David Thiselton

 

The Turffontein Inside meeting has nine races today and Bjorn Ironside will be hard to beat in the headliner, a Graduation Plate over 1450m in which the field has cut down to just five runners.

 

The Gimmethegreenlight gelding has always been highly regarded and finished third in the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m as a juvenile. He was even tried in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. In today’s race the distance looks manageable even though his two wins have been over 1160m and 1200m respectively. He has only been tried beyond sprints twice. One of them was when last in the Cape Guineas, but it was a top class field headed by One Stripe and  Eight On Eighteen. The other one was over 1400m and he was not at all disgraced when finishing 7,90 lengths behind Snow Pilot. He was receiving 8kg from the winner, a former Cape Guineas winner who won this race by six lengths and had beaten One Stripe over that distance in his previous start. Bjorn Ironside is officially 9kg better off than any other runner today, so Keagan de Melo should be able to slot him in behind runners from a tricky draw and pick them off at the business end. Drivelikeamaster, who is the second best weighted, is drawn in pole over an ideal trip and he could pick up the pieces if Bjorn Ironside fails to see it out. The risk averse can include him in their exotics.

 

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Miss River Dancer ran well on debut and is the one to beat over a suitable step up in trip under Gavin Lerena, although she does have to overcome a wide draw. Takeachanceonme made a fair debut and has a chance in this line up over a step up in trip that should suit and jumping from a middle draw under Ryan Munger. Money Galore has shown some form in the East Cape and can earn here on her Highveld debut, although her draw of eight is not easy and she returns from a layoff of close to five months.  Trip Of Faith was only 1,70 lengths behind Major Arcana on debut over 1450m, so watch how the latter goes in the previous race. Asminderod looks capable of earning in this line up.

 

In the sixth race over 1450m Warning Light won well on debut and can follow up off a fair MR, although he has a tricky draw. Fostinovo is in good form and is well drawn over an ideal course and distance. Chieftain’s Shield is capable of finishing strongly but needs to overcome a wide draw. Clarkson is capable and always dangerous if things go his way and he goes well for Muzi Yeni, so he could feature from a middle draw of five out of eight. Paul Revere is well drawn over an ideal trip and he should be in the shake up.

 

In the seventh over 1450m Single Combat looks  to have promise but has a tough draw after a short layoff.  Michael Faraday has a wide draw but he can be good if things go his way, so he can’t be ignored. Former battling Cape Town maiden Southampton won well on her Highveld debut and has a fair merit rating to start off her handicapping career on. Bloomington is always capable of popping up and has a fair draw. Mattiazo disappointed last time but the winner of that race, Diogenes, won a Listed event next time out and Mattiazo could bounce back here.

 

In the eighth over 1450m Winds Of Grace is on the up, but just found one better last time and from pole position could prove herself better than this 70 merit rating. Can’t Catch Me has the form to be a contender although she has a tricky draw. Unsolved Riddle will go close if repeating his last start, but he has a tricky draw. Elusive Red can earn if producing his best and he has a good draw. Lady Elliot has a fair draw over a suitable trip and is capable of winning this.

 

In the ninth over 1800m Repetition disappointed last time but can bounce back from a middle draw. Carnelo is knocking on the door and should go close if the very much in-form 4kg claimer Blaine Marx-Jacobson can overcome a wide draw. Status beat Top Floor when winning his maiden and the latter went on to win his maiden by five lengths, so he can go close off a 75 merit rating if able to overcome a tricky draw.

 

In the first leg of the Bipot over 1800m Samuel Sharpe is on the up and has a good draw over a suitable step up in trip. Royale Jacket was narrowly ahead of Samuel Sharpe last time. Terrence has the form to be a threat.

 

In the first leg of the PA over 1200m  Major Arcana will enjoy the step down in trip and will go close from pole position. Brigitte Anne’s last start has been franked and she should go close although the step down in trip might not be advantageous. Tiger’s Captain did well last time after not being disgraced behind good sorts before that, but he has a tough draw.

 

Vixeninthevineyard looks hard to beat under Chamu Mabaya in the first race over 1800m.

