The premier South African Champions Season weight-for-age mile, the Grade 1 Gold Challenge has a new sponsor. The race to be run on Sunday, 28 June will be sponsored by South Africa’s leading bookmaker, Hollywoodbets.

The race makes up the trifecta for Grade 1 WFA 1600m races that includes the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate run at Kenilworth and the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes run at Turffontein.

The race is an important stepping stone into the Vodacom Durban July and the honours roll is littered with Vodacom Durban July winners from Dancer’s Daughter and Pocket Power, to Big City Life, Legislate and last year’s dual champion, Do It Again.

Other recent winners include Winter Solstice and international Grade 1 winning miler, Variety Club.

Devin Heffer, Brand and Communications Manager for Hollywoodbets, says that this race is another feather in the cap for his company. “Being able to sponsor a race of this magnitude is something we are incredibly excited about. Seeing the Vodacom Durban July contenders in Rainbow Bridge, Vardy, and Do It Again battle it out over the mile, will truly show who is poised to announce themselves as the number one contender in this year’s racing spectacle.”

“This is also Hollywoodbets’ first ever Grade 1 race sponsorship, and a milestone in our company’s history.”

“Hollywoodbets has invested heavily in horse racing in KZN, with the sponsorship of both Hollywoodbets Greyville and Scottsville Racecourses, the Grooms’ Initiative, and the Back On Track Challenge – encompassing trainers, jockeys, racehorses, grooms, apprentices and of course the punters.  Being able to collaborate with Gold Circle on these projects and sponsorships have allowed us to make a positive impact on racing in the province, and we look forward to continuing our support in the months to come.”

Gold Circle’s Events and Marketing Executive Steve Marshall said that it was both a privilege and pleasure to welcome a leading industry brand to one of their foremost South African Champions Season features.

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that at the Licencing Committee Meeting held in Johannesburg today, Jockey Grant van Niekerk was licenced as a Jockey with certain conditions attached.

Mr van Niekerk’s Jockey licence was withdrawn on 6 April 2020, whilst riding under the Rules of the Hong Kong Jockey Club due to a non-racing, conduct related matter. 

The Licencing Committee ruled that Mr van Niekerk be provisionally licenced for a period from 19 June 2020 to 18 September 2020 on condition that he enrols in and completes an Anger and Stress Management Course as determined by the NHA.

Upon proof of completion of the course, the Licencing Committee will consider issuing Mr van Niekerk a more permanent Riding Licence.

Eyes Wide Open will be out to defend his crown in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 on Saturday although he will be doing it as a gelding this year and is up against some tough opposition, including his two stable companions Herodotus and Pack Leader.

Trainer Glen Kotzen said, “It was a hard decision to geld a twice Grade 1 winner by Dynasty. Before gelding he used to haemoconcentrate (a thickening of the blood which affects the efficient transport of oxygen and thus leads to the horse tiring in the latter stages.) He also used to pull up sore behind but he is now sound and is much happier. He has lightened up and is enjoying life. In his first run as a gelding in the Drill Hall he only got into the race when it was all over and he was only beaten three lengths. I then thought why try and qualify him for the July in a weight for age mile so we are rather going for the 1900 to qualify and if that is not enough we will still have the Cup Trial. He has come on from his first run and will run a cracker.”

Eyes Wide Open looked a picture in the preliminaries of this race last year and ran accordingly to win by 0,25 lengths.

He was the highest rated horse last year on 109 but was one of four horses who carried 60kg under the merit rated band conditions. This year he is highest rated again but off is 116 rating is the only one in the top band so has to give 2kg or more to the entire field. However, if the ten point across the board raise at the beginning of the season is taken into account he is three points lower rated than last year and the gelding could have improved him too so he is probably just as well treated. He had a tricky draw of nine last year and has it even tougher this year from barrier position 12.

Herodotus is coming off an encouraging second place finish in the Grade 2 Peninsula over 1800m on January 11 in which he was doing his best work late. 

