Please Note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Beverley and Sedgefield (UK) – 13 May 2025

David Thiselton

There were two big scratchings from the Hollywoodbets Durban July at first declaration stage, the Alec Laird-trained Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gr 2 Gold Bracelet winner and twice Gr 1 runner up Red Palace.

A runner in last year’s July, Barbaresco, and a runner in the 2023 July, Without Question, were also scratchings and so were last year’s July consolation race (Splashout 2200) winner Cape Eagle alongside Champagne Cocktail, Bristol Hercules, La Pulga, I Salute You, My Soulmate, The Ultimate King and Kamensky.

Crack Potala Palace filly Red Palace was scratched due to a minor setback.

This setback will unfortunately see her not ready in time for either the July or the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes on the same day.

However, Kannemeyer still has a live July contender in The Real Prince, who was possibly the most eye-catching runner in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m on the Champions Season opening day. From a wide draw he was dropped out and flew home in seemingly effortless style for a 1,35 length fourth. The connections are still undecided on his route into the July and Kannemeyer admitted he still had to prove he stayed the July 2200m trip. The Gimmethegreenlight gelding is a full-brother to Equus Champion Sprinter Gimme A Prince. He has a lot of other classy sprint-miler relatives close up of the like of his Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint-winning dam Real Princess, his full-sister the Gr 3 Diana Stakes-winning filly Gimme’s Countess and Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner William Longsword, who is a half-brother to Real Princess. However, The Real Prince’s third dam, Dancing Flower, produced champion older male stayer Kelly as well as useful stayer Flame and also the Gr 2 UAE Derby winner, the top class Victory Moon, who was unlucky in one of England’s top weight for Gr 1 events, the Coral Eclipse (one mile and two furlongs (2000m). The Real Prince has only once tried as far as a mile and that was in the Listed Jet Master Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he won by five lengths. So that augurs well for his chances of staying further. He would be a big runner if taking his place in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on June 7, although the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m could also be an option as that might be a better way of keeping his merit rating of 120 down for the July.

Fire Attack has a bruised foot to the extent Alec Laird did not even nominate him for the July’s biggest three-year-old pointer, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000. He said decisions about his future would only be made after his foot was right. However, he said at this rate he might not make it for any Champions Season races, including the Gr 1 Champions Cup.

He said Atticus Finch was finding a mile too far for him these days let alone the 1400m of his preparation run on Sunday, where he only got going when the race was over. Alec said this Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup-winning son of Master Of My Fate was not a good traveller so would likely run in the Jubilee over 1800m in Johannesburg as his final July preparation run and said he might then come down to KZN a week before the July to give him a chance to recover in case he did not travel well. Alec was glad to see See It Again running well in his last race as that would give Atticus Finch a weight of 57kg as things stand in the July and he felt that would give him a chance.

He said he had hoped for a better run on Sunday for Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway in an 1800m event at Turffontein Standside. He said he had needed the run a bit and added he was glad he had not fallen away like he did in his last run. However, he said his July participation would depend on how he went in he Gr 1 Daily News 2000 on 24 May at Hollywoodbets Greyville. 

The first supplementary stage for the July ends tomorrow and there have been no supplementary entries yet.

PLEASE NOTE!

Soccer 4 SHH:  SPORT 18 AND POOL 2 – 14 MAY 2025

Match 2 (M2): AC MILAN vs BOLOGNA. INCORRECT ORDER DISPLAY

Soccer 6 6HH: SPORT 5 AND POOL 1 – 14 MAY 2025

Match 3 (M3):
AC MILAN vs BOLOGNA. INCORRECT ORDER DISPLAY

Soccer 10 SJJ: SPORT 7 AND POOL 1 – 14 MAY 2025

Match 7 (M7):
AC MILAN vs BOLOGNA. INCORRECT ORDER DISPLAY

All results (the field) will qualify for the above match.

In terms of TAB rules, all choices (the field) will apply in determining results and payouts

David Thiselton

The Andre Nel yard look to have booked a berth in the Hollywoodbets Durban July for the consistent five-year-old Pomodoro gelding Selukwe. A further development in the July build up over the weekend was the impressive win of the East Cape’s best three-year-old My Best Shot in the Listed East Cape Derby on Friday, begging the question of whether he will be supplemented for the big race, while up at Turffontein the well regarded Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway disappointed when only fourth in a Pinnacle event over 1800m that was won by July 100/1 shot Navajo Nation.

