Madison Valley hooks up for victory

Andrew Harrison

The Conditions Plate that was the headline race at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday was always going to be something of a guessing game with most of the runners being prepared for races further down the road.

It didn’t help that warm favourite See It Again was scratched before the start for refusing to load which didn’t go down well with the gelding’s supporters who expected a little more effort  from the starter’s assistants.

That will all be up for debate but title chasing Craig Zackey took advantage for his third win of the afternoon as Madison Valley made short work of his rivals, Frank Robinson’s charge accelerating past the opposition to win uncontested with well-back tote favourite On My Honour not getting the best of passages but a well-beaten fourth putting paid to a host of exotic bet tickets.

I don’t think the handicappers will read much into the race as far as penalties go but it was certainly a smart run from Madison Valley who would appreciate it a touch further but circumstances going his way.

A Betway Summer Cup entry, On My Honour was not disgraced and should come on from this run while it will have been a huge relief for the connections of former Summer Cup winner Royal Victory to see their champion behaved impeccably and doing his best work late over a distance well short of his best.

Oklahoma Girl and Saudi Sweep tangled in a not quarters given in the card opener. Both were out in a flash with replacement rider Muzi Yeni winning the battle for the lead on Louis Goosen’s filly. Saudi Sweep led into the straight but Tristan Godden took the inside route home on Mike Miller’s filly and it was head-and-head to the line with both runners giving it their all.

Ashburton Training Centre, when an open training establishment, always provided a steady stream of winners from trainers with mostly runners of limited ability. They did provide a Hollywoodbets Durban July ‘winner’ in Wiley Hall who lost the race in the boardroom.

Now the private domain of Hollywoodbets, head trainer Vengi Masawi, on the recommendation of Mike de Kock, and his assistant Megan Trot are taking fully advantage of the upgraded facilities. So it was a touch of irony as Mfethu got the better of the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained favourite Bombardier Boy but giving Hollywood Racing a deserved one-two with pacemaker Amber Alert staying on to hold off the filly Mystic Dancer who should not be long in winning if Robbie Hill can keep the lid on her temperament.

The first leg of the PA turned into a disaster for hot favourite Annie’s Song who could only manage fourth. A tardy start saw her stuck in midfield as Yeni dictated a modest gallop on Cool Wind and Sean Veale was left swinging onto a filly that refused to settle. It was a tough run to the wire for  Paul Lafferty’s filly but she kept firing to hold her lead with Aurelian and Ms Galore doing the chasing and Annie’s Song all over the place on the wrong hymn sheet.

Tienie Prinsloo harks back to the days of Flamingo Park where the sick, lame and laziest found their way into his yard after those in the bigger centers had given up on them. So he knows how to keep an old horse interested, not to mention that Global Movement was dropping in class. Craig Zackey gave the grey a patient ride, midfield for the early exchanges, but once asked the question, Global Movement responded smartly to put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Spectacular made the transition to turf in smart fashion as he quickened out of the pack under Serino Moodley to win the fifth as he liked. Glen Kotzen and his Summerveld assistant John Buckler had kept him on the poly since his arrival from the Cape to good effect but the gelding obviously enjoy the switch in surface and could well pay to follow. Second-placed Continental Express ran out of runway and 2400m is more his forte.

La Maddalena had never gone beyond a mile before but under a smart ride from Yeni, his second winner of the afternoon, Gareth van Zyl filly muscled her way through the pack  to get the better of a tight finish with Out Lady Fate to deny title-chasing Craig Zackey  his third winner of the afternoon.

Treaty Of Paris, once on a sales list, paid his way as he finished off his race in fine style to win the seventh. He looked to have got himself in a bit of a tangle early in exchanges but Godden gave him a confident ride to weave his way through the traffic to hold off a late-charging Lions Eye.

Taking the plunge to go on your own in a tough sport, Darryl Moore is getting his head above water. The former assistant to top trainer Charles Laird, Moore is slowly working his way up the ladder and Tara Star went back-to-back when making most of the running under apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto to round off the Pick 6 that paid over R276k.

