South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Ffos Las and Curragh (UK) – 29 June 2025

Race 1

1 PERFUME POWER   5 FLYING SOUTH   2 WHAT A PASSION 4 THIRD WINTER

Summary: PERFUME POWER (11) has come on nicely in her three starts and was a touch unlucky when beaten a nod of the heads over course and distance last time out. Glen Kotzen holds a strong hand with FLYING SOUTH (5) who has improved with every run and looks primed, and THIRD WINTER (4) who raced very green on debut on the poly and likely to improve. WHAT A PASSION (2) found some market support on debut and likely to improve. Keep an eye on the betting on the two well-bred Kannemeyer pair of PRINCESS OF GAUL (1) and LIGHT OF GABRIEL (13). (Andrew Harrison: 1-5-2-4).

Race 2

6 CHAPBOOK   8 GRAND FORCE   4 BOARDWALK BREEZE   10 BOMBER STREAM

Summary: Open. Visiting CHAPBOOK (6) has shown up well in both starts and with Fourie up, looks the part. GRAND FORCE (8) has ability and was a close-up third on the poly last outing. He has run well on this course. BOARDWALK BREEZE (4) showed good pace before tiring the last bit. He has 100m less to travel and can go all the way. CLICKBAIT (2) takes on males and has not been two far back in both starts. Fourie has deserted.  BOMBER STREAM (10) is a struggling maiden but has shown some improvement in blinkers at his last two on this course. (Andrew Harrison: 6-8-4-10).

Race 3

7 SOHO STAR   4 COLD SHINE   5 LICENCE TO THRILL   9 VIHAAN’S WEB

Summary: SOHO STAR (7) is in good form and narrowly beaten at his last two. He faces VIHAAN’S WEB (9) on 4kg better terms and should be able to turn the tables. LICENCE TO THRILL (5) is seldom far back but is 1.5kg worse off with Soho Star on the last meetings. Mike and Mathew de Kock have two runners. Judged on jockey bookings MOJO MAN (6) may be the stable elect but Callan Murray would have been hard-pressed to ride 54.5kg so Craig Zackey does duty on COLD SHINE (4) who has first time blinkers. ISIVIVANE (2) disappointed last run but shed his maiden over course and distance. (Andrew Harrison:  7-4-5-9).

Race 4

1 ABADDON   4 MAL DEL PLATA   8 GORGEOUS GUY   13 VELDSKOEN

Summary: Competitive handicap. ABADDON (1) is down in class with a big weight but does get 4kg relief from the saddle. MAR DEL PLATA (4) was touched off with first time blinkers last run. He has been consistent and is due a change of fortune. GORGEOUS GUY (8) has been knocking on the door for some time now. He goes well this trip and should be competitive again. VELDSKOEN (13) has his second run for a new stable. He was not far back on debut and had steady Highveld form. (Andrew Harrison: 1-4-8-13).

Race 5

1 SOLDIER BOY   6 BEACH PALACE   11 LAKE COMO   2 QUERARI’S DREAM

Summary: SOLDIER BOY (1) is a two-year-old who won on debut at long odds. He got a hefty rating for that effort. He gets 4kg off his back and could run up to his rating with apprentice Jacey Botes having ridden many in this field. BEACH PALACE (6) has run well for this apprentice and has steady form over course and distance. LAKE COMO (11) has come good of late and the Doug Campbell stable has come well. Lake Como goes well over course and distance but has the widest draw to contend with. QUERARI’S DREAM (2) needed his last run. He is lightly raced but useful on his day. (Andrew Harrison: 1-6-11-2).

Race 6

9 CAPTAIN’S PRIDE   2 NELLIE MELBA   1 COPACABANA   4 NOODSBERG

Summary: Tough handicap so should pay to keep a close eye on the betting. CAPTAIN’S PRIDE (9) takes on older runners but was not far back first up in handicap company. Gavin Lerena stays with the ride. NELLIE MELBA (2) showed up well over the trip on the poly last run. She appears to be coming to hand. COPACABANA (1) has smart recent poly form but does go on the turf. She has the best of the draw. NOODSBERG (4) has run two fair races on the poly. She should come on from those two runs. MY TRUE LOVE (10) has been knocking at the door and is worth including in all exotics. (Andrew Harrison: 9-2-1-4).

Race 7

3 SONIC JET   8 ONE SMART COOKIE   2 ICE RAIN   5 SAFE AND SOUND

Summary: SONIC JET (3) started at long odds behind the smart Green Sapphire last time out and although she carries a big weight she does have a touch of class. ONE SMART COOKIE (8) has lived up to her name and tries for her fourth win on the bounce. She is up in class with a wide draw but Richard Fourie stays with the ride and she can follow up. ICE RAIN (2) has a better draw and is in mustard form and from an in-form stable. She went up six points in the handicap after her last win.  SAFE AND SOUND (5) found her last run too far and she should do better this time around. (Andrew Harrison: 3-8-2-5).