Kotzen said, “He is very well and we are expecting a huge run. He will have to get lucky from the draw but he is fit and ready. His mission is to get into the July with bottom weight.”

Herodotus is drawn 13 out of 13 and is only half-a-kilogram better off with Peninsula winner Belgarion for that 1,25 length beating.

Kotzen said Pack Leader, despite looking amazing in the ring last time out on June 10 in a Pinnacle race over 1600m at Scottsville, was yet to return to his best since a tendon injury some time ago. However, he will have the blinkers removed and Kotzen hoped this would see him putting his best foot forward. 

Kotzen sounded bullish about the chances of Catchafallingstar in the Listed East Coast Cup over 2000m. She is only merit rated 82 but she is running over her right trip for the first time.

He also runs Coral Bay and Je Ne Sa Quoi.

He described Coral Bay as a staying sort and gave her a big shout despite a tough draw of 13. 

Kotzen has been trying to get Je Ne Sa Quoi into a race for months but she keeps being eliminated so she has not had an ideal preparation. She does have a win and a close second over 2000m and 1800m in her last two starts respectively so has a chance under Keagan de Melo.  

Kotzen also mentioned Thomas Henry, who competes in the third, a maiden over 1400m, as one of his best runners on the day. 

By David Thiselton

PHUMELELA MEDIA RELEASE

Flamingo Park Racecourse and the adjacent training centre in Kimberley will be closed at the end of July.

Phumelela had intended to continue racing at Flamingo Park until at least at the end of this year after Gold Circle and other sponsors offered to contribute towards the costs of staging race meetings there in 2020.

Covid-19 lockdown regulations, however, have thwarted staging racing at Flamingo Park since March and it is uncertain when racing will be able to resume there. In addition, the massive financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on horseracing has resulted in Gold Circle announcing that it will not be able to offer financial assistance beyond 2020. Consequently, Phumelela has decided to close the venue next month and several resident trainers are planning to relocate to other racing centres.

Flamingo Park was a valuable venue in terms of giving opportunities to horses not able to compete at other centres and races to enable such horses to remain competitive will now be added to the racing programmes at the four remaining racing centres.

Vardy, 5-2 favourite for Sunday week’s Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, has come on considerably since his reappearance third in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes according to Adam Marcus.

The Milnerton trainer, based at Summerveld for most of the KZN season, said on Wednesday: “His Drill Hall run might have looked a little disappointing at first glance but it had been so difficult to plan preparations for these horses without knowing when racing was going to continue. He hadn’t had a racecourse gallop and was going into the Drill Hall off one grass gallop at Summerveld and some sand work. Also he had never been on a clockwise turn.

“He was a little bit above himself on the day and he travelled a bit hard which is not like him – he usually comes from further back. The race did him the world of good and he has responded to it exceptionally well. He has tightened up beautifully and so far his preparation has been very good.”

Craig Zackey again has the mount on the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville while Donovan Dillon will partner stable companion Twist Of Fate.

This represents a change of plan for last year’s Vodacom Durban July third as Marcus had planned to keep him away from the big weight-for-age races in his build-up to the July.

He explained: “In the WSB Cup Trial he was going to be handicapped out of it because several of the higher-rated horses are running in the Gold Challenge and, although he is looking for more ground than a mile, I feel he needs another run under his belt before the big one.”

Missisippi Burning is second favourite for the 1 400m Tibouchina on Sunday week but the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and KZN Fillies Guineas winner is also second favourite for the Woolavington 2000 on the same card – and she may not run in either race!

Marcus explained: “She is drawn wide (17) in the Tibouchina so that is doubtful and, while we are still making a final decision, my gut feeling is that 2 000m is too far for her.

“She has done us proud and she owes us nothing so I want to put her in races where I know it’s the correct distance and things are in her favour. She is KZN-bred so the KZN Breeders Million Mile on July 19 could be a possibility.

