepgal I know,” said Tienie.

Tiene was glad for De Melo, who had got to know the filly well through three placed runs, before winning on her in the Gr 2 HKJC World Pool Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m last time out.

Tienie should get a lot of the accolades as he knows all the ins and outs of this filly and how exactly to prepare her.

In a fun moment on the course owner Laurence Wernars spoke in the winning interview, something he never does, but he had promised his daughters that the day they were present on course for a Gr 1 win he would do the interview.

Quickstepgal gave the champion sire Vercingetorix his 31^st stakes win of the season achieved with 21 horses.

He is in a race against time to break his own SA record of 23 stakes winners (of 33 races) he set last season.

Tienie signed for the Fire Away half-sister to Quickstepgal, Victory Blaze, at last week’s KZN Yearling Sale after securing her for R600,000, which was as opposed to the R450,000 Quickstepgal went for and the R1,3 million her full-sister went for, both at the same Sale in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Lingfield and Ripon (UK) – 6 July 2026.

Andrew Harrison

Justin Snaith is now one short of equaling the legendary Syd Laird’s record of seven July wins after saddling the first two past the post in the R10 Million Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

In a thrilling finish before a capacity crowd and in a one-two in joint owner Nancy Hossack’s colours, Note To Self got up to touch off the filly Wish List and deny 59-year-old Andrew Fortune in a race that he was hoping to bookend end his career. Third was rank outsider King Pelles with Viva’s Liberte in the shallow end of the purse.

It was not to be for Fortune although he will have had high hopes as Wish List burst out of the pack racing over the subway and looked to have the race in the bag. However, Richard Fourie, who had been biding his time in the pack, produced Note To Self with a telling late run down the outside of the straight. The two fought out a tight finish with the gelding getting the better of the filly inside the last 100m for Fourie’s fourth win in the race.

Fortune was supremely confident before the race but in a gesture of sportsmanship, stretching out his hand to congratulate Fourie after crossing the line.

Surprisingly, top weight Legal Counsel made the pace but had done his job turning for home leaving stable mate Wish List to take up the cuddles. It looked to have been a well thought-out strategy for the filly before Note To Self arrived on the scene.

Fourie was circumspect when quizzed about his early move at the 800m mark and said, “I don’t know. I blacked out at the top of the straight.

But added, “There’s no better feeling than winning it the first time but maybe second time with Do It Again, but it’s a great feeling. Just doing it in front of 50 thousand people at Greyville it’s such a feeling, the rush. I can’t explain the sound when everybody is shouting at you in the middle. It’s like being in a canyon. It was just a lovely race and was as sweet as it can be.”

Snaith heaped praise on his charge Note To Self. “I heard a couple of people say ‘what has he done up to now,’ and I knew he was going to come to the fore sort of at the right time but we were always wandering if it was one year early as he is a very immature horse.

“You saw him walking in the pre-race, he is unconscious, but this last week I said to everybody you can excuse the Daily News he was not right and had a temperature for two days after that and I had to really nurse him and do a lot of work and just making him feel better and get his coat right and all of a sudden this week in the last three days he took off. He was just a different horse and I knew that everyone was in trouble. He just walks around, he’s just a leopard, he is the most unassuming stunning individual and I knew that if he came right he was the horse to beat in this field.”

Not To Self was bred by Varsfontein Stud and owned by Jonathan Bloch, Jonathan Snaith and Nancy Hossack whose black and white silks where the first two past the post.

Tienie Prinsloo was not always confident that Quickstepgal would be at her best over 1600m when taking on the best but it was it was confidence misplaced as Qucikstepgal made short work of a high class field in the Gr1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes. It was always going to be a three-way contest and so it proved. Quickstepgal was up with the pace and quickened smartly crossing the subway and was not for the catching. Double Grand Slam and Mon Petit Cherie were left fighting it out for the minor money.