 * It was a sad afternoon as the flags flew half-mast for the passing of Champion Eastern Cape trainer Gavin Smith and it was also the birthday of the late larger-than-life Tony Jelinski who had shares in first race winner Oklahoma Girl.

Teetan delivers for Crawford

David Thiselton

Brett Crawford clinched his third win in Hong Kong on Sunday to boost an already decent strike rate and it was his former South African stable jockey Karis Teetan who delivered for him, while back in South Africa Chad Little and JP van der Merwe both scored trebles at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and Craig Zackey reached the 50 winner for the season mark on Sunday.

It was an exiting weekend of racing globally as Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Star proved himself the world’s best sprinter by winning the world’s richest turf race, The Everest at Randwick in Sydney, while Jamie Melham became the first woman in history to ride the winner of the Caulfield Cup and Arc-winning trainer Francis-Henri Graffard completed a memorable season by landing the Champion Stakes with King George winner Calandagan

The Hollywoodbets Durbanville results sheet looked unusual after six races on Saturday, because Chad Little had won three of the races and JP van der Merwe the other three. Chad Little’s guv’nor Glen Kotzen gave him two of his wins and that included a first-timer by Legislate called Midnight Lady. Legislate is also the sire of Kotzen’s Gr 1 Gold Medallion winner Good For You. JP van der Merwe’s won one of the highest rated races on the day, a Progress Plate for fillies and mares over 1250m, as the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Horizon filly Scarlet Macaw bounced back to the form of her Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas runner up finish. The other highly rated race of the day was an A Stakes race over 1400m and it was won by the Dean Kannemeyer-trained gelding Outlaw King, which gave the increasingly prominent sire Rafeef yet another winner, and he was ridden by Craig Zackey.

Zackey and Richard Fourie ended Saturday locked together on 49 wins apiece at the top of the national jockeys log, but Zackey claimed a double on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville to go two ahead on 51.

Earlier on Saturday at Randwick in Sydney the naysayers said Ka Ying Rising had just been beating the same horses in Hong over and over again and didn’t deserve his tag of world’s best sprinter. However, that did not stop him from starting favourite for the Aus$20 million The Everest over 1200m and he then made it look like another Hong Kong race as he easily claimed the box seat in the running under regular rider Zac Purton before taking over in the straight in effortless fashion to win by a comfortable 1,2 lengths. The David Hayes-trained New Zealand-bred Shameexpress gelding has now won his last 14 races in succession.

Meanwhile, at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne, Jamie Melham (nee Kah), who was the first ever jockey to ride 100 wins in a Melbourne Metropolitan season, had her 17th career Gr 1 win and first major race win when scoring in the Caulfield Cup. She became the first woman jockey to win this big race and gave the $2.50 favourite, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours (St Jean), a magnificent ride.

In the UK at Ascot on Saturday, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, the Irish-bred Gleneagles gelding Calandagan, gave the Arc-winning combination of trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, jockey Mickaël Barzalona and owner Aga Khan Studs SCEA yet another major race winner as he fended off the challenge of market rival Ombudsman to win the Gr 1 Qipco Champion Stakes.

On Sunday at Sha Tin in Hong Kong Brett Crawford won the first race, a Class 5 event over 1400m, with the New Zealand seven-year-old 24-rated Showcasing gelding Double Show. Karis Teetan had the gelding handy on the rail from pole position and he quickened well and went on to win by 1,75 lengths converting 12/1 odds. It was the horse’s second career win and Crawford’s third win in Hong Kong with just his 19th run. That gives him a strike rate of 15.7%. Teetan went on to claim a double and Lyle Hewitson also rode a winner. That put the top jockeys respectively on eight and seven wins for the season.

Luke Ferraris is also on seven wins for the season. Yesterday he not only had a blank but had to also see his biggest feature horse, the Mark Newnham-trained My Wish (Flying Artie), winning the Gr 2 Sha Tin Trophy with another rider, Alex Badel, aboard because he could not make the feather weight of 115 pounds.

Keagan de Melo has yet to have a winner this season, but he finished second on Copartner Prance in the HK$5.35 million Sha Tin Trophy and it was his second runner up in a Group race on this horse this season.