Friday is an important day for Grant van Niekerk as the licencing board is to meet to consider his application for the renewal of his South African licence.

According to the sahorseracing website he will not be able to resume until August 1 but he could be back quite soon if all goes well on Friday.

He has already been given a clearance letter by the Hong Kong Jockey Club who dismissed him in early April following a domestic dispute on Jockey Club property. As he has since explained himself, and apologised, on social media he will be anxious to put this episode behind him and resume race-riding as soon as possible.

He had been doing particularly well in Hong Kong at the time, was fifth on the log with 37 winners and was becoming much in demand with local owners and trainers.  

By Michael Clower

The Turffontein Standside meeting today (Thursday) consists purely of plate races, including seven Maidens, but there is still some good class racing to look forward to in the four Juvenile events. 

Mike De Kock has two first-timers by the promising Australian sire Deep Field in the first two events and both have been installed as favourite. 

In the third Stuart Pettigrew has an exciting prospect in the Var filly Anything Goes, who is a half-sister to the Grade 1 SA Classic runner up Green Laser. She has plenty of substance and came from way back to win on debut over 1450m after dwelling at the start. She faces some well performed types here 

Place Accumulator: (R216)
Leg 1: 1,2,4
Leg 2: 4,2,3
Leg 3: 10,6,7
Leg 4: 2,10
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 12,1
Leg 7: 10,1

Pick 6: (R1080)
Leg 1: 4,2,3,9
Leg 2: 10,6,7,11,3
Leg 3: 2,10,6
Leg 4: 2,1,3
Leg 5: 12,1
Leg 6: 10,1,11

Jackpot: (R90)
Leg 1: 10,6,7,11,3
Leg 2: 2,10,6
Leg 3: 2,1,3
Leg 4: 12,1

Best Bet:
Race 7: 2

Value Bet:
Race 3: 1

By David Thiselton

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Rainbow Bridge put up an impressive looking gallop on the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack this morning under national champion jockey elect Warren Kennedy.

Trainer Eric Sands said Kennedy would be given the pick of his two big guns, the half-brothers Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat, for the Vodacom Durban July.

Sands felt Rainbow Bridge’s companion today, the Brett Crawford-trained CTS 1600 winner Count Jack, had eased himself out of it when challenged by Rainbow Bridge at the top of the straight and added, “So we still have a bit of work to do.”

Visually Rainbow Bridge’s gallop looked outstanding as he pulled away from Count Jack effortlessly to win by many lengths.

The five-year-old Ideal World gelding had suffered a respiratory infection upon arrival at Summerveld this season but looked alert and happy in the parade ring today both before and after the gallop. 

The Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge is to be run on June 28 and Rainbow Bridge will be looking to better his third place finish last season. 

Some would wonder how a gallop on the polytrack would help him in his preparation as his big races will be on turf, but the intensity of a gallop on a racecourse coupled with the excitement of being on the float to the course and in the parade ring is able to bring a horse on a lot more than a gallop at home.  

Sands’ Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 hopeful Driving Miss Daisy had worked earlier with the Crawford-trained Kelpie.

Sands said he had hoped they would have gone a bit harder than they did as Driving Miss Daisy had needed “trimming up.”

He will therefore have to give her two or three more fast workouts before that big race date, also on June 28.

Driving Miss Daisy was runner up in both the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and looked to need it when finishing ninth in the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville recently. 

Meanwhile, Grade 1 Cape Derby winner Golden Ducat is doing well ahead of the Grade 1 Daily News 2000, which will also be run on June 28. 

By David Thiselton

WORLD SPORTS BETTING 1900

The Covid-19 virus has turned the world upside down including the schedule of feature races for South Africa’s Champion Season. However, Gold Circle have managed to schedule an innovative new programme that allows structured build-up for horses into the major features.

The World Sports Betting 1900 has always been an important stepping stone into the Vodacom Durban July and as such has attracted a high-class field for the race to be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, June 20.