Race 8

2 SKYTRIX   1 RUGGER LOVER   8 RANI TARABAI   9 GREENHOUSE

Summary: SKYTRIX (2) doesn’t appear to like the poly and failed narrowly over course and distance three runs back. She has a good draw and could oblige a decent odds. RUGGER LOVER (1) steps up in trip from a good draw. She has consistent sprint form but Richard Fourie is back in the irons. RANI TARABAI (8) showed up well first run out of the maidens. This trip suits and she should be competitive. GREENHOUSE (9) has been knocking at the door and has gone close over course and distance beaten by One Smart Cookie. WEST SIDE STORY (11) made no show on the poly last run but had steady form before that. She has a wide draw but a handy weight and is not out of it. (Andrew Harrison: 2-1-8-9).

Race 9

1 TERMINATOR   10 WHITE SEAHORSE   13 EL REY VIENE   4 FRENCH FLAME

Summary: TERMINATOR (1) is long overdue after three runners-up berths over course and distance. He has the best of the draw and should put in another forward effort. WHITE SEAHORSE (10) has drawn a little wide but has shown up well since shedding his maiden. He gets 4kg relief this time around which could make all the difference. EL REY VIENE (13) is another that is overdue a change of luck. He has drawn wide but should be competitive. FRENCH FLAME (4) is down in class and was a beaten favourite last run in first time blinkers. He should be a runner from a plum draw. (Andrew Harrison: 1-10-13-4).

Andrew Harrison

Punters face a competitive card at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and it may pay to keep a weather eye on the betting market as in most of the races one can make out a case for many of the runners.

In the first race Duncan Howells sends out Perfume Power who has come on nicely in her three starts and was a touch unlucky when beaten a nod of the heads over course and distance last time out. Glen Kotzen holds a strong hand with Third Winter who raced very green on debut on the poly and likely to improve. What A Passion found some market support on debut and likely to improve but keep an eye on the betting on the two well-bred Dean Kannemeyer pair of Princess Of Gaul and Light Of Gabriel.

Clinton Binda raids with Chapbook who has shown up well in both starts and with Fourie up, looks the part in the second. Grand Force has ability and was a close-up third on the poly last outing. He has run well on this course. Boardwalk Breeze showed good pace before tiring the last bit. He has 100m less to travel and can go all the way for Paul Lafferty. Darryl Moore’s gelding Bomber Stream is a struggling maiden but has shown some improvement in blinkers at his last two on this course.

In the third, Soho Star is in good form for Yogas Govender and was narrowly beaten at his last two. He faces Vihaan’s Web on 4kg better terms and should be able to turn the tables. Licence To Thrill is seldom far back but is 1.5kg worse off with Soho Star on their last meetings. Mike and Mathew de Kock have two runners. Judged on jockey bookings Mojo Man may be the stable elect but current stable rider Callan Murray would have been hard-pressed to ride 54.5kg so Craig Zackey does duty on Cold Shine who has first time blinkers.

Abaddon could open the Pick 6 for Mike Miller as he is down in class with a big weight but does get 4kg relief from the saddle. Tony Rivalland saddles Mar Del Plata was touched off with first time blinkers last run. He has been consistent and is due a change of fortune. Gorgeous Guy has been knocking on the door for some time now. He goes well this trip and should be competitive again.

Miller has a chance of a double as he sends out Soldier Boy in the fifth. He is a two-year-old who won on debut at long odds. He got a hefty rating for that effort but gets 4kg off his back and could run up to his rating with apprentice Jacey Botes having ridden many in this field. Beach Palace has run well for this apprentice and has steady form over course and distance. Lake Como has come good of late and the Doug Campbell stable has also come well. Lake Como goes well over course and distance but has the widest draw to contend with in an apprentice race. Querari’s Dream needed his last run. He is lightly raced but is useful on his day.

Louis Goosen could have the key to a tough handicap in the sixth with Captain’s Pride who takes on older runners but was not far back first up in handicap company. Gavin Lerena stays with the ride. Nellie Melba showed up well over the trip on the poly last run. She appears to be coming to hand. Copacabana has smart recent poly form but does go on the turf. She has the best of the draw. Noodsberg has run two fair races on the poly. She should come on from those two runs. My Tue Love has been knocking at the door and is worth including in all exotics.