Selukwe carried 54kg off a 103 merit under Serino Moodley and after being dropped out from a wide draw ran on from the back in the straight to win by a comfortable 2,20 lengths. The consistent Mike Miller-trained Narina Trogon ran on well from a handy position for second, 0,30 lengths ahead of the Justin Snaith-trained Underworld, who drifted out to 25/1 before being backed in late to 7/1. Underworld also came from a handy position, while his 11/2 chance stablemate Okavango, who started Tote favourite, ran on well for a 3,20 length fourth. Thunee Playa stayed on for fifth place. The race did not pan out at all well for the bookmakers 9/2 favourite Native Ruler, who was hampered at the start and ended too far back and never really had fresh air to aim at in the straight.

Selukwe has shortened in to 25/1 for the July with the sponsor.

Narina Trogon remains a 75/1 shot for the July, while Underworld is not a July entry, but he might go for a race like the Cup Trial next and be supplemented if winning it.

Okavango has surprisingly stayed at 20/1 for the July, despite probably needing to now either win the Cup Trial or run a big race in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

The same can be said for Native Ruler, who remains on 40/1.

Their stablemate Future Swing was last year’s winner of the WSB 1900 but proved in need of the run on Saturday and ran a 6,30 length eighth. He remains on 50/1 for the July. He is highly regarded and could bounce back in the Cup Trial.  

The best weighted horse in the WSB 1900 was Indian Ocean who was sent to the front by Kabelo Matsunyane and did way too much trying to get there. Piere Strydom did go close on her from the front last time and has won on her from the front, but he has also won on her coming from last and in retrospect dropping her out from a wide draw would have been a better tactic. 

Indian Ocean finished last and remains a 75/1 shot for the July, while her stablemate Infinite Wonder was never in it and remains a July 150/1 shot. Their fifth-placed stablemate Thunee Playa remains a 100/1 shot for the July. 

Madison Valley was another major disappointment in the WSB 1900, finding nothing from a handy position, and he remains on 100/1 for the July. Madison Valley’s Frank Robinson-trained stablemate Shoot The Rapids ran sixth, but is viewed more as a Gold Cup horse and remains on 100/1 for the July too.

Selukwe’s stablemate Cape Eagle had too much use made of him early and faded out, so he also remains 100/1 for the July.

The Peter Muscutt-trained I Salute You ran a fair seventh from a wide draw in the WSB 1900, but remains on 75/1 for the July. 

The Glen Kotzen-trained Holding Thumbs was one of the most backed horses on the day of the WSB 1900 as Glen Kotzen has called him one of the best he’s trained for a long time. However, as a big staying type who was widely drawn he was always up against it and he duly faded after being taken to the front. He is a 50/1 shot for the July.

Meanwhile, the Alan Greeff-trained My Best Shot became the first horse to ever land the East Cape “Triple Crown”. He won all three legs of the Sophomore Series over 1400m, 1600m and 2400m respectively and earned a R250,000 bonus. 

The Varsfontein Stud-bred Fire Away three-year-old gelding has now won nine races from 15 starts and has won three Listed events.

My Best Shot was a bit head strong going down to the start for Friday’s Listed East Cape Derby, which raised some concerns because this was the first time he was going beyond 1600m and 800m further is a considerable step up.

However, he settled well at the back of the eleven horse field.

He then scythed through the field like a hot knife through butter in the straight to win by 5,25 lengths.

He is only rated 111 and he faced opposition that were all rated 95 or below, so thoughts of the Hollywoodbets Durban July would probably require a trip to KZN to run in a race like the Cup Trial.

He has such an exhilarating turn of foot that supplementing him for the Hollywoodbets Durban July would not be over optimistic.

Parisian Walkway’s disappointing run at Turffontein yesterday opened the question whether he stays further than a mile, because it is the third time he has disappointed over further than a mile. However, he did carry topweight and if apprentice claims are ignored had to give Navajo Nation 8kg and only lost to him by four lengths.