Buffalo Storm Cody drifted alarmingly in the betting for the Gr3 Post Merchants and although beaten he was no disgraced as Jet Force put it all together in the Gr3 Post Merchants. Des McLachlan is a rare visitor to KZN and Grant van Niekerk made the flight from Mauritius and was having his only ride on the day. That should have been the office for astute followers of the game. Taking on the Gr1 winning Questioning at his last two starts over further he will have sharpened up for this race and duly arrived, bursting out of the pack with a furlong to run. Buffalo Storm Cody came wide into the straight but was not able to peg back Jet Force who had got first run.

Zak Lloyd, fresh from a win at Royal Ascot, was on the winner’s podium after just his second ride in South Africa as he scored a bloodless victory on Magic Verse in the Gr3 Magical Zulu Kingdom 2200m as Justin Snaith got his afternoon off to the best of starts, winning three of the first four races on the card and it got a lot better later.

In a race run at no great pace, Lloyd had Magic Verse well placed behind a pedestrian gallop and pressed for home early. The gelding responded willingly under minimum effort from the saddle and soon had the better of a game Johnny The Thief who stayed on ahead of Otto Luyken for the minor money.

It was the turn of the heavily supported Ahead Of The Facts in the 3000m Gr3 Durban Gold Vase as Fourie produced the favourite with a telling late run up the inside fence to have the race sewn up inside the last furlong.

Favourites were the order of the day leading into the Gr2 Amusnet Golden Slipper where Alice B Toklas found plenty of support but it was not to be. Palace Of Arvenia, some times three wide on the turn, was given a confident ride by national log-leading rider Craig Zackey. Dean Kannemeyer seldom wants his runners up with the early pace and Palace Of Arvenia quickened well coming wide into the straight and was not for the catching. Alice B Toklas was a tad unlucky as Too Fast To Fiesta hung in badly forcing Fourie to ease and switch which may well have cost him victory as Sean Tarry’s filly finished off her race strongly for second.

Vibe Check got the favourites back on track as Vaughan Marshall’s colt made all the running in the Gr2 Omoda Golden Horseshoe. Well supported in the betting Sean Veale made the most of the mayor’s office draw and was in the front from the jump. He had a good lead coming into the straight but suddenly the two international riders, Zak Lloyd and Chad Schofield made a race of it as Green Energy and the filly Secretary Bird shot out of the pack. However, Vibe Check held on and indications are that he will try his luck on the Gr1 World Pool Moment of the Day Champion Stakes on HKJC Gold Cup Day at the end of the month.

David Thiselton

Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie made history in Saturday’s R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July, becoming the first combination to win four Julys, and Snaith clinched the exacta with two horses both part-owned by Jonathan Bloch and Nancy Hossack, meaning the latter had become the second owners this millennium to land the July exacta and the third in recent memory.

For Nancy Hossack it was an incredible day in which events had reached full circle over a 12 year period and in which her thoughts were often with her late father Jack Mitchell.

Her emotions would likely have reached a zenith at 18H00 hours on Saturday evening when she had the privilege of hanging up her father Jack’s colours on the Hollywoodbets Durban July Wall Of Honour in the Hollywoodbets Greyville Classic Room. Winning owners in the past have always talked about this privately conducted traditional ceremony as being the moment of realisation, not only because of the many famous set of silks seen on the wall, but also due to the incredulous feeling of being part of an exclusive group who will forever be woven into South African history.

Nancy was on course at the 2014 July with her father when his part-owned Snaith-trained Dynasty colt Legislate was awarded the race after an objection, with the Brett Crawford-trained Dynasty colt Futura in third place. Legislate did not run in Jack’s silks but Futura would go on to do the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate and Gr 1 Met double in 2015 carrying Jack’s white with black spots and sleeves colours and a white cap.

Wind on to 2026 and the same colours, now in Nancy’s name, were carried to first and second in the July and both horses are by sires owned by Jack, with Note To Self being by Futura and Wish List being by July winner Legislate,

In between those dates Nancy was on course to watch another horse part-owned by her father, the Snaith-trained Do It Again, winning the July in 2018.

She recalled the connections had gone out together the previous evening and had all contracted food poisoning and Jack had been so ill he only managed to make it to the course just in time to watch Do It Again win.