Visiting Corrie Lensley saddles Sonic Jet, his only runner on the day. She started at long odds behind the smart Green Sapphire last time out and although she carries a big weight she does have a touch of class. One Smart Cookie has lived up to her name and tries for her fourth win on the bounce. She is up in class with a wide draw but Richard Fourie stays with the ride and Tienie Prinsloo’s filly can follow up. Ice Rain has a better draw and is in mustard form and from an in-form stable. She went up six points in the handicap after her last win. 

Mike Miller has another chance with Skytrix in the eighth. The filly doesn’t appear to like the poly and failed narrowly over course and distance three runs back. She has a good draw and could oblige a decent odds. Rugger Lover steps up in trip from a good draw. She has consistent sprint form and Richard Fourie is back in the irons. Rani Tarabai showed up well first run out of the maidens. This trip suits and she should be competitive. Greenhouse has been knocking at the door and has gone close over course and distance beaten by One Smart Cookie. West Side Story made no show on the poly last run but had steady form before that. She has a wide draw but a handy weight and is not out of it.

It could be a long wait for Terminator in the last who could prove to be the best bet on the card. He is long overdue after three runners-up berths over course and distance but has the best of the draw and should put in another forward effort. White Seahorse has drawn a little wide but has shown up well since shedding his maiden. He gets 4kg relief this time around which could make all the difference. El Rey Viene is another that is overdue a change of luck. He has drawn wide but should be competitive along with French Flame  who is down in class but was a beaten favourite last run in first time blinkers. He should improve on the run from a plum draw.

Soccer4 on Sunday, 29th June 2025, ADD-IN R 25 000, Pool Closes at 18h00, Sport 17 and Pool 2, Estimated Pool: R 100 000

There was a collective sigh of relief around the gathered crowd in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring when the name of Eight On Eighteen was read out by Graeme Hawkins as being among the 18 runners for the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Trainer Justin Snaith was always cagey about whether his star colt would take his place in the line-up given that he would carry top weight for a three-year-old of 57kg the highest since Abashiri lumped 59kg into 13^th place behind The Conglomerate in 2016.

But Snaith and owners Nick Jonsson and Johann Rupert have taken the plunge and Eight On Eighteen will make history should he win and become the first three-year-old in history to win the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met and the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July in the same year

Eight On Eighteen is also likely to start one of the shortest priced favourites in the 129-year history of the race and his chances were further enhanced when he was drawn 11 in the 18-horse field.

James Crawford has two runners in the race, last year’s winner Oriental Charm who drew pole position and Pomodoro’s Jet who drew 8. It would be an emotional win for James Crawford, who recently took over his father’s string with Brett now plying his trade in Hong Kong.

See It Again races in the same Nick Jonsson silks as Eight On Eighteen and has his third attempt after finishing second to Winchester Mansion two years back and an unlucky fifth last year behind Oriental Charm. He pulled a wide draw of 15.

Stuart Ferrie sends out his first July runner in the hard-knocking Gladatorian. A fast-finishing third behind Dave The King and Oriental Charm in the Gold Challenge, he pulled a wide gate of 16.

Dean Kannemeyer knows what it takes to train a July winner, successful with Dynasty, Eyeofthetiger and Power King and The Real Prince drew gate 5.

Royal Victory will have his supporters but Nathan Kotzen’s charge drew deep at 17. However,  he is a winner of the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr1 Champion Challenge at Turffontein and finished third in the July last year behind Oriental Charm. 

Fabian Habib has his first July runner in Confederate. Relatively lightly raced the gelding has won four of his nine starts but has never finishing further back than second. He won the Gr1 SA Classic beating subsequent Gr1 Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack and will be ridden by two-time South African and current New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy who has made the trip to ride in the race.  He drew gate 14.

Mike de Kock has a stellar record in this race and has joined forces with his son Mathew. They have their first July runner together in the three-year-old and recent Gr3 Jubilee Stakes winner Immediate Edge. He carries bottom weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg and has won four of his six starts to date. He drew alongside Eight On Eighteen in gate 10.

Snaith has two other runners in the race, namely Okavango and the one-time winner Native Ruler. Okavango will be ridden by Andrew Fortune and drew 13 while Tristan Godden will have to navigate Native Ruler from gate 18.

 Alec Laird and jockey Calvin Habib pin their hopes on Gr1 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch who drew favourably in 4.

Andre Nel was first up to do the draw for Selukwe and came out with gate 6. Serino Moodley will be doing the honours on Selukwe.

Alan Greef will fly the colours for the Eastern Cape with his star performer My Best Shot who has a midfield draw of 9.

Local owner Sid Moodley has his first July runner in Madison Valley and he drew gate 2 for his trainer Frank Robinson.

Rainbow Lorikeet is the only filly in the race and Candice Bass Robinson’s runner drew well in 7 and will have Deigo de Gouveia aboard.

Race Coast