David Thiselton

The 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July will be a milestone one with the prize money doubled to R10 million and with a longer handicap introduced as the topweight will be upped to 62kg and bottom weight lowered to 52kg.

It will fittingly fall on the 30th anniversary of the centenary July, which turned out to be one of the greatest of all Julys as it was won by the legendary Alec Laird-trained London News, who went on to put South African racing on the map by winning the QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

The renowned South African wildlife painter Henk Vos released his celebrated work, the Painting Of The Century, depicting a century of July winners, after the July’s centenary running.

The iconic painting now hangs in the Classic Room at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Alec Laird actually ordered one of the prints of the painting before it was completed as the print had the first of his great Uncle Syd Garrett’s five July winners on the left and the greatest of his father’s record seven July winners, Sea Cottage, was in the centre.

The right hand side just had a blank with a silhouette of a horse, because Vos did not know yet which horse he was going to paint there.

Alec, who trained out of Randjesfontein on the Highveld, related, “He hadn’t made up his mind what horse he was going to put in the last panel (the 20th panel) and he even said to me ‘I would like you to win the July because I would like to put you as the last painting.’ With about a year to go I said to him I’m not going to make it.’”

However, fate then had it that London News not only became the 14/10 favourite for the 100th running of the July, but he was also saddle cloth number 20, being the only three-year-old in the field and the bottom weight.

Piere Strydom recalled, “I remember at the traditional Friday night cocktail Henk Vos was there with his big painting and there was one spot left for the 100th winner and I can still remember saying to someone that I think my picture’s going to be up there.”

London News duly won the race and Alec, London News and Piere Strydom are now at the forefront of the famous painting’s 20th panel and the horse is fittingly carrying the no. 20 saddle cloth.

The London News story starts at the National Yearling Sale of 1994.

Alec recalled big owners Laurie and Jean Jaffee’s chief aim at that Sale was to buy a yearling by their own 1987 July winner, Bush Telegraph.

Alec recalled Harmony Forever being his number one choice at that Sale.

However, he remembered London News being “a nice horse.”

He added, “On the first day a Bush Telegraph colt called Mr Newspaperman went for about R300,000. London News looked more athletic and Jean Jaffee actually said to me, ‘What about this one?’ On the first day they didn’t get a horse, the second day they didn’t get one and the more they asked me about London News the nicer he got, because I was otherwise going to go home without a horse!”

The Jaffees managed to secure London News.

Alec recalled, “He was a light youngster and even as a three-year-old was quite light. He didn’t show immediately, but we always had the feeling that he would be a nice horse when he matured.”

In fact, London News made a particularly inauspicious debut, beaten no fewer than 16,5 lengths under Anton Marcus in a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal on June 6, 1995.

However, he got better and better and when he smashed the Greyville 2000m course record, which still stands today, in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, he had won six out of eleven starts including the Dingaans and two middle distance Gr 1s.

Piere Strydom was aboard for the Daily News 2000 too.

He reflected on the 1996 July, the first of his four victories in South Africa’s greatest race, “London News was a lekker horse to ride because he had gate speed, a lot of natural speed and he would travel right up there in front and he had a good kick. But at the top of the straight (having led) I thought with a light weight let me just let the reins go a bit and get a length or two for the short straight. But he accelerated way quicker than I had expected and that’s when he made up three or four lengths on the field. Obviously it was going to tell at the end and he was stopping quite badly at the end. I heard the horses coming and I was just hoping for the line and he held on.”

Alec added, “Mike Rattray had invited me to watch in his box because it was on the line and he won by a neck but my eyes wouldn’t believe it because there was so much pressure. I wanted to see the number up!”

Alec described the emotion of being on the honour roll together with his late record-breaking seven-time July-winning father Syd.

In fact his extended family is comfortably the most prolific July-winning family in history with his grandfather Alec winning one as a jockey, his great Uncle Syd Garrett winning two as a jockey and three as a trainer, his father Syd winning a record seven as a trainer, and the cousins Dennis Drier, Alec Laird and Charles Laird each winning one July apiece – a total of 16 for the July dynasty.

David Thiselton

The R500,000 WSB Grand Heritage saw another big crowd enjoying themselves at the Vaal and produced its usual thrilling finish with the Diane Stenger-trained Mastership proving why he is held in such high regard and giving Marco van Rensburg a third success in the race that has the biggest field in South African racing.

Bred by the father and son partnership of Cecil & Dr Gary Baitz, the five-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding had been a supplementary entry for this year’s Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup.

However, middle distances had seemed beyond him, because sandwiched in between a 1600m and 1500m victory in October and December respectively this year was a 3,95 length fourth over 1800m.

He was given a four point raise for the 1500m win, but the key was that this long-striding sort had seem to have come into his own since being applied with blinkers and since being ridden by Van Rensburg.