Later, the fancied July entry Legend Of Arthur finished last in a Pinnacle race over 1400m, but it sound worse than the run actually was as he experienced traffic problem when staying on quite well over too sharp a trip.

Purple Pitcher and Atticus Finch also found the distance too sharp and needed it, but it would have been  important respective pipe opener on their route towards the July too.

Later, the July 14/1 shot Immediate Edge ran on superbly for second in the Secretariat Stakes over the too sharp 1400m despite carrying 60.5kg, while earlier in the day July 100/1 shot The Ultimate King won well first time out the maidens over 1600m. 

Andrew Harrison

Stable team efforts in racing, trainers, their assistants, stable jockeys and stable staff coupled with a loyal owner base go a long way to success on the racetrack. Difficult for the smaller yards with the top jockeys hunting the best rides from bigger stables but it all paid off at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday as the five-year-old Selukwe put a smart field to bed in the  Gr3 WSB 1900.

Emotional winning rider Serino Moodley heaped praise on Plattner Racing’s head trainer Andre Nel and his KZN assistant Byron Forster for keeping faith with him as stable rider as the home-bred turned in a stunning performance. Quickening out of the pack he put the race to bed in a matter of strides. He was chased home by Narina Trogon and stable companions Underworld and Okavango who was running on stoutly for fourth.

Moodley got a 14 day suspension for his ride on Selukwe when second to I Salute You in The Sledgehammer at Hollywoodbets Scottsville which made Saturday’s win all the sweeter.

“It was tough taking the suspension but luckily I have a man like Byron (Forster) behind me and if it wasn’t for Byron I wouldn’t be here today so all credit must go to Byron and his team.

“It’s very hard to get chances in this game and if it wasn’t for Byron and his team I promise you I wouldn’t have been standing here today.

“I have to give credit to Mrs Plattner and Mr Nel. They stick by me and they don’t take you off horses. I often come back and tell Byron that I made a mistake and I’m really sorry and he understand that.

“It was hard to let Cape Eagle go but this horse is on the up and perfectly placed.

Of his mount he said, “He really showed his class today and going forward he is really exciting.

“At the thousand he was climbing all over them. I had Okavango in front of me and saw that he was under pressure and I needed to get off his heels. I went to the outside and it was so easy, I don’t think he got to his top.”

Forster said, “It’s all fallen into place these last eight months. He’s been a little unlucky along the way too but to say that he was going to win a group race nine months ago you would probably have said we were off our head but it’s just the progression he’s made.”

Of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Forster said, “I’ll  just carry on training him and I will leave it up to Andre and Mrs Plattner and they can make a decision but he was impressive today.”

The Gr3 WSB 1900 has undergone a number of name changes over the years, starting off as the Gr2 Gordon’s Gin to the Gr2 Republic Day Handicap but lost its Gr2 status a few years back.

However, in recent editions the race has attracted high class fields with winners or placed runners going on to win or feature prominently in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and the race fully deserves an up-grade. 

Clinton Binda can be unconventional in his training methods as there are not many modern trainers that run their horses unshod. That does not faze Binda who has his own private training facilities  on the Highveld and is well supported by Hollywood Racing.

Ziyasha has not managed a feature race win in his 20 starts to date but has found the winner’s enclosure seven times in spite of a high merit rating garnered by running close-up to some smart opposition in feature races. 

The KRA Cup was a 1000m dash but he gave notice that the Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint to be run at Hollywoodbets Scottsville early next month, where he finished eighth last year four lengths behind winner Lucky Lad, could change all that. Winning at long odds at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last time out, not a venue that Binda visits often, a hoof abscess  set his charge back and it has been six months between that win and Saturday’s victory.

“We put a lot of pressure on him (Ziyasha) and ourselves,” said Binda post-race but it was an exceptional win under joint top weight against some smart short-cut specialists.

Ziyasha quickened out of the pack off a decent gallop and although five furlongs appears to be his optimum trip he must surely go into the Golden Horse with a realistic chance of a feature race victory.

Surprise package was Hithemhardsunshine who tried hard  to make up the deficit starting at long odds with Future Variety coming from a long way back to snatch third in an eye-catching showing. He could be a better proposition for the Golden Horse should Candice Bass-Robinson elect to take that route.