 

Race 1

 

3 VIXENINTHEVINEYARD 1 TWELFTH OF NEVER 4 COOL REGGAE 2 BLOOD OF EDEN

 

Preview: 3 VIXENINTHEVINEYARD  is the clear form choice here. 1 TWELFTH OF NEVER looks to be the chief theat. 4 COOL REGGAE has shown enough to be able to earn. 2 BLOOD OF EDEN is usually thereabouts and can earn again. (David Thiselton 3-1-4-2)

 

Race 2

 

3 SAMUEL SHARPE 1 ROYALE JACKET 2 TERRENCE 4 LANCE ALOT

 

Preview: 3 SAMUEL SHARPE is on the up and has a good draw over a suitable step up in trip. 1 ROYALE JACKET was narrowly ahead of Samuel Sharpe last time. 2 TERRENCE has the form to be a threat. 4 LANCE ALOT is an honest sort who can earn again. (David Thiselton 3-1-2-4)

 

Race 3

 

2 MAJOR ARCANA 7 BRIGITTE ANNE 5 TIGER’S CAPTAIN 8 COME TOGETHER

 

Preview: 2 MAJOR ARCANA will enjoy the step down in trip and will go close from pole position. 7 BRIGITTE ANNE the form of her last start has been franked and she should go close although the step down in trip might not be advantageous. 5 TIGER’S CAPTAIN did well last time after not being disgraced behind good sorts before that. 8 COME TOGETHER will enjoy the step down in trip and can earn. (David Thiselton 2-7-5-8)

 

Race 4

 

8 MISS RIVER DANCER 10 TAKEACHANCEONME 4 MONEY GALORE 11 TRIP OF FAITH

 

Preview: 8 MISS RIVER DANCER ran well on debut and is the one to beat over a suitable step up in trip. 10 TAKEACHANCEONME made a fair debut and has a chance in this line up. 4 MONEY GALORE has shown some form in the East Cape and can earn here on Highveld debut.  11 TRIP OF FAITH was only 1,70 lengths behind Major Arcana so watch how that one goes in previous race. (David Thiselton 8-10-4-11)

 

Race 5

 

1 BJORN IRONSIDE 5 DRIVELIKEAMASTER ZIP CODE

 

Preview: 1 BJORN IRONSIDE has always looked to have good ability and is in form at present, so will be hard to beat considering he is well in at the weights. 5 DRIVELIKEAMASTER is in good form and can still progress. ZIP CODE is capable of a strong finish if things pan out well and he should do well over an ideal trip from a plum draw of two out of five with Lerena up. (David Thiselton 1-5-6)

 

Race 6

 

5 WARNING LIGHT 6 FOSTINOVO 7 CHIEFTAIN’S SHIELD 8 CLARKSON

 

Preview: 5 WARNING LIGHT won well on debut and can follow up off a fair MR. 6 FOSTINOVO is in good form and is well drawn over an ideal course and distance. 7 CHIEFTAIN’S SHIELD is capable of finishing strongly but needs to overcome a wide draw. 8 CLARKSON is capable and always dangerous if things go his way and he goes well for Muzi Yeni. (David Thiselton 5-6-7-8)

 

Race 7

 

1 SINGLE COMBAT 7 MICHAEL FARADAY 3 SOUTHAMPTON 5 BLOOMINGTON

 

Preview: 1 SINGLE COMBAT looks  to have promise but has a tough draw after a short layoff.  7 MICHAEL FARADAY has a wide draw but he can be good if things go his way. 3 SOUTHAMPTON won well last time and has a fair MR. 5 BLOOMINGTON is always capable of popping up. (David Thiselton 1-7-3-5)

 

Race 8

 

7 WINDS OF GRACE 9 CAN’T CATCH ME 2 UNSOLVED RIDDLE 3 ELUSIVE RED

 

Preview: 7 WINDS OF GRACE looks promising but just found one better last time. 9 CAN’T CATCH ME has the form to be a contender although has a tricky draw. 2 UNSOLVED RIDDLE will go close if repeating last start. 3 ELUSIVE RED can earn producing his best. (David Thiselton 7-9-2-3)

 

Race 9

 

1 REPETITION 7 CARNELO 2 STATUS

 

Preview: 1 REPETITION disappointed last time but can bounce back. 7 CARNELO is knocking on the door and should go close. 2 STATUS is capable of going close if reproducing his last performance. (David Thiselton 1-7-2)

Warren Lenferna

“Winter Pirate will have to walk from here to get beaten,” were the words of racecourse caller Alistair Cohen ahead of the first race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville yesterday — exactly what supporters of the favourite would have wanted to hear.