Since blinkers had been fitted he had finished a close third to Obisidian over 1600m and then had the sequence of those two wins over 1600m and 1500m, with the 1800m fourth in between, and he was ridden by Van Rensburg in those last three races.

The Grand Heritage is a far cry from the Summer Cup, so the starting price of 10/1 was good value from a draw of eight on a day in which the course had been immaculately prepared, meaning there appeared to be no significant draw bias.

Three-year-old Yippie Kay Yay for the in-form Mike and Mathew de Kock yard started favourite in the 21-horse field and looked fit and well in the parade ring, but then played up on the way to the start.

 Obsidian and Master Christmas were 8/1 shots. but the former was going to have to overcome a three point raise for a narrow win last time, while the latter did not impress going down to the start.

Pressonregardless was also 8/1 and looked a picture going down under Richard Fourie, but carrying 59,5kg off a 104 merit rating was not going to be easy.

The Nathan Kotzen-trained raider Rollotheviking came in for support to start at 25/2, while the local Highveld horse Birthright came in for a lot of support to also start at 25/2.

Mastership pinged the gate and from a prominent position and without cover he drifted towards the outside, which is often perceived to be the better going down the Vaal straight.

However, Savanna Valjalo had stuck to her station on the 100/1 outsider Sonic Jet from draw ten and this proved there was no great bias as he held the lead until the 200m mark and kept plugging on.

Rollotheviking had been trapped travelling well behind a wall of horses on the outside rail, but fortunately the running on 100/1 outsider Bob’s Your Uncle shifted inward under pressure and Rollotheviking was able to burst through running on strongly under Muzi Yeni.

Some would have viewed Rollotheviking as unlucky, but Mastership was being eased at the line and still won by 0,80 lengths from the KZN raider.

Bob’s Your Uncle was a 1,10 length third with Sonic Jet beaten 1,30 lengths into fourth and Obsidian a 1,50 length fifth.

Yippee Kay Yay made some late progress to finish ninth, but both Pressonregardless and Birthright were unable to find extra after sitting off the pace and they finished 17th and 15th respectively.

Mastership was another triumph for Varsfontein Stud-based sire Master Of My Fate, whose classy son Jan Van Goyen won the prestigious Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas the previous Saturday. The Jet Master stallion is now lying in third place on the national log behind the two champions Vercingetorix and Gimmethegreenlight.

Mastership was bought for R300,000 at the National Yearling Sale by Scott Gaskell, who now owns him in partnership with Desiree de Andrade.

The pair have poured a lot into racing and this was their first feature winner.

The Baitz family purchased Mastership’s Argonaut dam Clear Sailing out of the Dennis Drier yard after her original owners, Robyn and Robin Muir, had decided to put her on the market as a three-time winner.

Clear Sailing has done well at the Sales and at the August Two-year Sale last year her Rafeef daughter Sistership, who has finished second in both of her starts for Alec Laird, fetched R800,000.

Marco van Rensburg’s previous two wins in the Grand Heritage were on Stuart Pettigrew-trained horses, Soldier On in 2018 and ExpressfromtheUS in 2020.

RACE 1

1 WINDS OF GRACE 3 HUBERTUS HUNT 4 GALAXY QUEEN 10 SHADOWLINE

Preview: 1 WINDS OF GRACE is knocking on the door and has a fine chance to get it right here from a good draw over a suitable trip. 3 HUBERTUS HUNT improved to run a cracker in soft conditions last time and could earn if able to overcome a tricky draw under Muzi Yeni. 4 GALAXY QUEEN has 2,60 lengths to make up on Winds Of Grace but is improving. 10 SHADOWLINE has run two fair races and could improve. (David Thiselton 1-3-4-10)

RACE 2

11 BABETTE’S FEAST 7 LANCE ALOT 1 MILAN’S WORLD

Preview: 11 BABETTE’S FEAST disappointed last time but will appreciate the step back up in trip. 7 LANCE ALOT could have got closer last time if not carried out by the promising winner and now has a 4kg claimer but the draw it tricky. 1 MILAN’S WORLD has 1,70 lengths to find on Lance A Lot. (David Thiselton 11-7-1)

RACE 3

1 NKWENKWEZI 3 SKY PILLAR ROCK 8 CASUS BELLI

Preview: 1 NKWENKWEZI was due to have run last Thursday when coming off a hattrick and this progressive sort can rise above her current merit rating. 3 SKY PILLAR ROCK won well over 1800m and will enjoy this trip but does have a five point raise to overcome. 8 CASUS BELLI can earn if repeating either of his last two starts. (David Thiselton 1-3-8)