Nancy recalled, “That was an amazing experience and everybody suddenly improved after the win!”

Nancy and Jack had raced out of the Nick Jonsson box that day and the latter had landed the July exacta as a part-owner in both Do It Again and the Snaith-trained runner up Made To Conquer. Nick recalled at the time that his good friend Luke Bailles had been the last owner to land a July exacta when the Terrance Millard-trained pair Illustrador and Olympic Duel finished one-two in 1990.

And now in 2026 another ownership exacta is once again linked to the previous one.

The link goes even further because another part-owner in Do It Again was Investec founder Bernard Kantor and Jonathan Bloch and Nancy Hossack first met while working in the same building for Investec, where they often chatted because of their shared interest in horseracing.

When Do It Again did it again in 2019 Jack’s estate was the part-owner as he had sadly passed away and Nancy later took over the colours.

She said, “The 2019 win was Do It Again’s most emotional victory because he did it without my Dad being here.”

Jonathan confirmed, “The build up to this year’s race was amazing and this partnership has been beautiful, Nancy is the perfect partner to have in racing and it is special that both Justin and Jonathan, as a shareholder in Note To Self, are part of this horse too. it is so great when there is such a history behind the victory too.”

Jonathan was not only referring to Jack in the latter statement, but also to the like of ownership greats Abe Swersky, Arnold Golombick, Graham Beck and Laurie Jaffe, who had mentored him both in business and racing. Those famous racing men had also influenced Nancy’s racing nous as her father had sat on the Jockey Club board together with them.

Jonathan said, “Today we stand on the shoulders of giants”.

Jonathan has actually outdone the giants though in a sense as he could well have become the first owner to capture all of what used to be KZN’s four classics and he has now added a July exacta. Before the July he won the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and Gr 1 Daily News 2000 with Star Major and the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas and Gr 2 Woolavington 2000 with Wish List, although the latter race is no longer a classic as it is now open to older horses.

He and Nancy praised Justin Snaith for the magnificent job he had done in preparing Note To Self and Wish List.

Jonathan was watching both horses in the race on Saturday and admitted he was screaming the house down. He said, “Then I spotted King Pelles running on and I said ‘Oh no, please don’t come and upset the applecart!'” The latter finished a 1,55 length third at 25/1 odds behind 11/2 shot Note To Self and the 9/2 chance favourite Wish List.

Nancy had also been watching both horses and said, “When I saw Richard (Fourie) going wide around the turn I thought ‘He knows he’s going to win.'”

Nancy had good reason for such a thought and added, “Futura was exactly the same as Note To Self in that he needed a fast run race and he was always flying at them in the finish. It was just when you moved was the most important think and that is why I think that was a very clever move by Richard, because Note To Self needs to go early as he is a big, long-striding individual.”

Fourie couldn’t have timed it better as he caught Wish List in the shadow of the post.

Nancy had been instrumental in spotting both Note To Self and Wish List at the National Yearling Sales with the help of one of her best friends, Snaith Racing employee Jenna le Roux. Jonathan Snaith no doubt provided input too.

Jonathan Bloch said, “My son Zac liked both of them on pedigree, so I went to look at them and liked both of them as individuals.”

Therefore, after Jonathan Snaith had signed for them for R300,000 and R700,00 respectively, Jonathan asked to come in as a partner and Jonathan Snaith and Nancy readily agreed.

Justin Snaith has now won six Julys and joins Terrance Millard on that number. He is now just one behind the record seven won by the Hall Of Fame trainer Syd Laird.

The strength of the three-year-old crop had been questioned, with some saying they have been overrated, but they dominated the finish as Viva’s Liberte finished a 1,70 length fourth and could have snatched third from older horse King Pelles had he not been short of room late. It was then a further 1,50 lengths back to the older horse Isivivane with Native Ruler close behind him and the rest of the field spread out like the washing.

The time of two minutes and 13.48 seconds was 34 seconds quicker than last year’s slow run race and chief stipendiary steward Lyall Hutcheson said it was one of the “cleanest” Julys in  recent times.