Although not the last chance saloon for VDJ hopefuls, victory in the WSB 1900 on Saturday will almost certainly ensure automatic entry into the country’s biggest race as a dozen of the 13 runners  hold entries for the VDJ so there is a lot at stake.

Justin Snaith has kept the wraps on his charge Belgarion, who is the likely favourite come Saturday. Snaith has hopes of qualifying him for the VDJ with minimum possible weight and a win on Saturday will probably see the gelding on ice until the big race.

Other notable entries are the mare Camphoratus, sixth in last year’s VDJ, the highly rated Duke Of Spin, Born To Perform, a son of former VDJ winner Dancer’s Daughter, Crown Towers and Eyes Wide Open who races as a gelding this season.

Stephen Marshall, Gold Circle Marketing Executive was appreciative of the World Sports Betting sponsorship. “World Sports Betting have become a significant sponsorship partner of Gold Circle. With their presence as an on-course bookmaker pre Covid-19 and with their sponsorship of the WSB Guineas, WSB Fillies Guineas and the prestigious WSB 1900, they have shown their commitment to the sport of horseracing in KwaZulu-Natal. Gold Circle appreciates their support, especially during these trying times,” he said.

Journalist: Andrew Harrison.

Kommetdieding could prove to be one of the biggest bargains in last year’s Klawervlei Farm Sale after running out a convincing winner of the R225 000 Graduate Race  on debut at Kenilworth on Tuesday.

The Elusive Fort colt cost Ashwin Reynolds a mere R55 000 and he started at 16-1 but Sihle Cele’s mount proved two lengths too strong for hot favourite Tanzanite Queen with 30-1 shot Captain Dizzy all of four and a half lengths back third.

Michelle Rix, asked if the win came as a surprise, replied: “Definitely not. He opened at 25-1 and there was money for him. We have always known that he was special and we have thought highly of him from day one – although we were worried that he might jump a little slowly, not having been to the track before.”

Glen Kotzen might have been out of luck with Tanzanite Queen but he could do little wrong early on, winning three of the first four races even though victory didn’t always come from the one he expected.

Fairy Warrior was the one he – and most punters  – thought would win the Kuda Maiden Juvenile but the 5-2 favourite managed only fifth behind 33-1 newcomer My Bestie. “Mr Kotzen told me to school My Bestie and give him a good experience,” said Sandile Mbhele. “But he was travelling comfortably and picked up nicely.”

“I have always loved this colt but I was a bit disappointed with the favourite Fairy Warrior,” admitted Kotzen. “Last time he came from off them, and I don’t know why Morne Winnaar took him to the front today. He said the horse was very green up front – and I’m not surprised.”

Winnaar, though, was soon back in the Woodhill trainer’s good books  with first reserve Caya Coco leading a furlong out to spring a 16-1 surprise in the www.proboost.co.za Maiden Juvenile. “This is a smart filly and we have rated her from day one,” said the trainer. “But first time they walked out of the pens and her run was too bad to be true.”

Kotzen’s stable jockey promptly doubled up with Flower Of Saigon who led just under a furlong out for owner-breeders Martin Wickens and Gisela Burg in the Coup De Grace/Snaith Racing Maiden Juvenile.

Justin Snaith reached his 16^th successive century with Parktown (Richard Fourie’s 86^th winner of the season) and Spirit Festival who was ridden by Winnaar’s son Joshwin Solomons in the last.

Robert Khathi rode a fine waiting race in front on the Michael Robinson-trained Sudden Star in the New Turf Maiden, keeping more than enough in reserve for the final furlong.

Horses of tremendous potential seldom make their debuts in work rider races but Look To appears something special, leading over a furlong out in the Cornerstone Vet & Vetscape Maiden to score by a staggering nine and a half lengths under Lungisani Geledu.