Get Ready for a Game Changer! Introducing Colossus – Bigger Pools, More Control!

We are thrilled to announce a ground-breaking new chapter in your betting experience! We’ve partnered with Colossus Bets, a leading UK-based company, to bring you an exciting new product never before seen in the South African tote betting market.

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Understanding the Bet Types & Functionality:

Colossus Bets specialises in pool betting, where you bet against other players. The total money wagered is placed into a “pool”, and the prize money is shared among all winning tickets. The more people who play, the larger the potential jackpot! 

Some of the Bet Types on offer

  • Pick 1×2: This is a straightforward pool where you predict the result of each match – Home Win (1), Draw (X), or Away Win (2).

 

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  • Both Teams to Score: This is for fans of goals and fast paced action. Your task is to simply predict whether or not both teams will score at least one goal in a selected series of matches

 

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  • Cash Out: This feature allows you to lock in a profit before all matches (legs) in your ticket are completed. After each leg, Colossus bets will make you an offer to buy your ticket based on its current value. You can choose to accept the guaranteed payout or stay in the game for a chance at the full jackpot.

 

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Why is this a game changer for South Africa?

Colossus Bets is renowned for pioneering the Cash Out feature in multi-leg pool betting, Syndicate Betting, and for offering some of the largest sports jackpots globally. This partnership brings that innovation and scale directly to you, providing a fresh and exciting way to engage with your favourite sports.

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Ready to get in on the action? The Colossus button on www.tote.co.za is your portal to this revolutionary product. Don’t miss out!

Be sure to look out for the Colossus horse racing products – Coming Soon!

Get Ready for a Game Changer! Introducing Colossus Bets – Bigger Pools, More Control! – Betting now OPEN!!!

Introducing Colossus Bets

We are thrilled to announce a ground-breaking new chapter in your betting experience! We’ve partnered with Colossus Bets, a leading UK-based company, to bring you an exciting new product never before seen in the South African tote betting market.

What is Colossus Bets?

Imagine betting into massive, guaranteed prize pools, often reaching life-changing sums, with the added power of controlling your bet as the action unfolds. That’s the essence of Colossus Bets! It’s a revolutionary way to play, combining the thrill of traditional tote betting with unparalleled flexibility.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Guaranteed Huge Sports Pools: Colossus Bets offers enormous, guaranteed prize pools. This means bigger potential pay-outs for a winning ticket!

• Multi-Leg Challenges: Test your sporting knowledge by predicting the outcome of multiple events (legs) within a single pool. The more legs you correctly predict, the closer you get to that colossal jackpot!

• The Power of Cash Out: This is where Colossus Bets truly revolutionises your play! For the first time in South African tote betting, you will be offered the option to Cash Out your bet before all legs of your ticket are complete. If some of your early selections (Legs) are winning, you could secure a profit even if the later legs are still in doubt. You can choose to cash out a portion of your ticket or wait for the completion of all the legs for a possible larger prize, giving you unprecedented control over your potential winnings.

• Syndicate Betting: Colossus Bets offers a unique way to play through Syndicate Tickets, allowing Players to team up and increase their chances of winning. Creating a Syndicate – If you have a betting strategy or consider yourself a “Pro”, you can create a Syndicate Ticket and invite other Players to contribute towards the payment of the ticket. Joining a Syndicate – Alternatively, you can join a Syndicate Ticket that another Player has already created. When you contribute to a Syndicate Ticket, you will own a share of that ticket. This share is directly proportional to the amount of money you contributed. If the Syndicate Ticket wins, you will receive a proportionate share of any returns (such as dividends or cash-out proceeds) based on your contribution. In essence, Syndicate Tickets allows Players to pool their resources, share the risk, and share the rewards!

Why is this a game changer for South Africa?

Colossus Bets is renowned for pioneering the Cash Out feature in multi-leg pool betting, Syndicate Betting, and for offering some of the largest sports jackpots globally. This partnership brings that innovation and scale directly to you, providing a fresh and exciting way to engage with your favourite sports.

We are confident that Colossus Bets will transform your betting experience, offering bigger thrills and more control than ever before.