RACE 4

3 FATHER CHRISTMAS 6 PRINCE OF KILDARE 4 LADY BLUNT 1 JOHNNY DRAMA

Preview: 3 FATHER CHRISTMAS is knocking on the door is two runs on the Highveld and will be a big runner here from a middle draw. 6 PRINCE OF KILDARE is knocking on the door and is perfectly distance suited with Callan Murray up but does have a tricky draw. 4 LADY BLUNT has a form chance here from a good draw over a suitable trip. 1 JOHNNY DRAMA is distance suited and in good form but has to overcome a five point raise for his last win. (David Thiselton 3-6-4-1)

RACE 5

2 FRANCILIEN 3 TINA LOVELACE 6 LADY SABRINA 7 TOO LATE MY MATE

Preview: 2 FRANCILIEN was most disappointing last time but now has a good draw and can bounce back. 3 TINA LOVELACE finished second in the Gr 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes over 1600m and her class could help her overcome a big weight of 59kg for a three-year-old. 6 LADY SABRINA is in cracking form but does have a tough draw.  7 TOO LATE MY MATE had some eyecatching form as a three-year-old and has a tough draw in her reappearance but could make her presence felt. (David Thiselton 2-3-6-7)

RACE 6

3 SARAGOSSA CAT 4 WHIRLYBIRD 1 SISTER GOLDEN HAIR 5 OPEN SESAME

Preview: 3 SARAGOSSA CAT won impressively last time and can follow up off a reasonable mark. 4 WHIRLYBIRD  has improved with blinkers on in her last two and should be right there. 1 SISTER GOLDEN HAIR disappointed in her two comeback runs but this is easier and she should have come on from the two runs.  OPEN SESAME has shown enough ability in three starts to earn here. (David Thiselton 3-4-1-5)

RACE 7

7 MANYELETI 5 ALPINE JET 4 GREEN FLASH 11 MYSTICAL MISS

Preview: 7 MANYELETI is very quick and only just failed to make it two in a row when beaten by a smart sort. 5 ALPINE JET was beaten more than nine lengths by Manyeleti last time but is better than that. 4 GREEN FLASH is capable of being in the shake up here. 11 MYSTICAL MISS has shown enough to be able to earn. (David Thiselton 7-5-4-11)

RACE 8

8 TEMPRANILLO 6 AMAZONIAN 5 DEAL MAKER 11 PLUMBAGO PARK

Preview: 8 TEMPRANILLO was an easy winner third time out and can follow up off a reasonable merit rating. 6 AMAZONIAN improved last time and can progress again. 5 DEAL MAKER is knocking on the door and should be right there. 11 PLUMBAGO PARK has some eyecatching form and is a contender. (David Thiselton 8-6-5-11)

Race Coast is thrilled to announce a game changing new era for South African horse racing punters with the official launch of horse racing with Colossus Pools on Monday, 1 December 2025!

Following the successful introduction of Colossus world class sports pools, we are now bringing this innovative technology to the multi-leg racing bets. To kick off the launch, the horse racing pools will feature predetermined, high value UK race meetings, giving local punters access to massive international jackpots.

This marks a major step forward for the sport, combining the thrill of racing with modern, flexible features.

Introducing Unprecedented Control

For the first time in South African racing, you will be able to take advantage of key features that put you in control of your bet:

• Cash Out: Don’t wait until the last race! You will now receive leg-by-leg offers to Cash Out all or part of your ticket as the pool progresses. Secure a profit early or reduce your risk, giving you unprecedented control over your potential winnings.
• Syndicate Betting: Join forces with other punters to crowdfund a single, high stakes ticket. Share the cost, increase your chances of hitting the jackpot, and share the rewards with the betting community. You can become a Syndicate Captain or contribute to a ticket led by an expert.

Race Coast is committed to innovating and ensuring our horse racing proposition is the most exciting and engaging in the country.

Get Ready to Play!

Look out for the Colossus button on the www.tote.co.za website and from December 1st, toggle between Football and Horse Racing, and experience the new generation of betting.

Massive UK Jackpots, More Control, and Shared Success—get ready to elevate your racing experience!

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.

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).

 

• Correct Score: This is a more challenging but potentially more lucrative pool, where you must predict the exact final result of each match

 

• 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

 

Innovative Functionality

• 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.

 

• 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!

 

• Guaranteed Huge Sports Pools: Colossus Bets offers guaranteed prize pools often reaching life-changing proportions. This means greater potential payouts for a winning ticket!

 

• Consolation Prizes: For many pools, if you narrowly miss the jackpot by getting a number of the selections correct, you can still win a share of a consolation prize. This means that you can still get a payout even if your ticket isn’t a perfect winner.

How to find the Colossus Product

To access the Colossus soccer products, simply follow these steps:

• Log in to your TOTE account on www.tote.co.za
• Once logged in, look for the “Colossus” button on the main navigation bar.
• Click the button to be taken to a new page, displaying all the available Colossus products
• Start playing!

 

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.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!