Adele Allsop, Vaughan Marshall’s assistant, said: “We thought highly of her as a two-year-old but she got injured and had to have an operation. She is a lovely filly.”

When Peter Wrench ran Troop The Colour under a huge amount of sufferance in the Kenilworth Cup the handicappers raised the five-year-old a staggering 13 points and some knowledgeable critics said the horse would never win again. But it only took him two runs, and a five-point drop, to spring a 10-1 surprise under Ossie Noach in the Vaughan Marshall Racing Handicap.

By Michael Clower

Glen Kotzen holds at least two of the aces in the valuable Klawervlei Farm Sale Graduate Race at Kenilworth’s Youth Day holiday fixture and Aldo Domeyer can win the race for the second successive year.

He scored a convincing success on the Sean Tarry-trained favourite Rock The Globe last season and this time he is also on the market leader, Tanzanite Queen. His mount has, at least arguably, the best form and she came in for significant support in the early betting (33-20 to 11-10).

She raced prominently when a little-considered 14-1 on debut and, despite losing a front shoe, she only went under by a neck to the much more experienced Fiftyshadesdarker who had some good form.

“I‘ve no idea where in the race she lost the shoe so I can’t say whether it made a difference but she was a little unlucky because she was green,” says the Woodhill trainer. “She was hanging in to the stick and, if the jockey had changed it to his other hand, she just might have put her head down and won.

“But it was a brilliant prep for this. I’m just hoping, though, that it is not too close to her first run.”

However there is a doubt about her ability to handle the changed going. It was good to soft on Monday morning after 14mm of rain the previous day and a total of 86mm in the last week. “She is a big filly but very light on her feet so maybe she won’t go in deep,” says Kotzen. “But I don’t really know.”

Second favourite, after being backed from 7-1 to 4-1, is stable companion Musical Glitch who ran well in the Fillies Nursery. “She has had three months since then to strengthen up and she is a big runner.”

While Kotzen admits that Tanzanite Queen is his first choice of the quartet he points out that Morne Winnaar believes Musical Glitch is better and she was his choice.

Greg Cheyne rides 8-1 shot Magical Midlands (at R200 000 the second highest-priced horse in the field) who had to be withdrawn on debut when Anthony Andrews was injured in the pens. “The horse was fine – I galloped him the next day. It would have been nice if he’d had the experience of a race but he is a proper horse and he will be doing his best work at the finish.”

Ruby Rhythm (25-1) is the outsider of the Kotzen quartet. “She has shown huge improvement from her first two outings and she needed the run last time.”

Brett Crawford’s first-timer Maison Merci is perhaps the most likely of the newcomers, but there was no early money for him and  he has been eased from 9-2 to 15-2.

If it is still good to soft punters will be going into the maidens like an explorer without a compass because few of the runners have raced on this sort of surface and their ability to handle it – or otherwise – is largely a matter of guesswork.

Soft Day is marginally favourite for the www.proboost.co.za Maiden Juvenile (race three) and, in a field mainly made up of newcomers, the Glen Puller filly may just be good enough.

Her performance will be a pointer to the chance of Flower Of Saigon in the next, the Coup De Grace/Snaith Racing Maiden Juvenile, as Winnaar’s mount was just over a length and a half further back on debut despite racing green. She has already been nibbled at and could be good enough.

There is precious little to choose between the top four in the Soetendal Estate Maiden – Soetendal is where Rainbow Bridge goes for his holidays – but Fort Agopian ran well on Cape Derby day, has been backed from 7-1 to 4-1 and gets the vote.

Lastly, particularly if you are winning at this point, you might like to consider having a few rand each way on Ikebana in the last. The Brett Crawford five-year-old has raced six times when the going has been softer than good, winning on three occasions and being placed on two of the other three.

SELECTIONS:

Race 3: Soft Day
Race 4: Flower Of Saigon
Race 5: Fort Agopian
Race 7: Tanzanite Queen
Race 8: Ikebana (ew)