Ready to get in on the action? The Colossus button on www.tabgold.co.za is your portal to this revolutionary product.

Don’t miss out!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR THE 129TH HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY!

Durban, South Africa – The countdown has begun! The 129th edition of Africa’s premier horse racing and social spectacular, the Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ), is set to take place on Saturday, 5th July 2025, at the iconic Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse. As the most anticipated fixture on South Africa’s racing calendar, the event seamlessly blends world-class horse racing with high fashion, entertainment, and a memorable social experience.

Staying true to the theme of “Marvels of Mzansi,” this year’s racing extravaganza promises an iconic line-up of South African talent, featuring a diverse array of artists set to captivate all attendees throughout the day. The national anthem will be beautifully performed by one of the country’s leading songstresses – look out for the reveal in May. With these performances, the thousands of attendees expected at Hollywoodbets Greyville will have a memorable experience. Stay tuned for the full artist line-up. All ticket holders can look forward to a day filled with live entertainment that will be talked about for years to come, as this year’s HDJ celebrates Mzansi’s vibrant spirit. 

Tickets for this outstanding event are now officially on sale via Ticketpro (www.ticketpro.co.za). Priced at R230 for general admission, your ticket grants access to a day of thrilling racing action, live entertainment, fashion showcases, gourmet food experiences, and an array of engaging activations from event partners. For added convenience, onsite parking is available for R170 per vehicle.

For those seeking an elevated experience, the VIP hospitality packages provide exclusive access to luxurious enclosures, premium viewing areas, and top-tier catering. These options can be explored on the official event website (www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za). Please note that VIP hospitality packages do not include general admission tickets, which must be purchased separately via Ticketpro.

This year’s theme, “Marvels Of Mzansi”, was unveiled in late February, marking the official commencement of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion Experience, presented by Durban Fashion Fair. The fashion programme includes the much-anticipated HDJ Young Designer Award, showcasing the best up-and-coming talents from KwaZulu-Natal. The winners will share the spotlight with the HDJ Invited Designers and DFF Rising Stars at the HDJ Fashion Preview Gala, set to take place at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in late June.

Racing enthusiasts can also look forward to the announcement of the first official entrants on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. With last year’s champion, Oriental Charm, emerging as the early ante-post favourite, excitement is already building. 

Secure your tickets today and experience Africa’s greatest horse racing and social event, the Hollywoodbets Durban July!

Soccer10 Price change on Wednesdays

Please Note: From December, Unit cost of all Soccer10 Pools closing on Wednesdays will be R3.

The R3 unit cost on Wednesdays is on a trial basis only & follows requests from many customers to increase the Soccer10 Unit.

The unit cost of Soccer10 Pools on all other days remains R2.

KZN Racing – The New Dawn Takes Shape

All systems go on 1 January 2025

Horseracing in KwaZulu-Natal took the next step to the dawn of a new era with the publication on Thursday of a revitalized racing programme and the news of the introduction of incentives and stakes adjustments that will align the province with the status quo in the Cape.

The introduction of the new-look programme and policies on the East Coast comes into play as a result of the proposed acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group, which now hinges on the required approval of the KZN Economic Regulatory Authority (KZNERA).

Whilst the outstanding approval of the KZNERA is critical to the transaction, and will be the final step in transferring ownership, Hollywoodbets and its appointed Chairman Designate of Gold Circle, Greg Bortz are in management and strategic decisions during the interim period, with Hollywoodbets investing funds at its own risk to ensure the continuity of horse racing in KZN, and the survival of Gold Circle.

Programme and related reading matter, click here.


Subject to the fulfillment of other outstanding conditions precedent, the deal effectively unlocks a R500 million rescue injection from Hollywoodbets, and a takeover of the sport in the holiday province, which is set to include track upgrades and other infrastructural and operational initiatives.

The new KZN programme covers the period 1 January to 28 February 2025 and introduces the stakes-boosted class racing structure to the province, while unveiling financial incentives via the RaceCoast incentive scheme with the ultimate aim of improving racehorse ownership in KZN and achieving enhanced field sizes with the knock-on vital lifeblood of increased betting turnovers.

