RACE 1

2 ONTHEWINGSOFADOVE ran a great race on debut behind her stable companion (Sparkling Star) on the 16th of May, with natural improvement expected from this filly, she will be hard to beat in this field. 1 WORLD OF SECRETS ran a fair race behind She’s Chosen last time, the yard thinks highly of this filly, her chances must be respected from a good draw. Watch the market closely, there are some well-bred newcomers in the race.

 

RACE 2

2 MORDECHAI flashed up late to finish fourth behind One Magic on debut, he will love the step up in trip, from a good draw, he has a massive winning chance. 7 PLATINUM GREY has been rested and gelded, he has run two decent races in succession, if he doesn’t need the run back after a small break, he will be right there in the finish. Watch the first timer closely, 6 CALIFORNIA CAT has the services of top jockey Richard Fourie, he could be anything on debut.

 

RACE 3

2 SPANISH WORLD showed good improvement from her first run into her second run, she will love the step up in trip, from a neat draw, she has a good winning chance. 6 ODDS AND EVENS stayed on well for second behind Sing Forevermore last time, in hope that she has made further improvement back at home, she will run a big race. 3 PINK BLOSSOM ran a much better race behind Peace Garland on the 16th of June, she has a good place chance from a nice draw. 5 NTIBINDI was only beaten just over three lengths by Before Sunrise on the 2nd of June, the form of that race has worked out well, watch her closely in this small field.

 

RACE 4

8 LIEFLING has run two decent races in succession, she will love the step up in trip to 1800m, if she gets some luck in running from a tricky draw, she will be hard to beat in this field. 1 UP IN FLAMES didn’t have much luck in running last time, ignore that performance on the 31st of May, the blinkers stay on, and she has a good draw, she will be competitive at a big price. 3 FREQUENT TRAVELLER never runs a bad race, he needs a particular ride, top jockey Richard Fourie has been booked to ride this gelding, he will run a big race. 10 SPARKLING SKY has a place chance on her best form, watch her closely.

 

RACE 5

6 THE BIG BANG stayed on well for second behind Swift Serenity on the 16th of June, he will be just off the speed early, and he will be flying at them late, on his best form, he has a big winning chance in this field. 5 PROTECTOR OF PEACE ran a fair race behind Coffee Crunch on the 21st of June, he will be given every chance from a decent draw, include him into all bets. 4 ROYAL CLINTON was a touch disappointing in the same race as Protector Of Peace last time, he is much better than that, in hope that he bounces back to his best form, he could be competitive. 10 RACHETTU will need lots of luck in running from a bad draw, he will be doing some good work late, watch him closely.

 

RACE 6

5 GOLD INDEX won a good race on the 2nd of June, he was given six points for that win last time, the drop in trip should be no problem for this gelding, he has a big winning chance again. 4 SUPERHERO was given a great ride by jockey Aldo Domeyer on the 23rd of June, he will be right there in the finish on his current form. 1 DEVIL A SAINT has run two excellent races in succession, he has a big winning chance from a neat draw, include him into all bets. 3 RED DAWN has dropped even further in the ratings, he could be the value horse in this tricky race.

 

RACE 7

6 ONE MAGIC won a super race on debut, the form of that race has worked out well, the yard thinks highly of this colt, he has a big winning chance again. 3 PRINCE OF TIBET is in good form, he will be given every chance from a neat draw, include him into all bets. 4 AVIGNON tries hard, he ran a great race for second behind Gold Dust on the 16th of June, he will try and lead the field from start to finish, watch him closely here. 7 OZARK has dropped a point in the ratings from his last run, he could sneak into the places with some luck in running from a wide draw.

 

RACE 8

4 THE US OF A needed his last run, he moved up well to finish just under four lengths behind Un Bel Di in the Winter Sprint on the 21st of June, he has a big winning chance from a good draw. 5 GOLD GIBOSKI quickened up smartly to win a good race on the 16th of June, he was given four points for that impressive win, with no weight on his back here, he will be right there in the finish again, include him into all bets. 2 KING REGENT flew home to finish second in the same race as The Us Of A last time, he will be just off the speed early, and he will be flying at them late, watch him closely from a good draw. 3 BEWARE has been rested and gelded, the yard thinks highly of this individual, in hope that he doesn’t need the run badly from a small break, he will be competitive.

David Thiselton

 

The Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting today is headlined by an A Stakes event over 1250m in which the promising Lucinda Woodruff-trained Beware can go close in his first run as a gelding.

 

The three-year-old Rafeef gelding has performed well over sprints trips, but his two wins have been over 1500m and 1600m respectively. Running fresh over this trip from a draw of three out of eight under Sean Veale should see him right there. King Regent does have some issues jumping well but is in fine form and from draw two should be a big runner. The US Of A has talent and is in fair form but does have 2,25 lengths to make up on King Regent from their meeting in the Winter Sprint over 1200m.

 

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m Spanish World can fight it out with Odds And Evens with preference for the former as she is drawn well over a step up in trip she will relish. Odds And Evens will also appreciate the step up in trip but has the widest draw in the six horse field.

 

In the next race over 1800m Liefling has a tricky draw of eight, but he will enjoy the further step up in trip and being by Hawwaam he is open to more improvement. Frequent Traveller is quite exposed but is consistent and can earn another cheque from a good draw over a suitable trip.

 

In the fifth race over 1250m The Big Bang has been showing some improvement and could make a bold bid despite having to carry topweight of 60.5kg. Protector Of Peace has run some good races and over a suitable distance and fair draw he can do well with the 60kg being alleviated to some extent by a 2,5kg claimer up.

 

In the sixth over 1600m Superhero has good form over this sort of trip and can go close off a competitive mark of 71. Devil A Saint is consistent and tries the 1600m trip again, which he could get from pole position.

 

In the seventh over 1250m One Magic won well on debut and could follow up off a reasonable mark of 87. Avignon rates the main danger.

 

In the first race over 1000m the one to beat could be Onthewingsofadove, a What A Winter half-sister to a Gr 2-winning speedster, as she ran an eye-catching second on debut and is well drawn.

 

In the second over 1250m Mordechai is the one to beat having made a good debut and he is well dawn.

 

 

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.