The What A Winter colt from the Eric Sands yard was heavily backed in the market and started at red-hot odds of 4/10. Keagan de Melo, who rides mainly for the Wernar family — owners of the colt — had plenty of time to look around and take in the scenery on the way to the finish line. The promising runner looks set to win his fair share of races going forward.

Galactus was victorious in the second race and produced a gutsy performance under the urgings of replacement rider JP van der Merwe. He is trained by Mike Stewart, whose stable is currently in tremendous form. Owner Jimmy Burgess made the trip to Hollywoodbets Durbanville and expressed his delight during the winning post-race interview with Brandon Bailey.

The well-supported Heavenly Prince and Quiet Place went eyeball to eyeball all the way to the line in the third race. Keagan de Melo managed to extract just a little more from Heavenly Prince to deny Quiet Place the bragging rights. The application of blinkers clearly helped the runner-up, whose effort was a marked improvement. He should not remain a maiden for much longer.

There were a few apprentice races on the card, and several young riders are attracting attention with their progress and talent in the saddle. One of those is undoubtedly Mxolisi Mbuto, who rode a superb race aboard the Adam Marcus-trained son of Horizon, True Horizon. Breaking from the ace draw, Mbuto guided his mount perfectly to win the fourth race of the day.

Sooty and the heavily backed Street Outlaw looked set to fight out the finish of the fifth race, but Lady Look Alike — for trainer James Crawford and jockey Luyolo Mxothwa — had other ideas and arrived late to snatch victory close to home. Dawn’s Early Light drifted in the betting as race time approached and failed to place.

Mauritian apprentice Varun Jodhee rode a mature race to take the honours aboard the Snaith-trained Music Of The Night in the second apprentice race, which was the sixth event on the card. There was little market support for the daughter of What A Winter, which caught a few punters off guard, but she produced a fabulous late finish to snatch victory from Girl Like Us and Black Erika.

Overall, the racing was competitive, the weather played its part, and several exciting finishes unfolded on the Country Course during the midweek meeting. Racing returns to Hollywoodbets Durbanville in the Western Cape on Saturday, 21 March.

Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Hereford and Kempton (UK) – 18 March 2026

David Thiselton

Athandiwe Mgudlwa suffered a neck sprain and concussion in a bad fall at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on January 25, but he is back riding work and hopes to race ride again on the 27th of this month at the Hollywoodbets Greyville night meeting.

Athandiwe recalled waking up in hospital and had no recollection of the incident at all and said the whole day was quite blank in his memory.

However, there were no broken bones or fractures and he said, ” I fortunately did not have to have any kind of operation.”

He has wisely taken the recovery step by step and done it thoroughly with no atttempt to rush anything.

He continued, “I am still having appointments to strengthen the neck muscles. I have had the follow up appointment and the doctor has given me the go ahead to proceed. I went as far as having an MRI scan and I have also taken the time off to make sure I am ok. Sometimes you rush an injury and a couple of years down the line it comes back worse. I have gone through every step to make sure I am alright. I still want to compete at the highest level, so it had to be done.”

Athandiwe might be back at the meeting at Greyville this Sunday, the 22nd of March, but only if he gets a ride that has half-a-chance. He said he was otherwise targeting the 27th.

He has been feeling good and strong while workriding and added it was probably a blessing he did not remember the incident as such a happening could play on the mind.

He said, “Not remembering is a way of protecting me as it helped me to be able to get on to a horse again.”

He added, “I’m grateful to be able to get on the horses and carry on doing what I enjoy.”

He is not attached to any yard at the moment and said he would start off by riding work as much as he could and hopefully pick up a couple of rides to get back into the swing of things.

He said, “Things look to have tightened up a bit in Durban, so it doesn’t look easy, but I ride light so I should be able to pick up a few nice rides.”