Down South, the RaceCape incentive programme has proven a winner and has underscored the unprecedented turnaround in Cape horseracing by providing further opportunities for the local racing community and increased employment prospects for grooms and work riders, as well as raising the bar for all related and ancillary horse racing services.

“We are very excited about future plans for KZN racing,” Cape Racing Executive: Racing & Bloodstock Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post on Thursday, as he outlined broad plans to revolutionise the appeal of the sport across the board for all stakeholders in KZN.

“We need to provide owners and trainers with an even and attractive playing field that makes them want to race. Stakes and rewards need to be meaningful. That ultimately leads to better field sizes, more exciting racing and improved betting turnovers. Punters are key to the success of the process. We are implementing a first world reform in terms of transparency when it comes to information. Items like horse weights, for example, will be published. They are, after all, a form assessment tool. Horses working at our training centres and tracks will all have easily identifiable bar-coded saddle-cloths. So, there are no secrets. If Oriental Charm or One Stripe is on track, the public will share in it,” added Vermaak, who confirmed that barrier draws after acceptance was another operational change which would be implemented on 1 January 2025.

Veteran KZN trainer Garth Puller, who attended a recent stakeholder’s meeting at Summerveld hosted by Greg Bortz, Justin Vermaak, Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets officials, enthused that he was thrilled by the news of the takeover by business-minded racing people who were brave and bold enough to step in and turn the ship around.

“This has come very late for me at my age, but it’s a lifechanger and the future is brighter than it was yesterday,” reflected a delighted Puller as he told the Sporting Post that the adjusted stakes and ‘very welcome’ incentives would boost cash-flows,  while also making it so much easier to help him and his colleagues market the basic ownership product.

“And we are getting draws after acceptances. Wonderful! I was calling for that 25 years ago at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Bigger fields mean a faster pace, means better form, means better truer results. It’s an ecosystem of positivity. It all feeds on itself,” added the horseman who is never scared to pass an opinion.

Puller said the repair of the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville was ‘definitely quite overdue and welcome news’.

“That’s our stage. The track must be safe for horse and rider, be true and competitive, and have credibility with all role-players. That’s not a negotiable.”

On the ‘abolition’ of the committee structure to facilitate decision making and policy, Puller said that he was so pleased to hear that all reasonable suggestions will be considered by management.

“Wonderful! So there are no more long-winded committees to hide behind and to dither over. How refreshing.  I believe every stakeholder in this sport in KZN needs to doff a cap to Hollywoodbets and Mr Bortz. This investment and takeover is a brave move. But we know that with the passion for horse racing of the local population in this province, we can make it work. And by putting the structures in place they are making sure we have no excuses. Let’s look forward and get on with rebuilding KZN racing. I am absolutely thrilled. This is good news,” he concluded.

2024 Betway Summer Cup First Log

Johannesburg, 15 October 2024 – 4Racing in conjunction with the Handicappers have published the first log for the 2024 R6 million Gr1 Betway Summer Cup to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November.

Second entries close at 11am on Tuesday 05 November, and final entries at 9am on Monday, 18 November 2024, after which weights will be announced. Declarations must be in by 11am on Wednesday, 20 November 2024 and barrier draws will be conducted at a Betway event on 20 November 2024. The final log will be published on Tuesday 05 November 2024.

Tabgold Media Release: Launch of Pick 6 QuickMix

TABGOLD have added a Pick 6 to their daily menu of QuickMix bets, which are popular with many customers because they combine races from different local and international meetings, and are completed much quicker than multi-race bets on single meetings.


The addition of the Pick 6 brings the number of QuickMix pools offered most days to six – three Jackpot QuickMixes and a QuickMix BiPot, Place Accumulator and Pick 6. Until further notice, the QuickMix Pick 6 will always be the last six legs of the Place Accumulator QuickMix.

To play the Pick 6 QuickMix, TABGOLD retail customers must mark VENUE SPM and RACE 2 on the betting form.

It must be noted that the Pick 6 first-timer rule will apply to South African races in the bet if these races form part of a South African Pick 6. The first-timer rule will not apply to all other races, including South African races that are not part of a local Pick 6.